Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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# 91996E0679

**WRITTEN QUESTION No. 679/96 by Viviane REDING to the Council. Import quotas for ceramics from China** 
  
*Official Journal C 280 , 25/09/1996 P. 0063*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0679/96 by Viviane Reding (PPE) to the Council (18 March 1996)

Subject: Import quotas for ceramics from China

Imports from third countries of cheap ceramics which are copies of European designs pose a threat to European jobs and the European economy.

For example, Chinese copies of Villeroy & Boch plates have been launched on the European market at a fortieth of the original sales price.

What measures will be taken to counter this fraud? Will import quotas for Chinese ceramics be revised downwards if such actions are repeated?

What is the situation concerning the Commission's proposal to increase quotas for China by 10 per cent? Would such an increase not pose a direct threat to our ceramics industry and to jobs in the industry?

Reply (25 June 1996)

1. Council Regulation (EC) No 519/94 of 7 March 1994, which is currently in force, lays down common rules for imports from certain third countries, including the People's Republic of China. Annex II thereof lays down quotas for certain products originating in China which are applicable, inter alia, to ceramic tableware or kitchenware.

2. In its December 1995 report to the Council on the quantitative quotas applied under the above Regulation, the Commission felt, in spite of the strong pressure within the Community to liberalize imports of these products, that the system of quotas on imports from China should be maintained, especially for porcelain and ceramic tableware. It is in the light of these considerations that the Council has decided on a 5% increase in the said quotas for these products.

3. Furthermore, the Council would make the point that in the said report the Commission also dealt with the problems of fraud referred to by the Honourable Member, and felt that such frequent occurrences of fraud were an additional factor in the distortion of conditions of competition. However, the Council would point out that the Community has means of combating such fraud, notably on the basis of the basic Council Regulation (No 3295/94). The Council also wishes to draw attention to the fact that China is currently conducting negotiations on accession to the WTO. Once such accession takes effect, the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement will also have to apply to China.

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