WRITTEN QUESTION P-2543/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Television programme Report

On 13 June 2000 a television programme entitled Report was broadcast by RAI 3 in Italy containing disturbing revelations about the WTO and its underhand dealings with the Commission and the FAO.

Dr Susan George, Director of the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam, even went so far as to state during the programme that the Commission is in the service of multinationals and the lobbies representing them.

In this connection, countless secret documents were shown revealing the existence of an organisation known as the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), to which the following multinationals belong: Siemens, Monsanto, Ford, La Roche, Ericsson, Philips, Deutsche Telekom, Boeing, Michelin, Goodyear, Glaxo, Time Warner, Cofide&Cir and America on Line. A whole series of documents were shown revealing that the TABD regularly brings pressure to bear on the Commission to secure the adoption of rules which are to its liking in various sectors ranging from the agri-foodstuffs industry to mobile telephones.

Reference was also made in the same programme to another lobbying organisation called the Business Investment Network, to which FIAT and Pirelli allegedly belong. The programme also alleged that FAO scientists are in the pay of major multinationals in the agri-foodstuffs sector. The programme also revealed the existence of a sophisticated computerised system known as SIS (Service Information System), which is apparently used by the EC to consult multinationals directly in order to agree on the drafting of regulations in various areas (it is alleged that this system was used for the adoption by the EU of Regulations (EC) 49/2000(1) and 50/2000(2) concerning the marketing of GMO.

Does the Commission intend to investigate the disturbing allegations contained in this programme so as to safeguard the reputation of the Community institutions and the other international organisations concerned?

(1) OJ L 6, 11.1.2000, p. 13.

(2) OJ L 6, 11.1.2000, p. 15.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Honourable Member refers to allegations and insinuations apparently contained in a television broadcast. Honourable Members familiar with trade matters will no doubt be astonished at the way in which legitimate activity can be made to appear sinister and well-known bodies can be presented as clandestine or underhand.

The Trans-Atlantic business dialogue (TABD) to which the broadcast in question apparently referred, is one of a number of organisations, including the Trans-Atlantic consumer dialogue (TACD), the Trans-Atlantic labour dialogue (TALD) and the Trans-Atlantic environmental dialogue (TAED), which were set up in response to a public declaration of the Commission and the American government at their summit meeting in Madrid in 1995. This set out the new transatlantic agenda, which covers co-operation on issues such as trade and investment. Among its objectives is to build bridges across the Atlantic, in particular by encouraging private actors and policy makers in the Community and the United States to establish concrete links.

These bodies make public recommendations to the Commission and the American government. They are invited on a rotating basis to make a presentation to leaders at Community-United States summits. The Commission considers the input from all of these dialogues to be of equal importance and very valuable input in its efforts to develop and strengthen a balanced and sound transatlantic relationship. Participation in these bodies is open to those concerned in the relevant areas, and participation in the TABD goes far beyond those companies listed by the Honourable Member.

The recommendations of the TABD are all to be found on its website (http://www.tabd.com). The Commission's reactions to them are likewise in the public domain. Honourable Members who follow Community-United States trade matters will be entirely familiar with the work of the TABD, and are invited to participate in it.

As to the so-called Business investment network, the Commission is indeed holding meetings with many interested parties, European and other, including representatives of European business, for the purpose of receiving input from investors in order

to identify the specific problems they face when investing abroad, and how these problems could be solved. These meetings are not secret. Honourable Members as well as representatives from civil society have been invited to attend some meetings with European investors. Reports of its meetings are available on the Commission website

(http://www.cc.cec:8082/comm/trade/miti/invest/civil.htm).

The services information system (SIS) is part of the information system of the Commission. Through its website (http:www.europa.eu.int/comm/trade/misc/register.htm, any interested person can receive information about trade policy and trade issues from the viewpoint of the Commission. It also provides specific issue groups to facilitate discussion between Commission officials and interested parties on different aspects of trade policy.

Far from being evidence that the Commission is in the service of multinationals and the lobbies representing them, the Honourable Member will see how interested parties and civil society are actively involved in European policy making. The allegations made regarding the Commission are not such as to warrant investigation. The Commission suggests that the Honourable Member addresses her questions concerning the World Trade Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation to the bodies in question.