WRITTEN QUESTION No. 904/97 by Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER to the Commission. Commission's position on the Care and Fair initiative
Date: 1997-03-05
Institutions: European Parliament, KREISSL-DOERFLER
Subjects: International Labour Organisation, Pakistan, carpet, child labour, child protection, import tax, labour law, textile industry













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91997E0904

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 904/97 by Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER to the Commission. Commission's position on the Care and Fair initiative  


Official Journal C 319 , 18/10/1997 P. 0190 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-0904/97 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission (5 March 1997)Subject: Commission's position on the Care and Fair initiativeIn its answer to my Question P-0050/97 ((OJ C 138, 5.5.1997, p. 182. )) on the Rugmark label the Commission expressed general scepticism regarding so-called fair trade labels for goods manufactured without using child labour.Another action against child labour, the European carpet dealers' Care and Fair initiative, has proposed placing a 2% levy on all EU imports of hand-woven carpets in order to combat child labour. It stated in a circular at the end of January 1997 that the Commission had in principle welcomed this initiative and had said that it would study it.Is this statement by Care and Fair accurate?A further publication (Peter Siegel, Das Terra-Prinzip, Stuttgart 1996) refers to a positive response from EU Commissioners. Which Commissioners have commented favourably on the proposal for such an import levy?When did the talks referred to by Care and Fair take place?What further steps does the Commission plan to take in this connection?Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (2 April 1997)In June 1995 Commission officials met a group of importers of hand-made carpets representing the 'Care and Fair' initiative which aims to raise money in Europe to be used for welfare projects in Asia benefiting young ex-carpet workers and their families through a voluntary levy of 1% on the value of imported carpets by participating importers.At the June 1995 meeting both sides agreed on the need to find practical and effective means to tackle the problem of child labour in the hand-made carpet industry and it was the proposal of the Oriental carpet importers' association that a blanket 2% import levy be imposed on all hand-made carpets entering the Community, payable by importers. The duty so collected by the customs authorities in the Member States would then be passed on to 'Care and Fair' for the benefit of their welfare projects.Consultations following this meeting indicated that the imposition of a levy of this kind was firstly not practical and secondly that the Commission could not support an initiative based on imposing levies of this nature as it is contrary to the legal principle that budget revenues may not be raised for the purpose of financing specific actions.The Commission is not aware of any of its members having officially expressed a favourable view on this particular import tax proposal.The Commission is currently finalising a project with the International labour organisation (ILO) to address the problem of child labour in Pakistan. It is hoped that the experience gained in the implementation of this project will enable the Commission to plan further projects and initiatives in other countries where child labour is prevalent.