EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/261

(2004/C 70 E/282)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3386/03

by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 November 2003)

Subject: Chinese type-approval system — non-tariff barrier

A new Chinese product type-approval system for electrical apparatus and components, electromechanical products, agricultural machinery, tyres and latex products (which affect human life and health, animals, plants, environmental protection and national security, and which currently affects 132 products, is causing alarm within European industry.

The European Chamber of Commerce in China has uncovered 10 or 12 instances of blocked containers, long-drawn-out procedures and allegations of problems of intellectual property linked with the new system.

Did the Commission discuss this issue at its last bilateral summit meeting with China? If not, what does the Commission intend to do to remove this type of non-tariff barrier and guarantee access to the Chinese market under fair conditions?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 2003)

The Commission is aware of the problems posed by the application of the new Chinese product type-approval system for European imports.

Up until 2002, two product safety certification systems existed side by side in China.

In fulfilling its World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments, China unified the existing schemes in 2002 by introducing a single product safety certification system, the China Compulsory Certificate (CCC), which is applicable as of 1 August 2003 to all products intended for the Chinese market.

The CCC system has, however, been widely criticised by foreign companies.

Aware of the confusion caused by the new system even before it was implemented, the Commission had brought this matter to the attention of the Chinese authorities on a number of occasions. As a result of these approaches, the Chinese authorities decided to put back the entry into force of the new compulsory certification scheme, which was initially scheduled for 1 May 2003, to 1 August 2003.

One month after the introduction of the system, the Commission organised a seminar on the CCC certification scheme in Beijing, in partnership with the Chinese authorities, the European industry federations concerned (automobiles, machines, electronics) and certifying bodies from the Member States. This seminar presented an opportunity to draw the attention of the Chinese authorities to the difficulties encountered by European enterprises in the market and sketched out a number of approaches to remedy the situation.

These approaches will be analysed by the ad hoc working group set up by the European and Chinese authorities as part of the EU-China bilateral dialogue on the regulation of industrial products. Its task is to make it easier to prove that products comply with the safety rules in force in China, and it should bring together Chinese and European experts, including industry representatives, several times during the course of this year.

Also, in a recent submission (1) of 7 November 2003 to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade relating to the annual mechanism to review the commitments agreed upon by China on joining the WTO, the Community asked the Chinese authorities for more details regarding European concerns relating to CCC certification.

The Commission would like to assure the Honourable Member that it will always keep a close eye on the conditions governing access to the Chinese market in general, and the application of the CCC certification system to European enterprises in particular.

(1) Document G/TBT/W/227 of 6 October 2003.