WRITTEN QUESTION E-1715/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Difficulties experienced by the Community fleet in Brazil.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Brazil, EU Member State, World Trade Organisation, complaint to the Commission, fishing fleet, fishing port, fishing regulations, international law

C 81 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

(cid:129) China has to introduce effective legislation for the protection of textile designs. These are a major asset

of the European textile industry.

Will the Commission defend these demands in the negotiations with China?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 2000)

The negotiations between the Community and China concerning the terms of China(cid:146)s accession to the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) were initialled in Beijing on 19 May 2000. The results have already been
presented to the Council and the Parliament.

As the Honourable Member states, China is the largest supplier (in value) of textiles and clothing to the
Community. China(cid:146)s accession to the WTO will mean that China will benefit from the WTO Agreement
on textiles and clothing, in particular in terms of increased growth factors for the existing quotas and the
phase out for all textiles quotas with WTO members on 1 January 2005, subject to such terms as may be
agreed in the WTO working party on China(cid:146)s accession for example concerning safeguard provisions in
the sector. China(cid:146)s accession to the WTO will therefore bring increased competition on the European
market both for European industry and, particularly at lower price ranges, as between the main supplier
countries in the sector such as, for example, China and India.

The Community(cid:146)s main priority for the sector in the negotiations on China(cid:146)s WTO accession was improved
market access. As a result China agreed on a number of matters that will improve access to the Chinese
market for European exporters in the sector. China will greatly reduce tariffs. These will be reduced
progressively over the period to 2005. China(cid:146)s tariff offer in the sector was reduced further in the final
round of negotiations. While the rates are somewhat higher than those of the Community and a limited
number of tariffs peaks remain, the offer represents an average rate on industrial textiles and clothing
products of 11,5 % (down from 27,3 %). All quotas maintained by China on imports of raw materials will
be removed. China has agreed to remove the state monopoly on sales of exports of silk thus allowing
European industry direct access to supplies.

In addition to the above matters, which are subject to transitional periods, the sector will benefit from the
application of general WTO rules and disciplines, including those relating to intellectual property, and
from other concessions made to the Community, for example concerning distribution rights, which will
also facilitate exports to China. Moreover, as a WTO member China could become an important ally of the
Community in its attempts to improve access to markets of other countries which, despite their WTO
membership, continue to apply prohibitive tariffs in this sector.

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that textiles should not be a (cid:145)one-way street(cid:146). The
concessions made by China to the Community will be included, together with concessions made to other
WTO members,
in China(cid:146)s protocol of accession to the WTO. The overall result should create a
considerable improvement in market access opportunities for the European textiles and clothing industry
in China.

(2001/C 81 E/095)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1715/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Difficulties experienced by the Community fleet in Brazil

(29 May 2000)

The Spanish national deep sea longliners(cid:146) association (ANAPA) claims that Brazil is breaking World Trade
Organisation rules by refusing to allow Community vessels to unload in its ports or to enter its ports, even
to take on supplies or to seek medical assistance. Using ports in other countries costs the Community fleet
an additional € 12 million.

What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on these measures? What steps does it intend to take to put an end to
such malpractice?

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/79

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

the information relayed by the Honourable Member is
The Commission notes ANAPA(cid:146)s claim but
insufficient to enable it to assess the compatibility of the Brazilian authorities(cid:146) prohibition with World
Trade Organisation rules.

To allow the situation to be examined more closely and assessed in the light of WTO rules, ANAPA is
invited to lodge a detailed complaint with the Commission under the procedure laid down in the
Regulation on obstacles to trade (Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 of 22 December 1994 laying
down Community procedures in the field of the common commercial policy in order to ensure exercise of
the Community(cid:146)s rights under international trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices
of the World Trade Organisation (1)).

(1) OJ L 349, 31.12.1994.

(2001/C 81 E/096)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1717/00

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Turin and the Italian proposal on the coverage of Objective 2 areas

The proposal first submitted by Italy on 1 October 1999, relating to the coverage of Structural Fund
Objective 2 areas for the period 2000-2006, was initially rejected on the grounds that the statistics used
conflicted with Eurostat data.

However, not even the amended and revised version, which seeks to incorporate the area of Turin into
Objective 2, has been granted final approval by the Commission.

The Directorate-General for Regional Policy maintains that the Turin area is not eligible, as its unemploy-
ment rate does not meet the criteria for Objective 2. It fails to take into consideration the fact that Italy is
the only EU country to have an organisation such as the (cid:145)Cassa Integrazione(cid:146) (a fund which provides
income support to workers who have been laid off). Workers receiving this kind of income support are
not included on the unemployment lists immediately, but only after several months.

The approval of the proposal has been delayed for many months now and is severely penalising Italy(cid:146)s
economy. The ITL 9 000 billion of the 2000-2006 Community support framework cannot be committed
and the northern regions do not even have the opportunity of using other forms of national financial aid,
as the failure to agree on Objective 2 is also blocking approval of the state aid programme for the Centre-
North.

The Italian Government has, in the meantime, accepted the other observations made by the Commission
and is waiting for the regions to approve the new proposal to be sent to Brussels.

In the Commission(cid:146)s view, what are the fresh obstacles which might undermine the outcome of the
negotiations?

When is the Italian proposal expected to be granted final approval?

Which other Member States are, like Italy, still awaiting the approval of proposals concerning regional
policy objectives and are being affected by the situation in an equally damaging way?