do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0207/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. WTO reform.
Date: 2000-02-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: World Trade Organisation, institutional reform, international trade, transparency in decision-making

C 330 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

(2000/C 330 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0207/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(4 February 2000)

Subject: WTO reform

What is the Commission doing to contribute to the essential work to be done on the root and branch
reform of the WTO? Will the Commission set a deadline of one year in order to ensure that attention is
given to the need to build credibility for the organisation?

(2000/C 330 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0342/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Reform of the WTO

What is the Commission doing to contribute to the essential work to be done on the root and branch
reform of the WTO?

Will the Commission set a deadline of one year in order to ensure that urgent attention is given to the
need to build credibility for the organisation?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0207/00 and E-0342/00
given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(29 February 2000)

As the Honourable Member is aware,
the Commission made extensive proposals before the Seattle
Ministerial Conference for more transparent procedures in the World trade organisation (WTO). Following
the Seattle Ministerial Conference, the member responsable for trade outlined the Commission(cid:146)s views on
this subject to the committee for industry, external trade, research and technology during his intervention
on 25 January 2000. Whilst acknowledging that clear deficiencies of processes became visible during the
Seattle Conference, the Commission nonetheless also believes that it would be counterproductive to launch
a complete overhaul of the WTO at least until we have launched a new Round. Many of the problems that
surfaced in Seattle were clearly attributable to differences on substance and punctual problems such as
insufficient preparation of the Conference.

The Commission therefore favours a two-stage approach, in which a first step could lead to improvements
in the preparation and organisation of ministerial conferences,
improved participation particularly of
developing countries, and increased transparency for the broader public interest.

More in-depth reforms, such as for instance the reform of structures and decision-making systems would
need to be explored in a second stage (perhaps by a group of eminent people entrusted with this task by
the General Affairs Council) to examine what might be feasible before launching any concrete proposals.

It should need no mention that all short term and long term reform measures will have to be discussed
and agreed with the partners in the WTO.
Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 5/2000 of 4 February 2000 amending Annex II (Technical regulations, standards, testing and certification) to the EEA Agreement
Date: 2000-02-04
Institutions: EEA Joint Committee
Subjects: approximation of laws, dangerous substance, environmental policy, health policy, marketing restriction

12.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 103/9

DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE

No 5/2000

of 4 February 2000

amending Annex II (technical regulations, standards, testing and certification) to the EEA
Agreement

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as adjusted by the Protocol adjusting
the Agreement on the European Economic Area, hereinafter referred to as (cid:145)the Agreement(cid:146), and in
particular Article 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Annex II to the Agreement was amended by Decision No 163/1999 of the EEA Joint Committee of

26 November 1999 (1).

(2) Directive 1999/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 amending for
the 17th time Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of
regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of
certain dangerous substances and preparations (2) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

the laws,

to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of

(3) Commission Directive 1999/51/EC of 26 May 1999 adapting to technical progress for the fifth time
Annex I
the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of
certain dangerous substances and preparations (tin, PCP and cadmium) (3) is to be incorporated into
the Agreement,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following indents shall be added in point 4 (Council Directive 76/769/EEC) of Chapter XV of Annex
II to the Agreement:

(cid:145)(cid:151) 399 L 0043: Directive 1999/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May

1999 (OJ L 166, 1.7.1999, p. 87),

(cid:151) 399 L 0051: Commission Directive 1999/51/EC of 26 May 1999 (OJ L 142, 5.6.1999, p. 22).(cid:146)

Article 2

The texts of Directive 1999/43/EC and Directive 1999/51/EC in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages,
which are annexed to the respective language versions of this Decision, are authentic.

(1) OJ L 61, 1.3.2001.
(2) OJ L 166, 1.7.1999, p. 87.
(3) OJ L 142, 5.6.1999, p. 22.

L 103/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.4.2001

This Decision shall enter into force on 5 February 2000, provided that all the notifications under
Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee (*).

Article 3

This Decision shall be published in the EEA section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal
of the European Communities.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 4 February 2000.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

F. BARBASO

(*) No constitutional requirements indicated.