WRITTEN QUESTION E-2232/00 by Elisa Damião (PSE) to the Council. Agreement between South Africa and the European Union.
Date: 2000-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, South Africa, restriction on competition, trade agreement (EU)

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/93

(2001/C 103 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2232/00

by Elisa Damiªo (PSE) to the Council

(11 July 2000)

Subject: Agreement between South Africa and the European Union

According to Portuguese exporters, despite the agreement concluded between South Africa and the
European Union, there are still cases of dumping, in violation of Article 2 of the agreement and to the
detriment of Portuguese industry.

What action has the Council taken to prevent the occurrence of situations of unfair competition and what
has it done to ensure that no harm is caused to Portuguese industries?

Reply

(7 November 2000)

The Agreement on Trade, Development and Cooperation signed on 11 October 1999 between the
European Community and South Africa confirms the commitment of both parties to encourage the
process of economic restructuring currently underway in South Africa and to promote the expansion and
reciprocal liberalisation of mutual trade in goods, services and capital. In encouraging such mutual trade
flows however, both parties have underlined their commitment to the principles and rules which govern
international trade, including the application of anti-dumping and countervailing measures. Article 23 of
the Agreement confirms that it does not in any way prejudice the GATT rules on measures to be
undertaken in the case of dumping, and Article 24 outlines the circumstances in which WTO-compatible
safeguard measures may be taken, either by the European Community or South Africa, where any product
is being imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause
serious injury to domestic producers. Article 26 provides that before such safeguard measures are taken
the Cooperation Council established by the Agreement should be supplied with all relevant information,
with a view to seeking a solution acceptable to both parties, although in exceptional circumstances
requiring immediate action precautionary measures may be applied without consultation. It should be
noted that the Agreement does not cover trade practices by European Community and South African
producers or exporters in third countries.

The Agreement does provide, however, for specific procedures to be undertaken in the event of Member
State industries suffering harm as a result of unfair competition from South African producers within the
European Community market. The companies concerned should ask their Trade Ministry either to
approach the Commission directly or to raise the issue within the relevant Council committee. At the
last Cooperation Council between the Community and South Africa on 31 March 2000 no case of
dumping was raised by any of the Member States.

(2001/C 103 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2237/00

by Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission

(29 June 2000)

Subject: Banana import fraud

Forged import licences for bananas have been in circulation in the European Union for almost a year.
164 000 tonnes of bananas produced in third countries have entered European territory illegally in this
way. The operators involved pay a duty of € 75 instead of the € 750 per tonne that they would have had
to pay as importers of non-quota bananas.