WRITTEN QUESTION No. 752/98 by Joan COLOM I NAVAL to the Commission. Law governing imports of cars into Ukraine
Date: 1998-03-18
Institutions: COLOM I NAVAL, European Parliament
Subjects: EU Member State, South Korea, Ukraine, import, import restriction, motor car, originating product, restriction on competition, tax relief

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/67

(cid:145)Networks(cid:146) indicated under the actions on community information on rare diseases means building structures in
and between holders of data, while (cid:145)groups collaboration and networking(cid:146) mentioned in the second actions of the
second objective refers to organisations of individuals representing patient and family support groups.

As regards the second objective, the Commission agrees that the Internet ((cid:145)newsgroups(cid:146) and (cid:145)chatgroups(cid:146)) can
also play a very useful role in fostering contacts between patients and professionals, as in most cases people
suffering from rare diseases live far apart from one another.

As regards the third objective, the Commission wishes to indicate that the experience from dealing with clusters
that are of different character and magnitude, and may be caused by different factors, is unique and most valuable
and will certainly lead to the development of guidelines such as those published by the centres for disease control
in the United States.

The  Commission  is  unfortunately  not  yet  in  a  position  to  indicate  the  financial  framework  for  the  proposal
beyond its first year of action (1999) because this will entirely depend on the establishment of the future financial
perspectives. Furthermore, the Commission will keep the need for continuing action in this area under review.

(1)  OJ C 203, 3.7.1997.

(98/C 323/89)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0752/98

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: Law governing imports of cars into Ukraine

In September 1997 Ukraine amended its statutory rules governing the import of new and used vehicles from third
countries, including the EU.

Does the Commission consider that the resulting legal framework complies with the current agreements between
the EU and Ukraine?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1998)

In  relation  to  a  major  investment  by  the  Korean  car  company  Daewoo  in  the  Ukrainian  car  manufacturer
Avtozaz, the Ukrainian government adopted, in September 1997, a law granting discriminatory fiscal advantages
to  the  Korean  investor.  The  Commission  considers  that  this  law  is  in  violation  of  the  most-favoured-nation
treatment of the World trade organisation (WTO) (incorporated in article 10 of the partnership and co-operation
agreement with Ukraine which entered into force on 1 March 1998), in violation of the non-discrimination clause
of the partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) (article 15 of the PCA) and in violation of state aid rules
(article  49  of  the  PCA).  This  law  will  make  it  virtually  impossible  for  any  one  else  to  sell  cars  in  Ukraine.
It compounds with a March 1998 regulation banning the import of second hand cars more than five years old and
imposing  a  USD 5 000  minimum  customs  value  for  all  used  cars,  that  will  practically  halt  second  hand  car
imports to Ukraine. The Commission considers this a quantitative restriction in violation of article 14 of the PCA.

The Commission presented its concerns to the Ukrainian government as early as July 1997. A verbal note was
transmitted  to  Ukraine  on  21  October  1997.  As  Ukraine  did  not  yet  reply  on  the  substance,  the  Commission
started formal consultations with the Ukrainian authorities on 9 March 1998 with a view to using the dispute
settlement procedure provided by article 96 of the PCA with Ukraine.