WRITTEN QUESTION E-1504/00 by Ilka Schröder (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Entry into force of EU-Mexico trade agreement.
Date: 2000-05-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Mexico, election campaign, presidential election, signature of an agreement, trade agreement (EU)

C 72 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Reply

(26 September 2000)

The Council is not competent to express a view on matters relating to NATO(cid:146)s activities or their possible
consequences such as referred to by the Honourable Member.

(2001/C 72 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1503/00

by Ilka Schr(cid:246)der (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: New round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations

The Commission is urging the rapid initiation of a new round of World Trade Organisation negotiations.
At the same time, trade agreements are being concluded with particular states and associations of states
that involve more trade-related aspects than have already been settled under WTO auspices (in particular
public-sector procurement or investment).

By concluding trade agreements with states and associations of states,
anticipating future WTO agreements?

is the Commission deliberately

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2000)

The launch of a comprehensive new round of multilateral negotiations is a major current objective of
Community trade policy and the Commission is working hard to build a consensus for this in the World
Trade Organization (WTO). Among the Community objectives for a new round are the establishment of
multilateral rules on investment and competition and clarification of existing multilateral rules that deal
with the relationship between trade and other important public policy objectives (relating, for example, to
environmental protection, consumer protection or development). These are essential if the WTO is to
respond adequately to the challenge of (cid:145)harnessing globalisation(cid:146). As the WTO takes all decisions by
consensus, the launch of a round, its agenda and the eventual results must be negotiated to the satisfaction
of all 136 members of the Organization.

As well as participating in the WTO, the Community is a party to regional trade agreements with many
other countries or groups of countries. Negotiations continue with a number of other partners. The fact
that provisions of regional agreements may be more ambitious than anything that has yet been agreed at
the multilateral level is simply a reflection of the different (bilateral) context in which negotiations for
regional agreements take place. For example, a number of the Community(cid:146)s regional agreements include
provisions on competition policy, something that has yet
to be brought within the overall WTO
framework.

The WTO rules explicitly provide for the existence of regional agreements among members (Article XXIV
General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT) and Article V General agreement on trade in services
(GATS)) and set out a number of requirements that such agreements should meet. In the view of the
Commission, provided these requirements are met, regional trade agreements should be considered to be
supportive of the multilateral trading system.

(2001/C 72 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1504/00

by Ilka Schr(cid:246)der (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Entry into force of EU-Mexico trade agreement

(12 May 2000)

The EU-Mexico trade agreement, signed on 23 March 2000 in Lisbon, is to enter into force on 1 July
2000. In Mexico, presidential elections are to be held on 2 July 2000.

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/69

Does the Commission consider that fixing the entry into force of the EU-Mexico trade agreement for

1.
that date will influence the outcome of the Mexican presidential elections?

2. Was the date of entry into force deliberately fixed so that the agreement would enter into force
immediately before the Mexico elections?

3. Will it be possible for the date of entry into force of the EU-Mexico agreement to be postponed to
prevent the agreement from being abused by the Mexican party of government as an electioneering ploy?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

1.

The Commission considers the presidential elections in Mexico to be an internal matter of Mexico.

2.
The rhythm of negotiations and conclusion thereof depends on the possibility of both parties
involved to find a mutually satisfactory package, and not on internal political considerations of one of
the parties. In the case of Mexico, a rapid entry into force is clearly in the Community(cid:146)s interest and will
allow the Community to swiftly restore the competitiveness of its products on the Mexican market. It
should be noted that the internal approval process in the Community depends on the appreciation of the
negotiating results by the Council and the Parliament. This internal approval process is bound to pre-set
procedures with their own timeframes.

3.
As mentioned above the presidential elections are an internal matter for Mexico. The Decision
adopted on 23 March 2000 by the Community-Mexico Joint Council, which is based on the interim
agreement, provides for the entry into force on 1 July 2000. Since this is a legally binding Decision, the
entry into force will take place automatically.

(2001/C 72 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1524/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: Residential estate near spoil dump

Can the Commission indicate in general terms how Rule 1 in Annex I to the Directive on the dumping of
waste (1999/31/EC (1)) should be interpreted, particularly in view of the possible plans for setting up a
dump for hazardous dredged spoil in the Oostvliet polder in the municipality of Leiden, the Netherlands?
The neighbouring municipality of Voorschoten intends to build a residential estate 250 metres from the
proposed site of the dump.

In the Commission(cid:146)s view,
hazardous spoil dump?

(1) OJ L 182, 16.7.1999, p. 1.

is it possible to build a residential estate in the immediate vicinity of a

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Under Annex I Point 1 of Directive 1999/31/EEC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste, when
choosing a site to construct a landfill, the location must take into consideration requirements relating to
the distances from the boundary of the site to residential and recreation areas, waterways, water bodies and
other agricultural or urban sites. The landfill can be authorised only if the characteristics of the site with
respect to these requirements, or the corrective measurements to be taken, indicate that the landfill does
not pose a serious environmental risk.