WRITTEN QUESTION E-2345/01 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Seychelles.
Date: 2001-08-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Seychelles, macroeconomics, support policy

C 160 E/12

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

The Commission fully supports the aims and objectives set in the Kyoto Agreement. However, anti-
dumping measures are taken in order to counteract unfair trade practices which are actionable both in
terms of World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Community legislation.
the
investigation showed the existence of injurious dumping by Chinese exporting producers.

In the present case,

The anti-dumping instrument, in conformity with the relevant WTO Agreement, is intended to combat
unfair trade practices. As such, it is a part of the Community’s trade policy and cannot be a means to
achieve other Community policy objectives. Therefore, the Community industry producing energy saving
lamps cannot be expected to bear the costs of the Community’s energy and environmental policies
through suffering from unfair trade practices.

the Honourable Member’s attention is drawn to the fact

In this context,
the Commission’s
investigation did include an extensive evaluation of allegations made by interested parties, viz. that anti-
dumping duties are contrary to Community energy saving policies, as they could result in increases of the
retail prices for consumers and thus reduce the sales volume of energy saving lamps.

that

However, it was established in the investigation that any possible price increases following the imposition
of the measures may depend on several factors, e.g. the pricing behaviour of the Chinese exporting
producers, the ability of importers to pass on any increases in import prices to retailers and the extent to
which the import trade pattern will change due to the fact that there are some Chinese exporting
producers with relatively low duties and that no duty was imposed on imports of the largest known
Chinese exporting producer, as this latter producer was found not to have dumped its products on the
Community market. Before this background, it was concluded that the measures are very unlikely to lead
to a shortage of supply, and that consumers will continue to have access to cost advantageous energy
saving lamps.

Given the above, the Commission concluded that it was not against the interest of the Community to
impose anti-dumping measures on energy saving lamps,
thus eliminating unfair competition. The
Commission therefore sees no reason to propose a change to or withdrawal of the duties.

(1) OJ L 195, 19.7.2001.

(2002/C 160 E/013)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2345/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 August 2001)

Subject: Seychelles

Have the recommendations of the study of the Seychelles economy by Maxwell Stamp & Co been acted
upon? Was compliance with the recommendations a condition of the EU’s support?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2001)

The Macroeconomic Study conducted in 2000 by Maxwell Stamp is still, technically, in draft form, since
the validation workshop ; one of the components of the study ; has not yet been held, due undoubtedly
to the reluctance of the Seychelles Government to take on board the Study’s recommendations.

4.7.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/13

The Government of Seychelles has nevertheless acted on some of the recommendations of the study
(though not necessarily as a response to it), in particular in the form of reduced public expenditure on
capital projects and encouragement of greater private sector participation in certain policy areas
(e.g. education).
It has not, however, acted on the more far-reaching fiscal and monetary reforms
recommended, such as devaluation of the Rupee.

Compliance with the recommendations of the Study is not a condition of Community support to
Seychelles, though the macro-economic and financial situation will obviously be taken into consideration
in deciding the focal sector of future Community support to Seychelles.

(2002/C 160 E/014)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2439/01

by Ari Vatanen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Subject: Implementation of Directive 92/81/EEC (harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on

mineral oils) and excise duty levied on the basis of a temperature other than 15 °C

In accordance with section 5 of the current Finnish law on excise duty on liquid fuels (No 1472 of
29 December 1994), excise duty and the charge levied to guarantee security of supply are calculated on
the basis of a product temperature of 15 °C. According to the Finnish version of Article 3(1) of Council
Directive 92/81/EEC (1) on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils, those oils
have to be subject in each Member State to a specific excise duty calculated per 1 000 litres of product at a
temperature of 15 °C.

The Finnish petrol traders’ association has learnt that both Denmark and Sweden have implemented the
rule concerned in another way. Can other Member States follow a different practice in the matter regulated
by the Directive? The question is highly significant for the Finnish fuel market. In Finland the average
temperature is not 15 °C, but 8,8 °C. Elsewhere in Europe the temperature may well be 15 °C.

The Finnish petrol traders’ association has calculated that: when a volume of 10 000 litres of fuel leaves the
depot at a temperature of 15 °C, i.e. 10 000 litres, and the temperature has dropped to 8,8 °C by the time it
reaches the trader, the volume delivered to the trader is 9 926 litres; if the fuel is sold to motorists when
stored in an underground tank at a temperature of 5 °C, the volume falls to 9 881 litres, the trader first
loses 74 litres, plus a further 45 litres at the time of sale, giving a total loss of 119 litres.

When the amount of fuel tax is approximately FIM 4,50, the tax shortfall on 10 000 litres is as much as
FIM 535,50. Assuming that the average trader sells 1 300 000 litres a year, the tax shortfall is FIM 65 000
per trader. In Finland the total annual sales of 95 octane petrol are 1 483 656 tonnes, and the figure for all
the temperature-related
categories of motor petrol
operating loss in Finland is probably in the region of FIM 120 m.

is 1 784 700 tonnes. Taking all traders together,

Has the Directive been interpreted correctly in Finland? Could the law be amended at national level to
enable the temperature laid down in section 5 of the Liquid Fuel Excise Duty Act to be changed from
15 °C to 9 °C?

(1) OJ L 316, 31.10.1992, p. 12.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 2001)

As the Honourable Member pointed out, Article 3 (1) of Council Directive 92/81/EEC of 19 Oktober 1992,
on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils (1), provides for a specific excise
duty, per 1000 litres of product at a temperature of 15 °C. Council Directive 92/82/EEC of 19 Oktober
1992, on the approximation of the rates of excise duties on mineral oils (1), establishes minimum excise