European Parliament resolution on the second report from the Commission to the Council on the situation in world shipbuilding (COM(2000) 263 - C5-0436/2000 - 2000/2213(COS))
Date: 2000-12-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: international market, market supervision, report, shipbuilding

C 232/362

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

17.8.2001

Thursday 14 December 2000

13.
Stresses the fact, given the importance of the innovative measures for regional development, that
the budget of EUR 400 million for seven years represents an absolute minimum and that the possibilities
that offer themselves in the second half of the programme planning period under the flexibility instrument
should therefore be used to the full whilst ensuring that there is an even usage of the funds available across
the whole programme period; suggests likewise, given the scant budget allocation set aside for innovatory
measures, that the Commission encourage the incorporation of this type of project into the regional opera-
tional programmes;

Reaffirms its view that, in the light of the extremely untransparent treatment of Transfer of Appro-
14.
priations 40/2000, which means a further cut in the funds available for innovative measures from 2000 to
2006, the Commission regards this budget item more as a reserve for unexpected problems than as an
opportunity to finance measures with added value; notes that in this way the marginalisation of these
measures in the Member States, fears of which have been expressed, is beginning in the Commission itself;

15. Welcomes the fact that the Commission intends to include in the guidelines a 10-point catalogue of
criteria for the selection of programmes for innovative measures with a view to carrying out objective,
transparent evaluation and insists that clear audit lines and exit strategies are formulated alongside these
measures;

16.
Likewise welcomes the fact that it is planned to include the regional programmes for innovative
measures in the mid-term review of the interventions financed from the structural funds, with the possibi-
lity, if necessary, of making changes in the priority themes to be supported; welcomes the proposed pre-
sentation of an annual progress report as of 2002;

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Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the.governments and par-

17.
liaments of the Member States.

23. World shipbuilding

A5-0371/2000

European Parliament resolution on the second report from the Commission to the Council on the
situation in world shipbuilding (COM(2000) 263 ’ C5-0436/2000 ’ 2000/2213(COS))

The European Parliament,

3 having regard to the second report from the Commission (COM(2000) 263 3 C5-0436/2000),

3 having regard to the first report from the Commission to the Council on the situation in world ship-

building of 13 October 1999 (COM(1999) 474),

3 having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 of 29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid

to shipbuilding (1),

3 having regard to Articles 87, 133 and 157 of the EC Treaty,

3 having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

3 having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy

(A5-0371/2000),

(1) OJ L 202, 18.7.1998, p. 1.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Thursday 14 December 2000

A. whereas the world market in merchant ships remains in crisis on account of dumping by Korean
shipyards, with the logical consequence that market shares have altered in favour of Korea and to
the detriment of the EU and other states,

B. whereas the EU has successfully restructured its shipbuilding industry, making quantitative and quali-

tative adjustments,

C. whereas the competitiveness of existing EU shipyards ought to be safeguarded and equality of oppor-

tunity attained on the world market;

The second report from the Commission to the Council

1. Welcomes the second report from the Commission on the situation in world shipbuilding and
broadly supports the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations;

2.

Notes that the Commission submitted its third report (COM(2000) 730) on 15 November 2000;

Regrets that the Commission does not indicate what specific measures are to be used to help the

3.
shipbuilding industry to further improve its international competitiveness;

4.
Urges the Commission not only to produce reports on the situation in the sector but also to take
proper, specific, effective action as a matter of urgency in order to ensure the survival of the European
shipbuilding industry;

Internal policies

Recalls that the EU has already radically restructured its shipbuilding industry so as to reduce pro-

5.
duction capacity in an orderly manner, with social consequences which are well known;

6.
Notes that, as part of the qualitative adjustment, productivity has been increased and competitiveness
improved, particularly in the European market niche of the building of cruise ships and specialised ships;

Stresses that shipbuilding is a high-technology industry and that European shipbuilders have amply

7.
demonstrated their ability to compete in all fields where fair competition has left them a chance;

8.
Draws the Commission’s attention to the many advantages of cooperation amongst the Member
States with a view to specialisation, taking into account technological development, the socio-economic
consquences for traditional shipbuilding regions and the need for a strategy to cope with new environ-
mental challenges;

9.
Regrets the Commission’s decision of 29 November 2000 and the Council’s decision of 5 December
2000 not to extend contract-related operating aid to European shipyards; acknowledges the clear position
of the Commission and Council on practices by the Korean shipbuilding industry which distort competi-
tion; is concerned that if international competitive conditions remain as distorted as they are at present,
the Commission and Council will be leaving the European shipbuilding industry unprotected, at least
from January until May 2001, which will be a period of uncertainty for the industry;

Calls on the Commission to discuss the measures it envisages with the European Parliament without
10.
delay; considers that these measures must ensure a level of protection equal to that afforded by the scheme
which has operated to date;

Calls on the Commission, before the end of this year, to submit a proposal for extending by two
11.
years the contract-related operating aid provided for in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) 1540/98 establishing
new rules on aid to shipbuilding;

Calls in this connection likewise for a review of capacity restrictions for shipyards in the Commu-

12.
nity and flexible adjustment to demand, particularly in the field of specialised ships;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Thursday 14 December 2000

External economic issues

Notes that, at its meeting on 6/7 July 2000, the OECD Working Party on Shipbuilding decided to

13.
intensify efforts to prevent a further deterioration of the world shipbuilding market;

Calls on the Commission, jointly with other OECD States affected by the crisis in shipbuilding and

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other appropriate international fora, to cooperate effectively to ensure fair competition worldwide;

15.
Calls on the Commission, under the auspices of the OECD, to seek a review of the OECD Agree-
ment respecting normal competitive conditions in the commercial shipbuilding and repair industry of
21 December 1994 in order to ensure that OECD Member States base their shipbuilding measures on
the full-cost principle;

Requisite bilateral action

16.
Draws attention to Article 8 of the Framework Agreement on trade and cooperation between the
European Community and its Member States of the one part and the Republic of Korea of the other part,
signed on 28 October 1996;

Calls on the Commission to consider initiating antidumping measures against imports from the

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Republic of Korea;

Recognises that the Agreed Minutes relating to the world shipbuilding market signed by the EU and
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Korea on 22 June 2000 constituted progress in the negotiations with that country; deplores, however, the
fact that Korea has not abided by its commitments regarding transparency of pricing, as demonstrated by
the failure of the Commission’s on-the-spot mission of anti-dumping experts last September;

19.

Urges the Republic of Korea to comply fully with the obligations in the Agreed Minutes;

Requisite multilateral action

20.
Notes that the recommended complaint pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 of
22 December 1994 concerning trade barriers cannot be regarded as an adequate or effective measure,
bearing in mind the special nature of a ship as a product;

Calls on the Commission to initiate a dispute settlement procedure with the Republic of Korea

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before the World Trade Organisation (WTO);

22.
Calls on the Commission to inform it before the decision to initiate the dispute settlement proce-
dure, and to inform it regularly of the progress of the dispute settlement procedure and propose appro-
priate further measures to it;

Calls on the Commission to continue to investigate what impact the advent of new competitors

23.
such as the People’s Republic of China is having on the European shipbuilding industry;

Calls on the Presidency of the Council to inform Parliament of the state of bilateral negotiations

24.
with the Republic of Korea;

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Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the govern-

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ments of the Member States.