WRITTEN QUESTION E-1795/03 by Terence Wynn (PSE) to the Commission. Manufactured products from third countries.
Date: 2003-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, manufactured goods, marketing standard, originating product, technical regulations, third country

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/725

Most recently Common Position 2003/468/CFSP on arms brokering has been adopted whose main
objective is to control arms brokering in order to avoid circumvention on the United Nations, the
European Union or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation embargoes on arms exports as well as
the criteria of the Code. Member States will take all the necessary measures to control brokering activities
taking place within their territory; they are also encouraged to consider controlling brokering activities
outside their territory carried out by brokers of their nationality resident or established in their territory.
While this Common Position represents an improvement,
it is undeniable that there are grounds for
continued strengthening of the Code and its implementation. The Commission supports making the Code
legally binding for Member States.

Joint Action 2002/589/CFSP does not distinguish between legally and illegally transferred weapons.
Among others it provides for financial and technical assistance to non-African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
States, international organisations, programmes, agencies and regional arrangements for these purposes.
Such assistance draws exclusively on CFSP funds. Assistance to ACP States falls under the rules and criteria
established by the Cotonou Agreement. A number of Community-supported projects in both categories are
currently under way.

(1) http://projects.sipri.se/expcon/eucode.htm

(2004/C 78 E/0775)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1795/03

by Terence Wynn (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Manufactured products from third countries

Why does the Commission allow manufactured products to enter the EU from third countries that do not
meet minimum health, safety and environmental standards that EU companies have to comply with?
Would the Commission agree that by allowing such products into the EU, the direct result is the loss of
European manufacturing jobs?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2003)

Products marketed in the European Union, whether they originate from third countries or Member States,
are subject to the same technical rules governing product safety or setting out requirements relating to
health and/or environmental protection.

The requirements on producers, whatever their origins, are therefore the same throughout the Internal
Market. The EU directives on product safety or on requirements relating to health or environmental
protection can therefore affect the marketing of products in the EU.

The Commission is also committed to a comprehensive strategy aimed at promoting Europe’s regulatory
approach in certain third countries (and in particular the EU’s principal trading partners) with regard to
both enterprise policy and aspects of standardisation for industrial sectors. One of the objectives of this
upstream strategy is to promote awareness and the implementation of Community rules by producers of
products manufactured in third countries.