# CE2004084EN.01005201.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/52 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/52

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(2004/C 84 E/0058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3116/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Council

(22 October 2003)

Subject:   Illegal imports of textile products from China

Subject:

On 10 October 2003 the textile workers' union of Barletta (BA) organised a protest against the illegality of Chinese textile imports and called on the European Union to take practical steps to combat such imports.

Can the Council say:

| — | what information it has concerning controls at borders and in Community territory on all forms of illegality (circumvention of the law, tax evasion and counterfeiting of trademarks), compliance with international agreements on imports from non-Community countries, in particular from the Far East, and the payment of customs duty, and what steps it will take to step up these controls; |
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what information it has concerning controls at borders and in Community territory on all forms of illegality (circumvention of the law, tax evasion and counterfeiting of trademarks), compliance with international agreements on imports from non-Community countries, in particular from the Far East, and the payment of customs duty, and what steps it will take to step up these controls;

| — | what measures it will promote for the introduction into Far Eastern countries of checks on respect for international conventions on human rights, including those dealing with pay conditions for workers? |
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what measures it will promote for the introduction into Far Eastern countries of checks on respect for international conventions on human rights, including those dealing with pay conditions for workers?

Reply

(8 March 2004)

(8 March 2004)

| 1. | The imports the Honourable Member refers to are subject to the same EC rules as any other imports into the EC. At the EU-China Summit held on 30 October 2003 in Beijing, both sides expressed their hope for an early conclusion of a customs co-operation agreement, and looked forward to starting negotiations very soon, with the common aim of concluding the agreement in the first half of 2004. They agreed that such an agreement should cover mutual administrative assistance on customs matters, particularly in the field of combat against commercial frauds including counterfeiting. |
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1.

The imports the Honourable Member refers to are subject to the same EC rules as any other imports into the EC. At the EU-China Summit held on 30 October 2003 in Beijing, both sides expressed their hope for an early conclusion of a customs co-operation agreement, and looked forward to starting negotiations very soon, with the common aim of concluding the agreement in the first half of 2004. They agreed that such an agreement should cover mutual administrative assistance on customs matters, particularly in the field of combat against commercial frauds including counterfeiting.

| 2. | As for the Honourable Member's second question, the Council is not considering at this stage any further specific measures to promote the respect for international conventions on human rights in Far Eastern countries. |
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2.

As for the Honourable Member's second question, the Council is not considering at this stage any further specific measures to promote the respect for international conventions on human rights in Far Eastern countries.

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