WRITTEN QUESTION E-1885/00

by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 June 2000)

Subject: EU aid to Turkey in the context of customs cooperation

The European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the importance of stepping up customs cooperation in order to improve and facilitate trade transactions, whilst making the Turkish authorities better acquainted with Community customs legislation in order to prevent the entry of counterfeit and pirated goods.

In the context of the programme designed to strengthen the customs union with Turkey, does the Commission plan to include specific projects for this purpose?

Has the Commission ascertained whether the Turkish authorities have adopted measures to ensure compliance with the provisions to safeguard intellectual, industrial and commercial property since the entry into force of the customs union?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

The Commission has proposed a number of initiatives along the lines described by the Honourable Member. However, in the past, these have not always been supported by the other institutions. The Commission is now proposing two new initiatives. The first is for a Council Regulation regarding the implementation of measures to intensify the EC-Turkey customs union, costing 15 million, on which Parliament was consulted on 2 December 1999. The second initiative is a proposal for a Council Regulation to establish an EIB special action programme in support of the consolidation and intensification of the customs union.

A programme of administrative cooperation launched in 1996 received 1 million to develop cooperation between the central and local administrations in Turkey and the Community, with a view to capacity-building and improving the effectiveness of the numerous Turkish ministries, government departments, agencies and public institutions responsible for implementing the customs union. This programme is drawing to a close and will be continued under the MEDA programme.

In addition, the customs cooperation committee set up by Decision 1/95 of the Association Council meets twice a year to build customs cooperation between the relevant Turkish and Community administrations. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss issues concerning the alignment of Turkey's customs legislation on the Community's and the proper application of the law. The Commission and the Turkish delegation raise problems which the authorities and traders have encountered. This dialogue enables detailed explanations to be given and allows both sides to seek solutions together, thus improving the Turkish authorities' knowledge of the applicable legislation.

The latter includes intellectual, industrial and commercial property law, to which the Honourable Member refers. Article 31 of Decision 1/95 of the Association Council confirms the importance attached to these matters by the parties, and Annex 8 of that Decision sets out arrangements under which Turkey must protect such rights to a degree comparable to that in the Community. Consequently, Turkey set up a Turkish patent institute on 24 June 1995 (Decree Law No 544) and 14 texts have entered into force (a list has been sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat).