WRITTEN QUESTION E-1503/00 by Ilka Schröder (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. New round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations.
Date: 2000-05-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common commercial policy, investment, public contract, tariff negotiations, 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.