WRITTEN QUESTION E-3117/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Illegal imports of textile products from China.
Date: 2003-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, common commercial policy, customs regulations, import (EU), import restriction, industrial counterfeiting, international labour law, remuneration of work, social dumping, surveillance concerning imports, textile industry, textile product

C 88 E/636

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0652)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3091/03

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(14 October 2003)

Subject: Peter Shaw/Georgia

Would the Commission confirm that the Georgian authorities,
actively considering the need to investigate the circumstances surrounding the kidnap of Peter Shaw?

including the Prosecutor-General, are

Is it the case that two individuals connected with kidnapping have been released, allegedly for lack of
evidence? In a previous answer (E-2700/03 (1)) on the Peter Shaw case, the Commission indicated that the
Georgian authorities would provide a written report on their investigations. Is this the case, and has this
detailed report been forwarded to the Commission?

(1) See page 433.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 November 2003)

The Commission continues to use every opportunity to stress to the Georgian authorities the importance it
attaches to the identification and bringing to justice of the perpetrators of Peter Shaw’s kidnapping. The
Commission expects the Georgian authorities to maintain their commitment to the investigation into his
kidnapping.

The Commission has no information concerning the Honourable Member’s question as to whether two
individuals connected with the kidnapping have been released.

The Commission confirms that it has requested a detailed written report on the state of the investigations
into the kidnapping from the Georgian authorities. The Georgian authorities have indicated that they will
respond to this request once they have sufficient information to bring a case to court. The Commission
will continue to press for such a request.

The Member of the Commission responsible for External Relations continues to pay very close attention to
this matter and has personally raised it, including the need for a written report, with the Georgian Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Mr Irakli Menagarashvili when he attended the recent Union-Georgia Cooperation
Council.

(2004/C 88 E/0653)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3117/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject: Illegal imports of textile products from China

Knowing that:

(cid:1) on 10 October 2003 the textile workers’ union of Barletta (BA) organised a protest against the
illegality of Chinese textile imports and called on the European Union to take practical steps to
combat such imports.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) what information it has concerning controls at borders and in Community territory on all forms of
illegality (circumvention of the law, tax evasion and counterfeiting of trademarks), compliance with
international agreements on imports from non-Community countries, in particular from the Far East,
and the payment of customs duty, and what steps it will take to step up these controls;

(cid:1) what measures it will promote for the introduction into Far Eastern countries of checks on respect for
international conventions on human rights, including those dealing with pay conditions for workers?

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/637

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2003)

The Commission is aware of allegations such as the non-respect of core labour rights, false declarations of
origin and circumvention of quotas, non-respect of intellectual property rights on the part of some
exporting countries in disregard of the obligations of commitments under bilateral textiles agreements
concluded with the Community.

Regarding the quantitative limits to exports of textiles and clothing in force under the bilateral agreements,
this is done under a double checking system according to which import licences are only granted by
Community authorities upon presentation of export valid licences issued and under the condition that the
corresponding quantity is available within the quota. Further, certificates of origin are requested to avoid
circumvention of quotas which is to the detriment of both the Community and the partner country. In
cases of suspected circumvention of quotas, investigations may be launched by the European Anti-Fraud
Office (OLAF). If circumvention is proved, adjustment of quotas is sought to redress the situation.

By Council Regulation (EC) No 1383/2003 of 22 July 2003 (1), the Community enhanced its customs
actions in the field of goods suspected of infringing certain intellectual property rights and the measures to
be taken against goods found to have infringed such rights.

The issue of external border controls is extremely important for the Commission and has led to the recent
Communication on ‘The role of customs in the integrated management of external borders’ (2). This
outlines the strategy and approach taken and includes various recommendations to improve customs
controls by Member States. In relation to the specific issue of counterfeit products, a number of activities
have been undertaken. A new customs law (Regulation (EC) No 1383/2003 of 22 July 2003) will lead to
strengthened customs controls, in particular in the field of the intellectual property rights. Through the
‘Customs 2007’ programme, an enhanced co-operation with both new Member States and enterprises
concerned by counterfeiting and piracy is set up.

In trade policy, the Community is opposed to any sanctions-based approaches and initiatives to use labour
rights for protectionist purposes. Accordingly, the Community promotes the effective application of core
labour standards through positive instruments and an incentive-based approach. Examples of this are the
Community’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)
that allows beneficiary countries to receive
additional preferences if they adhere to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards and the
Cotonou Agreement between the Community, its Member States and the African, Caribbean and Pacific
(ACP) states, which includes a specific provision on trade and labour standards.

(1) OJ L 196, 2.8.2003.
(2) COM(2003) 452 final.

(2004/C 88 E/0654)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3220/03

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Financial Regulations and DG Enlargement

(31 October 2003)

Under the new Commission Financial Regulations there is a time limit on payments of 45 days ‘from the
date when an admissible payment request is registered’.

Could the Commission give details of when this requirement has not been met by DG Enlargement? Has
any audit been carried out in this DG since the new Financial Regulations came into force on 1 January
2003? If so, would the Commission give details of the reports with regard to the time scale of payments
made? What are the procedures in place in DG Enlargement to ensure that payments are made within the
limit of 45 days?