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(2004/C 65 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3472/02

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Subject:   Extra checks on goods shipped to the United States via European ports

Can the Commission confirm that it has objected to contracts between the American customs and a number of European Union port authorities for extra checks on goods being shipped to the United States via European ports?

Does the Commission not find it justified for the American customs to want to cooperate with the European Union port authorities, when the aim is to prevent terrorist attacks via containers on shipping on the transatlantic route?

Would it not be more constructive for the Commission to set up an agreement between the American customs and all the relevant European Union port authorities for a uniform system of checks to prevent terrorist activities?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2003)

Regarding the concerns expressed by the Honourable Member on the Commission's response to the strengthening of security controls in European Ports by American Customs with a view to combat terrorism, the Commission has been actively working to find a Community response to this question.

The Community shares the objective of improving maritime transport security and protecting trade against any threat of terrorist attack. Concerning the United States initiative the Commission is concerned as to the impact of this initiative, particularly with regard to Community policies in transport, trade and customs. For this reason the Commission is opposed to the conclusion of bilateral agreements in areas where a common Community approach is needed and negotiations between the Community and the United States should be privileged. In December 2002 the Commission therefore sent letters of formal notice to four Member States that had concluded bilateral agreements on this matter.

On the other hand, the Commission fully shares the security concerns that have motivated the United States initiative and recognises the importance of taking concrete steps to ensure, as quickly as possible, a common level of security control on both sides of the Atlantic. This can best be done through a formal Community/United States agreement offering mutually agreed standards for controls of all cargo exports and ensuring strengthened customs co-operation in respect of transport security. It has been suggested to American Customs to expand Container Security Initiative (CSI) as quickly as possible to all Community ports which meet mutually agreed minimum standards of interest, as a pilot phase, together with those ports covered so far by bilateral declarations between American Customs and Member States. These pilot ports shall then serve as experiments to allow the establishment of a longer-term comprehensive Community/United States co-operation framework on security.

The Commission has pursued this objective with the United States' authorities in various meetings between the Commission and American Customs officials. Both sides recognise the importance of co-operation to ensure both better security and facilitation of legitimate trade. In the discussion a number of major principles for future co-operation were stressed, most particularly reciprocity, common standards for the selection and performance of controls to increase security and at the same time facilitation for legitimate trade.

It is hoped that these discussions will, in the near future, lead to a commonly agreed response to these security concerns.

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