WRITTEN QUESTION E-2882/01 by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Granting of tariff quota for the duty-free import of lawnmower engines.
Date: 2001-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: engine, mechanical engineering, restriction on competition, tariff policy, tariff quota

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/11

The Council adopted on 29 November 2001 a Council Regulation (EC) No 2375/2001 (2) amending
Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.
This Regulation establishes maximum levels for dioxins and furans in several foodstuffs, including fish and
fishery products and products thereof.

For a temporary period ending in 2006, the Council granted Finland and Sweden a derogation from the
application of the maximum levels for fish originating from the Baltic region intended for consumption in
their territory.

The Commission accepted this derogation taking into account the following elements:

/ a significant part of the Baltic fatty fish will not comply with the maximum level and would thus be

excluded from the Swedish and Finnish diet;

/ exclusion of fish from the diet may have a negative health impact in Sweden and Finland because:

/ Baltic fish is the main source of vitamin D among the elderly in these countries. Intake of vitamin

D is of major importance in the Northern regions with low solar light;

/ Baltic fish would be replaced by cheaper cuts of meat, containing high levels of hard fats which

increase the risk of cardiovascular disease;

/ total human exposure to dioxins in Finland and Sweden is not higher than in other European

countries;

/ Finland and Sweden have a system in place ensuring that consumers are fully informed of the
dietary recommendations concerning restrictions on consumption of Baltic fish by identified
vulnerable groups of the population in order to avoid potential health risks;

/ Finland and Sweden will intensively monitor the presence of dioxins in fish from the Baltic region
and report each year the results and the measures taken to reduce human exposure to dioxins
from fish from the Baltic region.

(1) COM(2001) 495 final.
(2) OJ L 321, 6.12.2001.

(2002/C 205 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2882/01

by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Subject: Granting of tariff quota for the duty-free import of lawnmower engines

In 2000 and 2001 a tariff quota was available for European lawnmower manufacturers for the duty-free
import of 1 200 000 lawnmower engines per year, tariff quota No 09.2976. The Commission does not
intend to make a proposal to the Council for the granting of a tariff quota for 2002. This is because it has
been rejected by one Member State, Italy.

This position has been adopted on the basis that Tecumseh Europe, an engine manufacturer based in
Turin, meets the requirements of the European manufacturing market with its Italian engine production.
Tecumseh claims to have sold 900 000 engines to date. Until the cut-off date, 19 September 2001,
1 117 291 engines had been imported from third countries. It is to be assumed that total demand will
reach 2 400 000 engines by the end of the year.

Furthermore, lawnmowers can be imported duty-free as a finished product. Competitive disadvantages will
thus arise for European lawnmower manufacturers if no provision is made for duty-free import of engines.

C 205 E/12

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

1. What action will the Commission take to stop German manufacturers of lawnmowers being placed
at a disadvantage?

2. What is the Commission’s position on the above situation?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2002)

The Commission manages at present 64 autonomous tariff quotas and 980 autonomous tariff suspensions.
These quotas and suspensions had been opened by Council Regulations based on proposals from the
Commission in accordance with Article 26 (ex Article 28) of
the EC Treaty and the Commission
Communication concerning autonomous tariff suspensions and quotas (1). The Commission Communi-
cation sets out principles which Commission normally respects when preparing a proposal for the opening
of an autonomous tariff suspension or quota.

1.
In April 2001 one Member State lodged an opposition against the renewal of the autonomous tariff
quota No 09.2976 for four-stroke petrol engines of a cylinder capacity (cc) not exceeding 250 cc for use
the product concerned in the
in the manufacture of
In
Community suffered severe economic difficulties from the duty free import of similar products.
weighing the arguments and evidence presented by interested Member States for and against the renewal
of the tariff quota the Commission considered it not to be in the interest of the Community to renew the
tariff quota No 09.2976.

the producer of

It argued that

lawnmowers.

Therefore,
considered it inappropriate to propose to the Council to renew the tariff quota No 09.2976 for 2002.

in accordance with principles set out in the Commission communication the Commission

The Commission considers that the application of Common Customs Tariff duties are the normal
2.
course of action when products are imported in the Community. Any relief
from these duties by
autonomous tariff quotas and suspensions shall be the exception to this rule. These exceptions shall
therefore be limited to those cases where the loss of own resources for the Community and the increase of
competition from imports for the Community industry is clearly outweighted by a possible stimulation of
the economic activity within the Community, the improvement of the competitive capacity of the
enterprise using imported goods and,
the latter to create employment,
modernise their structures, etc. As the information available to the Commission did not allow to conclude
that these positive effects had been achieved since the first opening of this quota in the year 2000 the
Commission considered it appropriate to restore the competitive situation for the enterprises using the
Community products in relation to the companies using the imported products as it existed before the
introduction of this measure.

the ability of

in particular,

However, the Commission intends to review its assessments of the situation in the first quarter of the year
2002.

(1) OJ C 128, 25.4.1998.

(2002/C 205 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2916/01

by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Introduction of a tax on kerosene

One of the objectives set out in the white paper on transport adopted by the Commission is to banish
polluting aircraft from the EU’s airspace.