13. Stresses the fact, given the importance of the innovative measures for regional development, that
the budget ofEUR 400 million for seven years represents an absolute minimum and that the possibilitiesthatofferthemselvesinthesecondhalfoftheprogrammeplanningperiodundertheflexibilityinstrumentshouldthereforebeusedtothefullwhilstensuringthatthereisanevenusageofthefundsavailableacross
the wholeprogramme period; suggests likewise, given the scantbudget allocationsetasideforinnovatory
measures,thattheCommissionencouragetheincorporationofthistypeofprojectintotheregionalopera-tionalprogrammes;
14. Reaffirmsitsviewthat,inthelightoftheextremely untransparenttreatmentofTransferofAppro-
priations40/2000,whichmeansafurthercutinthefundsavailableforinnovativemeasuresfrom2000to
2006, the Commission regards this budget item more as a reserve for unexpected problems than as anopportunity to finance measures with added value; notes that in this way the marginalisation of thesemeasuresintheMemberStates,fearsofwhichhavebeenexpressed,isbeginningintheCommissionitself;
15. WelcomesthefactthattheCommissionintendstoincludeintheguidelinesa10-pointcatalogueof
criteria for the selection of programmes for innovative measures with a view to carrying out objective,transparent evaluation and insists that clear audit lines and exit strategies are formulated alongside thesemeasures;
16. Likewise welcomes the fact that it is planned to include the regional programmes for innovative
measuresinthemid-termreviewoftheinterventionsfinancedfromthestructuralfunds,w iththepossibi-lity, if necessary, of making changes in the priority themes to be supported; welcomes the proposed pre-sentationofan annual progress report as of2002;
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17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commissionand the.governments and par-
liamentsofthe Member States.
23. World shipbuilding
A5-0371/2000
European Parliament resolution on the second report from the Commission to the Council on the
situation in world shipbuilding (COM(2000) 263 /dash C5-0436/2000 /dash 2000/2213(COS))
The European Parliament,
*dash having regard tothe secondreport fromthe Commission(COM(2000)263*dashC5-0436/2000),
*dash having regard tothe first report fromthe Commissiontothe Council onthe situation in worldship-
building of13October 1999(COM(1999)474),
*dash having regard toCouncilRegulation(EC)No1540/98of29June 1998establishingnewrulesonaid
toshipbuilding(1),
*dash having regard toArticles 87, 133and157ofthe EC Treaty,
*dash having regard toRule 47(1)ofitsRules ofProcedure,
*dash having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy
(A5-0371/2000),
(1) OJ L 202,18.7.1998,p. 1.C232/362 EN17.8.2001 Official Journal ofthe European Communities
Thursday 14 December 2000
A. whereas the world market in merchant ships remains in crisis on account of dumping by Korean
shipyards, with the logical consequence that market shares have altered in favour of Korea and tothe detriment ofthe EU andother states,
B. whereas the EU has successfully restructured its shipbuilding industry, making quantitative and quali-
tative adjustments,
C. whereas the competitivenessofexisting EU shipyardsought tobe safeguarded andequality ofoppor-
tunity attained onthe worldmarket;
The second report from the Commission to the Council
1. Welcomes the second report from the Commission on the situation in world shipbuilding and
broadlysupportsthe Commission’sconclusionsandrecommendations;
2. Notesthat the Commissionsubmittedits third report (COM(2000)730)on15November 2000;3. Regrets that the Commission does not indicate what specific measures are to be used to help the
shipbuilding industry tofurther improve its international competitiveness;
4. Urges the Commission not only to produce reports on the situation in the sector but also to take
proper, specific, effective action as a matter of urgency in order to ensure the survival of the Europeanshipbuilding industry;
Internal policies
5. Recalls that the EU has already radically restructured its shipbuilding industry so as to reduce pro-
ductioncapacity in anorderly manner, with socialconsequences which are well known;
6. Notesthat,aspartofthequalitativeadjustment,productivityhasbeenincreasedandcompetitiveness
improved, particularly in the European market niche ofthe building ofcruise ships andspecialised ships;
7. Stresses that shipbuilding is a high-technology industry and that European shipbuilders have amply
demonstratedtheir ability tocompete in allfieldswhere fair competition hasleft thema chance;
8. Draws the Commission’s attention to the many advantages of cooperation amongst the Member
States with a view to specialisation, taking into account technological development, the socio-economicconsquences for traditional shipbuilding regions and the need for a strategy to cope with new environ-
mentalchallenges;
9. Regrets the Commission’sdecisionof29November2000andthe Council’sdecisionof5December
2000nottoextend contract-related operating aid toEuropean shipyards;acknowledgesthe clear position
of the Commissionand Council on practices by the Korean shipbuilding industry which distort competi-
tion; is concerned that if international competitive conditions remain as distorted as they are at present,the Commission and Council will be leaving the European shipbuilding industry unprotected, at leastfromJanuary until May 2001,which willbe a period ofuncertainty for the industry;
10. CallsontheCommissiontodiscussthemeasuresitenvisageswiththeEuropeanParliamentwithout
delay;considersthatthesemeasuresmustensurealevelofprotectionequaltothataffordedbytheschemewhich hasoperated todate;
11. Calls on the Commission, before the end of this year, to submit a proposal for extending by two
years the contract-related operating aid provided for in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) 1540/98 establishingnewrules onaid toshipbuilding;
12. Calls in this connection likewise for a review of capacity restrictions for shipyards in the Commu-
nity andflexible adjustmenttodemand,particularly in the fieldofspecialised ships;17.8.2001 EN C232/363 Official Journal ofthe European Communities
Thursday 14 December 2000
External economic issues
13. Notes that, at its meeting on 6/7 July 2000, the OECD Working Party on Shipbuilding decided to
intensify effortstoprevent a further deterioration ofthe worldshipbuilding market;
14. Callsonthe Commission,jointly with other OECD States affected by the crisis in shipbuilding and
other appropriate international fora, tocooperate effectively toensure fair competition worldwide;
15. Calls on the Commission, under the auspices of the OECD, to seek a reviewof the OECD Agree-
ment respecting normal competitive conditions in the commercial shipbuilding and repair industry of21 December 1994 in order to ensure that OECD Member States base their shipbuilding measures onthe full-costprinciple;
Requisite bilateral action
16. Draws attention to Article 8 of the Framework Agreement on trade and cooperation between the
European Communityandits Member Statesoftheonepart andtheRepublic ofKorea oftheother part,signed on28October 1996;
17. Calls on the Commission to consider initiating antidumping measures against imports from the
Republic ofKorea;
18. RecognisesthattheAgreedMinutesrelatingtotheworldshipbuildingmarketsignedbytheEUand
Korea on22June2000constitutedprogressinthenegotiationswiththatcountry;deplores,however, the
fact that Korea has notabided by its commitmentsregarding transparency ofpricing, as demonstratedbythe failure ofthe Commission’son-the-spotmissionofanti-dumping experts lastSeptember;
19. Urges the Republic ofKorea tocomplyfullywith the obligationsin the Agreed Minutes;
Requisite multilateral action
20. Notes that the recommended complaint pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 of
22 December 1994 concerning trade barriers cannot be regarded as an adequate or effective measure,bearing in mindthe special nature ofa ship asa product;
21. Calls on the Commission to initiate a dispute settlement procedure with the Republic of Korea
before the WorldTrade Organisation (WTO);
22. Calls on the Commission to inform it before the decision to initiate the dispute settlement proce-
dure, and to inform it regularly of the progress of the dispute settlement procedure and propose appro-
priate further measures toit;
23. Calls on the Commission to continue to investigate what impact the advent of new competitors
such as the People’sRepublic ofChina is having onthe European shipbuilding industry;
24. Calls on the Presidency of the Council to inform Parliament of the state of bilateral negotiations
with the Republic ofKorea;
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**
25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the govern-
mentsofthe Member States.C232/364 EN17.8.2001 Official Journal ofthe European Communities
Thursday 14 December 2000