eurovoc_concepts:
Comoros
WAEMU countries
development policy
exchange transaction
monetary cooperation

text: EUROPEISKA GEMENSKAPERNAS KOMMISSION Bryssel den 01. 07. 1998 KOM(1998) 412 slutlig Rekommendation till RÅDETS BESLUT beträffande växelkursfrågor som har samband med CFA-francen och den komoriska francen (framlagt av kommissionen) Rekommendation till rådets beslut beträffande växelkursfrågor som har samband med CFA-francen och den komoriska francen MOTIVERING Frankrike har slutit flera avtal beträffande växelkursfrågor med UEMOA (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine - "Västafrikanska ekonomiska och monetära unionen"), med CEMAC (Communauté économique et monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale - "Centralafrikas ekonomiska och monetära gemenskap") och med Komorerna1. Förekomsten av en gemensam valuta i detta område, vilket är en följd av avtalen mellan Frankrike och länderna i CF A-zonen, är ett viktigt komplement till gemenskapens utvecklingspolitik. Det är i överensstämmelse med gemenskapens ansträngningar att förstärka regionalt samarbete och tillväxt genom större inbördes beroende och solidaritet, t. ex. i UEOMA. En gemensam valuta ökar därför effektiviteten för det betydande stöd som gemenskapen ger till de deltagande länderna, vare sig det sker i form av nationella vägledande program, stöd till strukturanpassning eller regionalt stöd. Bruket av en gemensam valuta är givetvis en monetär fråga. I detta specifika fall har det dock en verklig utvecklingsaspekt genom att det kompletterar gemenskapens utvecklingsstrategi, vilken syftar till att uppnå tillväxt, minskad fattigdom och integrering i världsekonomin genom regional integrering. Från och med den 1 januari 1999 kommer gemenskapen att ha den exklusiva behörigheten i monetära frågor och växelkursfrågor för de medlemsstater som inför euron. Eventuella avtal med tredje land beträffande monetära frågor eller växelkursfrågor måste avspegla denna behörighetsfördelning. Gemenskapen måste därför besluta om framtiden för dessa avtal. I detta syfte lägger kommissionen fram ett utkast till rådsbeslut genom vilket Frankrike tillåts behålla de nuvarande avtal Convention de coopération monétaire du 23 novembre 1972 entre les Etats membres de la Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BEAC) et la République française, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 13 mars 1973 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la République Française et le Président du Conseil de l'administration de la Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale, (ändrat). Accord de coopération du 4 décembre 1973 entre la République française et les Républiques membres de l'Union monétaire ouest- africaine, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 4 décembre 1973 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la République Française et le Président du conseil des ministres de l'Union monétaire ouest-africaine, (ändrat). Accord de coopération monétaire du 23 novembre 1979 entre la République Française et la République fédérale islamique des Comores, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 23 novembre 1979 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la République Française et le ministre des Finances, de l'Economie et du Plan de la République fédérale des Comores, (ändrat). z beträffande växelkursfrågor som har samband med CFA-francen (vilken ges ut av Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, "De västafrikanska staternas centralbank", och av Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale, "De centralafrikanska staternas bank") och den komoriska francen (vilken ges ut av Banque Central des Comores, "Kömorernas centralbank"). I. Allmänt I artikel 109. 3 i fördraget föreskrivs att "Om gemenskapen behöver föra förhandlingar om avtal angående monetära frågor eller växelkursfrågor med en eller flera andra stater eller internationella organisationer skall rådet, med avvikelse från artikel 228, med kvalificerad majoritet på rekommendation av kommissionen och efter att ha hört ECB besluta om en ordning för förhandlingarna och för hur sådana avtal skall ingås. " Enligt de befintliga avtalen mellan Frankrike och UEMOA, CEMAC och Komorerna råder det en fast växelkurs för CF A-francen och den komoriska francen gentemot den franska francen, vilken kommer att ersättas med euron från och med den 1 januari 1999. Det är inte troligt att dessa avtal i någon betydande utsträckning kommer att påverka euroområdets gemensamma penning- och valutapolitik. Garantin för CF A-francens och den komoriska francens konvertibilitet grundar sig på ett budgetåtagande från det franska finansministeriets sida. Var och en av de banker som är part i avtalen (Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale och Banque Central des Comores) har ett transaktionskonto hos det franska finansministeriet, med en i princip obegränsad rätt till övertrassering för respektive centralbank. Centralbankerna är samtidigt skyldiga att placera en stor del (i princip minst 65 %) av sina valutatillgångar på transaktionskontot. Frankrikes centralbank, som från och med den 1 januari 1999 kommer att vara en integrerad del av Europeiska centralbankssystemet, har ingen skyldighet att garantera konvertibiliteten för CF A-francen och den komoriska francen. Det bör därför inte innebära ett hinder för EMU:s smidiga funktion om de nuvarande avtalen fortsätter att vara i kraft. II. Kommentarer till artiklarna Artikel 1 I denna artikel avspeglas det faktum att avtalen mellan Frankrike och UEMOA (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine), CEMAC (Communauté économique et monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale) och Komorerna beträffande växelkursfrågor omfattas av gemenskapens behörighet från och med dagen för eurons införande. Genom denna artikel tillåts Frankrike att fortsätta med de nuvarande avtalen. Artikel 2 Enligt denna artikel skall Frankrike och de afrikanska signatärerna av avtalen ensamma behålla ansvaret för tillämpningen av de avtal som ingåtts mellan Frankrike och UEOMA, CEMAC och Komorerna. Artikeln behandlar inte ändringar av dessa avtal. Artikel 3 Enligt denna artikel skall Frankrike regelbundet informera kommissionen och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén om tillämpningen av avtalen. Intervallen skall vara sådana att varje utveckling som kan påverka den gemensamma penning- och valutapolitiken rapporteras i god tid. Vid förändringar av den fasta kursen mellan den franska francen och CF A-francen och den komoriska francen skall Frankrike i förväg informera Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén. Artikel 4 I artikel 4-5 fastställs regler för eventuella framtida ändringar av avtalen mellan Frankrike, UEOMA, CEMAC och Komorerna. Det görs en distinktion mellan de ändringar som förändrar avtalens karaktär eller räckvidd och de som inte gör det. I artikel 4 behandlas ändringar av det sistnämnda slaget. I dessa fall får Frankrike avtala om ändringar efter att ha informerat kommissionen och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén. Genom att delegera behörigheten till Frankrike att förhandla och avtala om sådana ändringar av befintliga avtal använder sig rådet av sina befogenheter att besluta om hur förhandling och ingående av avtal som rör monetära eller valutakurs regim frågor skall gå till. Artikel 5 I denna artikel behandlas sådana eventuella framtida ändringar av avtalen mellan Frankrike, UEOMA, CEMAC och Komorerna som kan förändra de nuvarande avtalens räckvidd eller karaktär. Frankrike åläggs att överlämna sådana planer till kommissionen och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén. Kommissionen skall överlämna en rekommendation till beslut till rådet. I enlighet med artikel 109. 3 kommer ECB att höras före varje rådsbeslut. Alla ändringar utöver tekniska förändringar och som innebär en förändring av avtalens karaktär eller räckvidd kommer därför att behöva godkännas av rådet. Detta gäller alla förändringar beträffande vilka länder som är parter i avtalen och alla förändringar av den princip om full konvertibilitet till en fast kurs mellan euron och CF A-francen och U den komoriska francen som garanteras genom ett budgetåtagande från det franska finansministeriet. Artikel 6-7 Genom denna artikel tillses att beslutet, vilket riktar sig till Frankrike, kommer att gälla från och med den första dagen för den tredje etappen av den ekonomiska och monetära unionen, dvs. från och med den 1 januari 1999. Det är även den första dag som artikel 109. 3 är tillämplig. < Rekommendation till rådets beslut beträffande växelkursfrågor som har samband med CFA-francen och den komoriska francen EUROPEISKA UNIONENS RÅD HAR FATTAT DETTA BESLUT med beaktande av Fördraget om upprättandet av Europeiska gemenskapen, särskilt artikel 109. 3 i detta, med beaktande av kommissionens rekommendation, med beaktande av Europeiska centralbankens yttrande, och av följande skäl: 1) Enligt rådets förordning (EG) nr 974/98 av den 3 maj 19981 kommer varje deltagande medlemsstats valuta från och med den 1 januari 1999 att ersättas med euron till omräkningskursen. 2) Från och med samma dag kommer det att vara gemenskapen som är behörig i monetära och valutapolitiska frågor i de medlemsstater som inför euron. 3) Det är rådet som kommer att fastställa lämpliga bestämmelser för förhandling och ingående av avtal som rör monetära eller valutakurs regim frågor. 4) Frankrike har slutit flera avtal med UEMOA (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine), CEMAC (Communauté économique et monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale) och Komorerna i syfte att garantera konvertibilitet för CFA-francen och den komoriska francen till en fast kurs gentemot den franska francen2. EGTL139, 11. 5. 1998, s. 1. 2 Convention de coopération monétaire du 23 novembre 1972 entre les Etats membres de la Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale (BEAC) et la République française, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 13 mars 1973 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la G 5) Euron kommer från och med den 1 januari 1999 att ersätta den franska francen. 6) Konvertibiliteten för CFA-francen och den komoriska francen garanteras genom ett budgetåtagande från de franska myndigheterna. De franska myndigheterna har försäkrat att avtalen med UEOMA, CEMAC och Komorerna inte har några väsentliga finansiella konsekvenser för Frankrike. 7) Det är inte troligt att dessa avtal i någon betydande utsträckning kommer att påverka euroområdets gemensamma penning- och valutapolitik. Det är inte heller troligt att avtalen som de för närvarande ser ut och tillämpas kommer att innebära ett hinder för Ekonomiska och monetära unionens smidiga funktion. 8) Frankrike och de afrikanska signatärema av avtalen vill fortsätta med de nuvarande avtalen efter det att euron ersatt den franska francen. Det är lämpligt att Frankrike får fortsätta med de nuvarande avtalen efter det att euron ersatt den franska francen och att Frankrike och de afrikanska signatärema av avtalen ensamma har ansvaret för tillämpningen av dem. 9) Det är nödvändigt att gemenskapen regelbundet informeras om tillämpningen och planerade ändringar av avtalen. 10) Det är nödvändigt att de behöriga gemenskapsorganen är införstådda innan eventuella ändringar görs av de nuvarande avtalens karaktär eller räckvidd. Detta gäller vilka länder som omfattas av avtalen samt principen om full konvertibilitet till en fast växelkurs mellan euron och CF A-francen och den komoriska francen, varvid konvertibiliteten garanteras genom ett budgetåtagande från det franska finansministeriet. 11) Medlemsstaterna får ingå internationella avtal, utan att det påverkar gemenskapens behörighet och gemenskapens avtal beträffande den ekonomiska och monetära unionen. HÄRIGENOM FÖRESKRIVS FÖLJANDE. Artikel 1 République Française et le Président du Conseil de l'administration de la Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale, (ändrat). Accord de coopération du 4 décembre 1973 entre la République française et les Républiques membres de l'Union monétaire ouest-africaine, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 4 décembre 1973 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la République Française et le Président du conseil des ministres de l'Union monétaire ouest- africaine, (ändrat). Accord de coopération monétaire du 23 novembre 1979 entre la République Française et la République fédérale islamique des Comores, (ändrat). Convention de compte d'opérations du 23 novembre 1979 entre le ministre de l'Economie et des Finances de la République Française et le ministre des Finances, de l'Economie et du Plan de la République fédérale des Comores, (ändrat). Frankrike får fortsätta med sina nuvarande avtal beträffande växelkursfrågor med UEMOA (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine), CEMAC (Communauté économique et monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale) och Komorerna efter det att euron ersatt den franska francen. Artikel 2 Frankrike och de afrikanska signatärerna av avtalen skall ensamma behålla ansvaret för tillämpningen av dessa avtal. Artikel 3 Frankrike skall regelbundet informera kommissionen, Europeiska centralbanken och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén om tillämpningen av avtalen. De franska myndigheterna skall informera Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén före förändringar av den fasta kursen mellan euron och CFA-francen eller den komoriska francen. Artikel 4 Frankrike får förhandla och avtala om ändringar av de nuvarande avtalen i den mån det inte innebär förändringar av avtalens karaktär eller räckvidd. Frankrike skall i förväg informera kommissionen och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén om sådana ändringar. Artikel 5 Frankrike skall överlämna alla eventuella planer på att ändra avtalens karaktär eller räckvidd till kommissionen och Ekonomiska och finansiella kommittén. Sådana planer fordrar rådets godkännande på grundval av en rekommendation från kommissionen och efter det att ECB hörts. Detta beslut gäller från och med den 1 januari 1999. Artikel 6 Detta beslut riktar sig till Republiken Frankrike. Artikel 7 Utfärdat i Bryssel 8 På rådets vägnar Ordförande ISSN 1024-4506 KOM(98) 412 slutlig DOKUMENT SV 09 06 11 Katalognummer : CB-CO-98-431-SV-C ISBN 92-78-37883-6 Byrån för Europeiska gemenskapernas officiella publikationer L-2985 Luxemburg \


title: Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on 'EC instruments for investment support in third countries'

eurovoc_concepts:
EU programme
Lomé Convention
fund (EU)
investment aid
third country

formats: html pdf print

text: C 284/82 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on ‘EC instruments for investment support in third countries’ (98/C 284/14) At its meeting on 29 January 1998 the Economic and Social Committee, acting under the third paragraph of Rule 23 of the Rules of Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on ‘EC instruments for investment support in third countries’. The Section for External Relations, Trade and Development Policy, which was responsible for preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 11 June 1998. The rapporteur was Mr Henri Malosse. At its 356th plenary session of 1 and 2 July 1998 (meeting of 1 July) the Committee adopted the following opinion unanimously. Recommendations I. Mindful of: The existence of numerous Community investment 1. support instruments in third countries. The apparent lack of meshing between these 2. instruments and the Union’s priorities. The wide variety of ways in which these instru- 3. ments operate. II. Considering: 1. The Committee’s Own-initiative Opinion on the Global harmonization of direct investment regulations (CES 260/96). The new external relations responsibilities of the 2. European Union following the entry into force of the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties. 3. The importance of direct foreign investment if it serves the goal of sustainable economic and social development. Europe’s ambition to promote the highest social 4. and environmental standards. 5. The need to promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe — a factor of paramount importance in wealth — and job-creation. The context of multilateral negotiations on invest- 6. ments. 7. The aim of simplifying Community procedures to make EC instruments more accessible to all operators. The Economic and Social Committee makes the III. following proposals in this own-initiative opinion: The European Commission needs to make its 1. investment support instruments in third countries part and parcel of an overall strategy that encompasses simultaneously the essential principles of cooperation; social regulations and environmental standards; and the legitimate interests of Europe, notably in respect of reciprocity, employment and competitiveness. This strategy must be the subject of a political 2. Communication by the Commission, accompanied by specific measures to ensure transparency, consistency and coordination. To this effect the Committee proposes that a 3. distinction be made between specialized instruments with simple, clearly defined rules, and programmes geared to each of the regions in question. The Committee proposes that the strategy be 4. reinforced in the countries of central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin, which should be regarded as preferential areas of cooperation and partnership. The Committee would draw attention to the 5. importance of these Community instruments comp- lementing the actions of the Member States and makes operational proposals to this effect. The Committee advocates a simplification of the 6. rules governing the administration of investment support instruments. This could be achieved first and foremost by merging the Commission services involved and tightening up vetting and assessment procedures. The Committee also proposes the setting-up of an Obser- vatory to measure the economic and social impact of such instruments. An Observatory of this kind would operate with the participation of the social partners and the ESC. 1. Introduction For more than twenty years the European Com- 1. 1. mission has been developing instruments to facilitate European investment in a number of third countries, notably through support for joint ventures. Such instru- ments, which operate today in almost all countries of the world, are still highly heterogeneous since they stem the Lomé from policies of quite differing origin: 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/83 Convention with the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific; cooperation with Latin America and Asia; the Mediterranean policy; the opening up of the countries of central and eastern Europe. Despite this, the Community’s investment support instruments constitute an array of mechanisms which have become increasingly familiar to European operators who are tending to use them as an alternative to more traditional national mechanisms in promoting investments and exports. The aim of this own-initiative opinion is to 1. 2. analyze the scope of these instruments, study their social, economic and other effects, and make recommendations on priority actions and on administrative and oper- ational considerations with a view to achieving greater clarity and simplification. 1. 3. This aim is particularly opportune since Europe has just embarked on the process of deepening and widening the Union — deepening it with Economic and Monetary Union centred round the introduction of a single currency, and widening it to eventually embrace Cyprus and ten countries of central and eastern Europe. These radical changes will inevitably have an effect on the European Union’s external policy, including investment policy. 1. 4. Our aim also coincides with the challenges arising out of the globalization of economic and commercial relations, a phenomenon which is particularly relevant to the question of investments, what with the debate on the OECD’s proposed Draft Agreement on Investments (AMI), and the ever-increasing importance of environ- mental considerations and social regulations whenever questions of trade and investment are discussed. 2. Community instruments 2. 1. Centre for the Development of Industry and the Lomé Convention 2. 1. 1. Under the Lomé Convention the Centre for the Development of Industry (CDI) is a joint EU/ACP institution providing financial and technical assistance to European and ACP entrepreneurs engaged in the setting up of industrial projects in the ACP countries. The CDI provides assistance to ACP and European companies in the form of four facilities: identification of partners; assistance in preparatory work; advice on the structuring of the project (financial and legal); support during the take-off phase. The EU may also finance investment projects under the Lomé Convention in the form of loans, interest-rate subsidies and the provision of risk capital. 2. 1. 2. In its Opinion on the Green Paper on the future of the Lomé Convention (CES 775/97) the Committee recommended that the CDI be subject to a radical reform and urged that its role be extended so that greater assistance could be given to the development of local ACP enterprises to improve the quality and marketing of their products, particularly under the new heading of a Centre for the development of enterprises (CDE). The Committee also proposed more rigorous financial engineering measures to encourage investment and industrial cooperation with the EU. 2. 2. The ECIP programme Launched in 1988 on the initiative of Commissioner Claude Cheysson, the ECIP programme (European Community Investment Partner) aims first and foremost to facilitate Community investment in Asia, Mediter- ranean third countries, and Latin America. The pro- gramme, which was allotted ECU 50 million for the 1996-1999 period, operates through five facilities: — Facility No 1: The funding of preliminary project- identification studies or of seminars to arrange meetings between EU enterprises and enterprises of countries eligible under the ECIP programme, — Facility No 2: Reimbursable, non interest-bearing advances for studies prior to the setting up of a joint venture between the EU and one of the countries eligible under the ECIP programme, — Facility No 3: The acquisition of equity holdings and the provision of loan capital to fund new joint ventures, or the expansion of existing enterprises, or new investment by local enterprises working under license with enterprises of the European Union, — Facility No 4: Reimbursable, non interest-bearing advances for training or for assistance in joint ventures, — Facility No 1B: This is a new facility designed to finance preparations for the privatization of infrastructure and environment-sector enterprises in eligible countries. The Committee notes that this new Facility lies outside the range of normal ECIP programme objectives since there is no direct involve- ment of European enterprises at this stage. 2. 3. The JOPP programme (Phare and Tacis) With the development of EU cooperation with the countries of central and eastern Europe, the Commission launched the JOPP instrument in 1991. Modelled on the ECIP programme, JOPP is earmarked for countries C 284/84 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 eligible under the Phare and Tacis programmes (central and eastern Europe and the ex-USSR) and is aimed at European entrepreneurs who can count on the support of EU financial institutions in creating joint ventures in Phare and Tacis countries. It comprises four facilities: 2. 5. 1. We might also cite the launch in 1997 of a new Asia-Ecobest programme aimed at improving the environment in Asia, notably by encouraging investment and the transfer of know-how from European operators. — Facility No 1: Assistance in the establishment of contacts between potential partners, 2. 6. The MEDA programme — Facility No 2: Co-funding of feasibility studies on joint-venture projects involving EU enterprises on the one hand and Phare and Tacis enterprises on the other. This takes the form of advances which are converted into subsidies if the project is successful, — Facility No 3: Funding of the capital needs of joint ventures in the form of equity holdings or long-term loans (a facility which is the process of being dropped), — Facility No 4: Co-funding, in the form of reimburs- able, non interest-bearing advances, of training and technical assistance schemes for recently created joint ventures. 2. 4. The AL-Invest programme The European Union has set up an AL-Invest instrument to encourage industrial cooperation between the EU and Latin America. This encompasses meetings between individual enterprises; specialized meetings on questions of sub-contracting; the creation of centres of cooperation involving enterprises in Latin America; the use of computerized systems for cooperation between enter- prises; and AL-partnership meetings. The Union decided to earmark ECU 41 million for this programme for the 1996-2000 period. 2. 5. The ASIA-Invest programme In 1997 the European Union launched an Asia-Invest programme along the lines of AL-Invest with an esti- mated budget of ECU 45 million for the 1997-2002 period. This comprises three facilities: — the Business Priming Fund, the first task of which is to co-fund (up to a ceiling of 50 %) joint studies on market prospects in Asia carried out by Chambers of Commerce or by trade associations in several Member States. The Business Priming Fund also supports training programmes for European entre- preneurs in the language and culture of Asian countries, as well as technical assistance missions in specific sectors based on European know-how and geared to the least developed Asian countries; — meetings between enterprises (Asia-Interprise or Asia-Partnership); — Asia Investment Facility: the aim here is to finance sectoral studies by country and by industrial sector in order to identify, evaluate and promote specific investment opportunities for EU enterprises in Asia. As far as the Mediterranean basin is concerned, the Committee notes that since the 1996 ‘freezing’ of the MED-Invest programme following major adminis- tration problems and delays in implementing MEDA, there is uncertainty today about the nature of the specific instruments earmarked for this area. These countries are however eligible for ECIP, for loans from the European Investment Bank and for certain enterprise partnership actions of the MED-Enterprise and MED- Partnership type. 2. 6. 1. However, on 20 and 21 May 1996 the first Euro-Mediterranean Conference on industry closed with the adoption of a declaration on industrial cooperation. An Action Plan was approved on the basis of this declaration, providing for the establishment of two working groups, the first calling itself ‘The development of the industrial and entrepreneurial fabric’, the second ‘The legal and administrative framework. ’ This Action Plan enables specific measures to be taken to assist the region in question, e. g. action designed to develop industrial areas (Guide of best practices, training and management programmes. ). At the same time the Committee understands the expectations of operators on both sides of the Mediterranean who might have legitimately hoped to see an Asia-Invest or AL-Invest- type programme for an area which is one of the Union’s top priorities. 2. 7. Other ‘multi-country’ instruments To complete this list (even if it is not exhaustive) and to illustrate the full range and heterogeneity of these Community investment support instruments, we might also mention the following: 2. 7. 1. The European Investment Bank, which has a growing role to play in the Union’s trading partner countries (Central and Eastern Europe; ACP countries; Latin America and Asia) by financially supporting the development of infrastructure and industries in these countries and by giving preferential treatment to partner- ships with operators in the Union. 2. 7. 2. The establishment of a ‘Centre for Industrial Cooperation’ in Bosnia-Herzegovina, ‘European Busi- ness Information Centres’ (EBIC) in Asia, ‘Eurocentros’ in Latin America, ‘Business Cooperation Centres’ in the Tacis countries, and a Centre for EU/Japanese cooperation. 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/85 2. 7. 3. The application of international cooperation schemes under Community research and development programmes. 3. 4. Re consistency with other Community policies 3. Questions raised by the Economic and Social Com- mittee 3. 1. Re the diversity of Community instruments this wide range of For the economic operator, as well as for the ordinary citizen, instruments with their different rules and different operating arrangements, might appear to be going too far even if differentiation is understandable in view of the type of problems posed and the politico-economic context. The Committee accordingly urges transparency (drawing up of a vademe- cum) and genuine rationalization. In certain regions (e. g. Asia) competing procedures would seem to coexist in some fields (e. g. Asia Invest and ECIP). There are also some surprising procedural disparities, e. g. advances to finance joint-venture feasibility studies in Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean basin (ECIP Facility No 2) must be reimbursed whereas in Phare and Tacis countries (JOPP/JVP Facility No 2) they are regarded as subsidies if the project is successful, even though the same types of studies are involved. 3. 2. Re the eligibility of small and medium-sized enter- prises Whilst most Community instruments according to the Community definition, seem to be applicable first and foremost to small and medium-sized enterprises, there is some latitude depending on the instruments in question. This question needs to be clarified and consideration given to the prioritization of Community action. 3. 3. Re the objectives of investment support instru- ments The Committee asks what the real objectives of these instruments are: to facilitate the economic development of the partner countries; to encourage European invest- ment in these countries; to promote a European presence and the establishment of European enterprises there; to develop industrial, technical and scientific cooperation; to promote the export of European know-how? By replying to these questions and establishing some order of priorities, the Union must make these investment support instruments serve a global strategy that takes into account the Union’s international cooperation and development aid objectives and commitments as well as its own internal political and economic interests. All these instruments appear in quite different contexts. The question to be asked today is therefore to what extent such instruments are consistent with major Community policies and more especially EU trade policy, with concerted action on employment, with sustainable economic and social development, with the common agricultural policy, and with the competi- tiveness of European industry, etc. 3. 4. 1. R e t r a d e p o l i c y Whilst trade policy falls largely within the remit of the Community, the actual promotion of exports continues to remain an area of national competence in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity. The only action taken by the Community in this area (Exprom programme, action focused on Japan) has been particularly low key. The attempt to include export promotion in the Treaty failed at the last Intergovernmental Conference. There may therefore be a temptation to present or use investment support instruments as the sole Community tool for the promotion of trade policy; in this light they must therefore appear to be tools of development where the most disadvantaged countries are concerned, or else market penetration incentives, above all in the case of markets which are particularly sealed off from Europe. As far as the penetration of new markets is 3. 4. 1. 1. concerned the Committee believes that there is need for close cooperation with the authorities of those Member States which have marketing units and trade offices abroad. The Commission should concentrate its support on European-scale initiatives, particularly those emana- ting from European trade associations. As a back-up to this, the Union should encourage greater coordination of national marketing activities, for example by ensuring that information about market and investment oppor- tunities identified by national trade offices is circulated throughout Europe. This twin approach is a credible and reasonable alternative to the establishment, with the support of the Commission, of a European presence abroad in competition with the services and Chambers of Commerce of the Member States. 3. 4. 1. 2. Through trade policy and its own invest- ments, the Union must also seek to promote fair trading rules. It is also absolutely essential for investment support instruments to include information campaigns which will alert European investors to the problem of counterfeit goods and familiarize them with industrial C 284/86 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 and intellectual property right systems, anti-dumping activities, rules of origin, etc. 3. 4. 2. R e t r a d e p o l i c y a n d s u s t a i n a b l e e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l d e v e l o p m e n t In the field of trade policy the European Union must promote compliance with the social Conventions of the International Labour Organizations (ILO) as well as respect for the environment. The Treaty on European Union has fixed sustainable economic and social devel- opment as the goal of cooperation policy (Article 130u). It is therefore essential for the Union, in using its own instruments, to not only comply with but also promote these principles. Of particular concern here are environ- mental questions (cf. The multilateral environmental agreements and especially the commitments entered into at the Rio and Kyoto Conferences) and social conditions, notably the effective application of ILO Conventions (particularly on non-discrimination, trade union rights, forced labour and child labour). And as the Committee pointed out in its opinion on the global harmonization ‘the of direct investment regulations (CES 260/96), opportunity should also be grasped to restrict attempts to attract FDI on the basis of low labour standards not to be confused with low wage levels. ’ 3. 4. 3. R e t h e i m p a c t o n e m p l o y m e n t a very negative effect on employment in Europe. Projects should therefore include estimates which make it possible to assess this impact whilst any a posteriori evaluation of projects should include elements which are of major importance and are quantitatively significant from this point of view. The Committee calls upon the Commission to set up studies of the employment impact on regions and priority sectors in order to confirm such trends, where necessary, and draw up more sophisticated criteria for the selection of projects in line with this priority. 3. 4. 4. R e E u r o p e a n c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s The international competitiveness of European industry is an important factor in ensuring growth and improved job prospects, especially in a context of liberalized international trade. At the same time, any analysis of competitiveness must take into account the assets of the European Union — and notably its highly skilled labour force. It is therefore legitimate to ask whether there is not a case for evaluating the aims of these cooperation instruments from the point of view of their impact on the competitiveness of European enterprises. Investment and cooperation with third countries may of course be beneficial to growth and employment in Europe under certain conditions, notably when there is an offensive strategy (winning of markets) or sectoral strategies aimed at achieving complementarity with neighbouring areas. In its draft opinion on a Plan of action to increase the competitiveness of the European textile and clothing industry (CES 1479/97) the Committee accordingly recommended that Europe should invest, under certain conditions, in central and eastern Europe and in the Mediterranean basin. Such investments must also be consistent with the Union’s internal structural policy, particularly ERDF investment aid, so as not to lead to the overcapacity of production in certain industrial sectors. The effects on jobs of employing these Community investment support instruments is rarely discussed centre-stage (except in the JOPP programme). The Committee however recognizes that this question raises a whole host of complex problems: direct or indirect effects, direct or indirect employment, short-term or long-term effects, etc. The question however cannot be evaded. It is important to know to what extent such instruments really promote the economic and social development of the partner countries and to find out what effects they have on employment in the Member States of the European Union. Developing the activities of a Community firm in a third country may have positive effects on employment in the Union through the creation of added value, services and maintenance, the need for plant and equipment, and indirect growth opportunities. Much investment, however, simply takes the form of relocating means of production in the search for less burdensome fiscal or social conditions and has 3. 5. Re consistency between national and Community actions and the financial impact The Committee notes that European operators are turning more and more to Community instruments, e. g. when there are prospects of promoting European interests abroad. This situation might lead to confusion or overlapping, especially since the promotion of exports is still in principle the province of national authorities. 3. 5. 1. The Committee proposes a method for achiev- ing greater consistency, complementarity and trans- parency. This method should also cover the question of 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/87 European representation in third countries since there is some degree of competition between national orga- nizations (Chambers of Commerce located abroad) and Union initiatives. Efforts to achieve consistency should also be extended to include relations with international organizations such as UNIDO (the United Nations Industrial Development Organization), UNCTAD and the World Bank. Member States of the Union hold a majority share of the capital of UNIDO and preponder- ant share (35 %) of the capital of the World Bank, as against only 15 % held by the USA. 3. 5. 2. As far as funding is concerned, it is not always possible to know precisely what amounts are earmarked by the EU for these instruments either because of the very nature of the funding when it is a question of loans, or because certain instruments are an integral part of bigger financial envelopes, as is the case with MEDA. It would therefore help if there was greater clarity about funding levels and their complementarity with national schemes. This could take the form of an updated synopsis of EC and national instruments and the corresponding funding levels broken down into major geographical areas. 4. A framework for an integrated and coordinated approach After having analyzed these matters and questioned the principal European Commission departments respon- sible, the Committee takes the view that a framework should be created for an integrated and coordinated approach. 4. 1. Priority objectives Some degree of integration is needed if the instruments in question are to dovetail with major Community priorities and policies. To this end a global strategy should be developed containing a number of objectives which would be modulated or strengthened according to the particular geographical area in question, its level of development and the closeness of its political ties with the European Union. These objectives would be as follows: 4. 1. 2. To facilitate the transition from a centrally- planned economy to a market economy, and to increase industrial cooperation within the context of preferential partnership arrangements, or some form of integration, in the case of CEECs and Mediterranean countries. To encourage European investment in emer- 4. 1. 3. ging markets, or markets with a promising future, where a large-scale Community drive might be needed to boost even further the activities of European firms. 4. 2. The incorporation of these objectives into a world strategy This strategy should form one of the strands of current debates about an international agreement on invest- ments. The Committee might support such an initiative, but only if account was taken of a certain number of principles and conditions such as those set out by the European Parliament in a resolution on AMI presented by the deputy Kreissl-Dorfler and adopted on 11 March 1998. The Committee also believes that under such an agreement ‘greater discipline should be sought when using fiscal incentives and direct incentives to attract FDI, which also has implications for financing from recipient states’ (Opinion on The global harmonization of direct investment regulations). The aim in particular would be to avoid the development of free export zones which discriminate against national enterprises and often show a complete disregard for any basic social or environmental standards. 4. 3. The principles underlying an integrated approach The Committee believes that an overall strategy of this nature should be accompanied by measures which ensure that Community instruments are more transparent and modernized in line with the following principles: 4. 3. 1. It is necessary to draw a distinction between a) macro-economic measures in the fields of taxation or the security of investments, b) measures to support intermediate structures such as chambers of commerce or development agencies, and c) measures directly connected with investment proper. To promote sustainable growth (together with 4. 1. 1. social progress and environmental protection) as well as a climate conducive to investment (stable political, legal and economic context), in the case of developing countries and first and foremost those with the closest links to the European Union (ACP countries in par- ticular). It is necessary to ensure that European policy 4. 3. 2. objectives form an integral part of the main criteria for approving projects, viz: — the incorporation of social and environmental cri- teria in investment projects, C 284/88 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 — a study of the impact on employment in the European Union, — the opening-up of programmes to investors in developing countries from other developing countries or neighbouring areas (Mediterranean partners in sub-Saharan Africa for example) whilst preserving programmes in the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia exclusively for operators in the European Union. 4. 3. 3. The Committee believes that a genuine indus- trial partnership strategy needs to be developed with the applicant countries, the other countries of central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin and would like to see extra funds earmarked for this policy within the MEDA, Phare and Tacis envelopes. The Committee proposes harmonization of 4. 3. 4. the rules governing the operation of the different instruments: rules on participation (eligibility, definition of a SME. ), financial conditions (mechanisms govern- ing the allocation of funds, possible reimbursement), the merger of the Commission services involved, common assessment and vetting mechanisms. These reforms should be slanted towards simplification in order to ensure that EU operators, and particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have easier and more direct access to the instruments in question. The operational rules must be spelt out clearly and precisely in a single vademecum covering all procedures and all countries. 4. 3. 5. The Committee proposes new working methods which would guarantee real complementarity by identifying first and foremost those projects conducive to the coordinated use of different Community instru- ments. These new working methods would permit a distinction between macro-economic measures in the field of taxation or the security of investments, measures to support intermediate structures such as chambers of commerce, trade organizations and development agencies, and direct investment support. 4. 3. 6. The Committee finally advocates practical implementation of the principle that investment support, just like any other form of aid, should be conditional on compliance with political, economic and social criteria. 5. Concrete suggestions regarding a framework for genuine consistency of action In order to rationalize current instruments, the Com- mittee proposes that a distinction be made between technical instruments and specific action programmes for individual geographical areas. By making such a distinction it should be possible to ensure that the different technical instruments are modulated in accord- ance with the Union’s priorities, which would in turn be integrated with other Community policies and set out as part of an overall strategy. 5. 1. Homogeneous technical instruments Current instruments are at present highly incongruous and need to be transformed into a range of complemen- tary measures tailored to local situations and the needs of operators and subject to uniform operating rules. According to the Committee this would include the following instruments: 5. 1. 1. Technical assistance programmes to be used in a macro-economic context (developing countries, Euro-Mediterranean area). — Mechanisms for supporting intermediate structures in the form of partnership programmes (basically focused on training) involving similar EU institutions and geared to enterprise support services and the development of industrial cooperation centres. — Instruments of direct aid to enterprises, i. e. : • The training of European business leaders in the culture of partner countries (particularly for developed countries). • Meetings between enterprises along the lines of Europartnership and Interprise but run on more professional lines with a better selection of partici- pants on both sides. • Support for collective market research and sectoral studies, aimed first and foremost at emerging markets. • Funding of feasibility studies on investment pro- jects and the creation of joint ventures, with harmonized rules covering all areas. • Use of a technical assistance centre for investments in the most difficult countries. — Training schemes and the upgrading of the skills of persons employed in third countries. — Programmes to encourage female business entre- preneurs (training, access to credit). — Mobilization of EU financial instruments (EIB, but also the European Investment Fund, EIF) and of banking networks, with the use of financial engineer- ing mechanisms (risk capital, guarantee funds, inter- est-rate support) differentiated according to a ‘coun- try/risk’ criterion in order to encourage investment, particularly in central and eastern European countries and the Mediterranean area. These finan- cial support programmes must be implemented 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/89 by the banking networks themselves and be accompanied by a project identification and infor- mation mechanism run by intermediate orga- nizations: a radically restructured CDI, industrial cooperation centres, chambers of commerce and trade associations. Interprise, technical assistance in the implementation of reforms, the consolidation of local intermediate structures through training programmes, the promotion of European investments in strategic areas (energy, tourism. ), aid from the EIB, EIF and banking networks accompanied by financial engineering, technical assis- tance for local enterprises with a CDI type centre. 5. 2. Geographical action programmes The Committee proposes that use of the different instruments be modulated according to the geographical area in question and that consistency be achieved through action programmes. Asia-Invest would seem to be the most appropriate example in this respect since it already encompasses a coherent range of instruments. The Committee would therefore propose the following action programmes: 5. 2. 1. A substantial AL-Invest programme for Latin America, encompassing the ECIP instrument, new train- ing programmes in the cultures of the Latin American continent, technical assistance for developing countries in the area, assistance in collective and sectoral studies along the lines of the Business Priming Fund and Investment Facility as developed in Asia-Invest. 5. 2. 2. The expansion of Asia-Invest to include the ECIP instrument (to avoid overlapping) and to also cover technical assistance for developing countries. 5. 2. 3. An East-Invest programme for the CEEP and Tacis countries, to include specific instruments for European integration, the consolidation of intermediate structures, cooperation between SMEs, the promotion of European investment in strategic areas (wood, energy sources, aeronautics. ) through support from the EIB, EIF and various banking networks (with Community support in the form of financial engineering), use of the JOPP instrument for feasibility structures, EU/CEEP industrial cooperation centres managed jointly by the EU and local intermediate organizations. An ACP-Invest programme comprising the 5. 2. 4. ECIP instrument (for which ACP countries are currently ineligible for no real reason), technical assistance in the implementation of reforms, the consolidation of local, regional and occupational intermediate structures, a radically reworked CDI transformed into a centre for the development of enterprises (CDE) in order to help ACP enterprises become part of international trade, Europartnership and Interprise instruments, aid from the EIB, EIF and banking networks and a global system of intermediate networks offering support and back-up services. 5. 2. 6. A US-Invest and Japan-Invest programme geared solely to learning about the culture of these countries, and the use of Europartnership and Interprise instruments. 5. 3. Rules on management, follow-up and monitoring 5. 3. 1. The Committee recommends the introduction of a common mechanism for the regular and frequent evaluation and monitoring of these instruments. This would include an obligation on project beneficiaries to provide long-term information over a period of at least ten years. In carrying out the evaluation, account would have to be taken of the economic and social consequences, particularly in terms of employment within and outside the EU, as well as the implications for sustainable development, competitiveness and the long-term commercial interests of the European Union. 5. 3. 2. The Committee also recommends the exchange of best practices (benchmarking) in respect of instru- ments and programmes, particularly in terms of results, consistency with objectives, and integration with other Community policies. The Commission departments concerned should be merged to ensure operational consistency and the exchange of best practices. 5. 3. 3. It is essential to strengthen anti-fraud mecha- nisms and make widespread use in Europe of the budget control powers of the European Parliament and the Court of Auditors. 5. 3. 4. These provisions for the evaluation and moni- toring of instruments and for the combating of fraud must be applied without excessive bureaucracy and with a permanent eye on simplifying procedures. The best results can be obtained by making operators as respon- sible as possible (evaluation of individual objectives; a posteriori monitoring). A new MEDA-Invest programme comprising, 5. 2. 5. in addition to the ECIP instruments, Europartnership, The Committee also proposes the establish- 5. 3. 5. ment of an Observatory, involving the social partners C 284/90 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 and the ESC, to monitor the socio-economic impact of investment support instruments. The Observatory would have particular responsibility for measuring the employment impact in the European Union, the promotion of social regulations and environmental standards, and sustainable development in the benefi- ciary countries. 5. 4. Financial resources and complementarity with national activities The Committee also recommends, in the inter- 5. 4. 1. ests of consistency between national and Community actions, that national authorities and the relevant organizations (chambers of commerce, trade associ- ations) be closely involved in monitoring and following up programmes affecting their particular country. The Committee recommends in this respect the drawing-up of a synopsis of national and Community actions, broken down by geographical area. 5. 4. 2. The Committee recommends that a substantial proportion of the funds available under cooperation programmes be devoted to these instruments, particu- larly in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. To make up for low budget ceilings and ensure complementarity with national activities, additional activities co-financed by the EU and Member States could be launched to speed up this necessary integration (the participation of operators from other Member States being treated as part of the Community’s contribution). Brussels, 1 July 1998. The President of the Economic and Social Committee Tom JENKINS


title: Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3295/94 laying down measures to prohibit the release for free circulation, export, re-export or entry for a suspensive procedure of counterfeit and pirated goods'

eurovoc_concepts:
customs regulations
free circulation
intellectual property
marketing restriction
trademark

text: 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/3 Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3295/94 laying down measures to prohibit the release for free circulation, export, re-export or entry for a suspensive procedure of counterfeit and pirated goods’ (1) (98/C 284/02) On 11 May 1998 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal. The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 3 June 1998. The rapporteur was Mr Giesecke. At its 356th plenary session on 1 and 2 July 1998 (meeting of 1 July), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 136 votes to two. 1. Introduction 1. 1. In the industrialized countries, there is a growing demand for quality in the manufacturing industry, farming and the burgeoning service sector. Branded and innovative products — which are often protected by industrial property rights — meet this need, but at a price. This price reflects not only better quality, but also innovation and advertising. 1. 2. Those engaged in product piracy take advantage of cheaper manufacturing conditions, for the most part abroad. They have no development costs, licensing fees or advertising outlay. They evade the costs of the normally mandatory safety tests. Their customers are people prepared to forgo these marks of quality for the sake of a perceived bargain, or those to whom brand names are all-important (even when they are forged). 1. 3. Counterfeit and pirated goods are now found in many manufacturing fields, ranging from clothing, leisure articles, watches, jewellery, cosmetics and phar- maceutics to technical products such as tools and car spares. Product piracy is on the increase in these last-named areas, posing a clear threat to buyers who are more than ever dependent on product safety. Not only that, the manufacturers of genuine goods often face unwarranted product liability claims. The economic impact of product piracy is, of 1. 4. course, felt in the first instance by the manufacturers of genuine products, followed by specialist retailers and exporters. The government loses significant revenue from various different sources. Unfortunately, the num- ber of skilled jobs lost can only be roughly estimated, but the German figure, to take an example, is put at some 70 000. The same is true for the costs of legal (1) OJ C 108, 7. 4. 1998, p. 63. proceedings (lawyers’ fees, court costs, detective agen- cies) which hit innovative small and medium-sized businesses particularly hard. Between 5 and 8 % of world trade is now estimated to be in counterfeit goods. 1. 5. In a continent whose competitiveness increas- ingly depends on its innovative strength and the quality of its products, this trend must be halted as a matter of urgency. The draft regulation under review is a crucial element in helping do just that. 2. The Commission proposal 2. 1. The Commission paper comprises (i) the report on the implementation of the present regulation and (ii) a proposal to amend this regulation. 2. 2. The Commission report looks at the experience of Community customs authorities since 1 July 1995 in suspending customs operations on articles presented for import clearance which are suspected of being counterfeit or pirated goods covered by an intellectual property right in respect of which the right holder has requested ‘customs protection’ under the terms of the regulation. 2. 3. From July 1995 to June 1997, the customs authorities in the Member States took action in a total of 4 133 freight, postal and passenger cases. 2. 4. On the basis of the experience to date, the Commission amendment now proposes to extend the scope of the regulation and align it on the development of Community legislation on intellectual property rights. The proposals include: — extension of the scope of the regulation to cover patented inventions, restricted to patents on prod- ucts; C 284/4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 9. 98 — extension of the customs authorities’ scope for action to cover free zones and free warehouses, and all suspect goods under customs supervision; — simplifying and updating the regulation to take account of the Community trade mark (fully oper- ational since 1 April 1996) by making it possible for holders of such marks to apply for ‘customs protection’ valid in a number of Member States. 3. General comments 3. 1. The Commission appears pleased with develop- ments in its first report on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 3295/94. Given the figure for imported counterfeit goods, however, this is but the tip of the iceberg. In the Committee’s view, there is a clear need for improvement, given that some Member States carry out very few operations in this field and others none at all. 3. 2. Nevertheless, now that the learning process of the first few years is over, it would seem expedient to extend the scope of the regulation to cover patented inventions and all customs statuses, and to update the regulation to take account of the Community trade mark. 3. 2. 1. The Committee feels, however, that transpo- sition may be limited by the fact that, particularly where the various different kinds of patents are concerned, the customs authorities may experience difficulties in spotting violations. One should not, therefore, overesti- mate the impact of extending the scope of the regulation. 3. 3. In the Committee’s view, experience to date indicates that information on this relatively new mecha- nism needs to be considerably enhanced in both direc- tions. The parties holding the rights (companies) should be kept abreast of the options open to them, but they should also help facilitate customs officers’ practical work by improving the information they provide to the customs authorities. A two-way flow of information of this kind, coupled with improved training for customs officers in this area, is the only way to ensure success in the fight against forgery. 3. 3. 1. The Committee is concerned that staffing cuts in Member States’ customs administrations make it more difficult for them to handle their changing tasks. The progression from duty-collection agencies working to government instructions to service administrations promoting economic development becomes particularly clear in activities undertaken on behalf of private and public holders of protection rights. 3. 5. The Committee feels it is important, both in trade circles and among the population at large, to drive home the repercussions of counterfeiting on the various different markets. People must be made more aware that this particular form of economic crime is wrong. The European Commission should act to strengthen and coordinate Member States’ information campaigns. 3. 5. 1. This aspect should be taken into account when assessing non-commercial traffic, mainly tourism. After all, tourism accounts for half of all operations in this field, with the quantities involved, of course, correspondingly modest. 3. 5. 2. The Committee takes that view that the cri- terion used should not focus on duty free-allowances alone, but, above all, on what may be considered ‘normal’ in each individual case. 3. 5. 3. The European Commission should alert its delegations in the high-risk countries to the scale of counterfeiting, in order to instigate surveillance and alert schemes in conjunction with the authorities of the Member States and the trade circles concerned. Concerted action should be taken to alert the authorities of the countries concerned to the possible adverse consequences, inter alia in the area of commercial policy of an over-permissive attitude. 3. 6. One particular difficulty with the system is that EU-level arrangements are necessarily limited in scope since procedures are determined under national law. Industry would like to see harmonization in this field so as to ensure optimum implementation of the most important provisions. 4. Specific comments 4. 1. The fact that intervention varies tremendously from one Member States to another may reflect both differences in the scale of protection rights and different ways of handling operations. As part of consultations on the green paper, the Commission is asked to calculate the ratio between the number of applications for protection and the number of violations detected in the Member States. 4. 2. The fact that figures for violations vary between Member States may, in the Committee’s view, be partly due to the procedural differences after a violation has been detected. For example, customs officials’ motivation may be considerably blunted by the less than efficient way in which customs authorities work together with the courts. In this regard, the Committee can but stress the importance of a simple, transparent and speedy procedure. 3. 4. Experience to date has also shown that the effectiveness of the system depends on a minimum level of physical, intelligently placed controls and a high level of training. 4. 2. 1. Although the Commission has no right of initiative in respect of national courts, it should nonethe- less convey to national governments the urgent need for a lean procedure as called for in Part III of the Agreement 14. 9. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 284/5 on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The Committee sees a major link between procedural practicalities and the motivation of customs officials on the ground. The Committee feels that those Member States which levy fees should cut them to a level which does not deter medium-sized and small businesses from submitting applications for protection. 4. 3. The Committee feels that the current arrange- ments in Greece are extremely unsatisfactory. Given Greece’s importance as a potential gateway to the European single market, the Committee backs Com- mission efforts to encourage that country to find a practicable solution. 4. 4. The regulation only covers operations relating to trade with non-EU countries at the Community’s external borders. Once forgeries enter the single market undetected, they are pursued under national arrange- if at all. The Commission should propose ments, harmonization remedies — as far as possible — in the green paper discussion. As things stand, seizure applications may be 4. 5. valid anything from between three months and two years in the various different Member States. Since effective follow-up may be expected to take some time, the Committee feels a period of validity of at least one year should be agreed across the Community. 4. 6. The Committee takes the view that the basic idea of a Community trade mark is incompatible with a situation such as this in which frontier seizure appli- cations may be limited to certain EU countries. The Community trade mark is a uniform mark, with a uniform legal basis applicable to the Community as a whole. Taking this concept to its logical conclusion, the only sensible option is to have a uniform frontier seizure application procedure effective in all EC Member States. 4. 7. Where, after the operation is completed, the forged goods are ordered to be destroyed, the sometimes considerable costs involved should be borne by the guilty party, generally the manufacturer of the forged goods. If the manufacturer cannot be identified or summoned, the importer should pay the costs, unless he or she acted in good faith. The Committee feels it is unreasonable to expect the party holding the protected rights or the state to pay the costs of destruction in cases where the manufacturer or the importer acting in bad faith can be required to do so. 4. 8. The fees set for lodging an application to the customs authorities and the securities to be deposited for administrative costs and liability in the further course of the procedure vary considerably from one Member State to another. In the Committee’s view, the main concern is that these fees should not act as a deterrent, i. e. prevent small companies from using the mechanisms in place. 4. 8. 1. It should be possible for surety to take the form of bank guarantees in all Member States, in accordance with local practices. It is essential that there should be direct contact 4. 9. between right holders (i. e. companies) and the customs authorities. In particular, the customs authorities should be kept informed of how the matter is proceeding. This too would enhance motivation on the part of customs officers. 4. 6. 1. Otherwise, the danger is that the counterfeiter, learning that the restriction applies only to certain countries, will naturally seek to launch the goods via ‘non-protected’ countries. 4. 10. Penalties too are fixed by national courts. Although harmonization is unlikely to be achieved in the near future, it should be ensured that these penalties are highly deterrent in their effect. Brussels, 1 July 1998. The President of the Economic and Social Committee Tom JENKINS


title: Kommissionens forordning (EF) nr. 1406/98 af 1. juli 1998 om ophævelse af foranstaltningerne i artikel 1 i Rådets forordning (EF) nr. 703/98 om suspension af visse indrømmelser, der er fastsat i forordning (EF) nr. 3066/95 om visse indrømmelser i form af EF-toldkontingenter for en række landbrugsprodukter og om autonom og midlertidig tilpasning af visse landbrugsindrømmelser i Europaaftalerne for at tage hensyn til den landbrugsaftale, som er indgået under de multilaterale handelsforhandlinger i Uruguay-rundens regi

eurovoc_concepts:
agreement (EU)
agricultural product
import policy
tariff quota

text: 2. 7. 98 DA De Europæiske Fællesskabers Tidende L 188/25 KOMMISSIONENS FORORDNING (EF) Nr. 1406/98 af 1. juli 1998 om ophævelse af foranstaltningerne i artikel 1 i R(cid:134)dets forordning (EF) nr. 703/98 om suspension af visse indrømmelser, der er fastsat i forordning (EF) nr. 3066/95 om visse indrømmelser i form af EF-toldkontingenter for en række landbrugs- produkter og om autonom og midlertidig tilpasning af visse landbrugsindrøm- melser i Europaaftalerne for at tage hensyn til den landbrugsaftale, som er indg(cid:134)et under de multilaterale handelsforhandlinger i Uruguay-rundens regi KOMMISSIONEN FOR DE EUROPÆISKE FÆLLESSKABER HAR (cid:190) under henvisning til Europæiske Fællesskab, traktaten om oprettelse af Det under henvisning til R(cid:134)dets forordning (EF) nr. 703/98 af 17. marts 1998 om suspension af visse indrømmelser, der er fastsat i forordning (EF) nr. 3066/95 om visse indrøm- melser i form af EF-toldkontingenter for en række land- brugsprodukter og om autonom og midlertidig tilpasning af visse landbrugsindrømmelser i Europaaftalerne for at tage hensyn til den landbrugsaftale, som er indg(cid:134)et under de multilaterale handelsforhandlinger i Uruguay-rundens regi (1), særlig artikel 2, og ud fra følgende betragtninger: I R(cid:134)dets forordning (EF) nr. 3066/95 (2), senest ændret ved forordning (EF) nr. 1595/97 (3), er der fastsat visse indrøm- melser i form af EF-toldkontingenter for en række land- brugsprodukter og autonom og midlertidig tilpasning af visse landbrugsindrømmelser i Europaaftalerne for at tage hensyn til den landbrugsaftale, som er indg(cid:134)et under de multilaterale handelsforhandlinger i Uruguay-rundens regi; for at beskytte Fællesskabets handelsinteresser, efter at Tjekkiet ensidigt havde forhøjet importtolden for en række landbrugsprodukter med oprindelse i Fællesskabet, blev visse indrømmelser i forordning (EF) nr. 3066/95 p(cid:134) lignende m(cid:134)de autonomt suspenderet ved forordning (EF) nr. 703/98; Tjekkiet har nu afskaffet importtolden for visse land- brugsprodukter og herved genoprettet de gensidige told- indrømmelser; de i denne forordning fastsatte foranstaltninger er i over- ensstemmelse med udtalelse fra de berørte forvaltningsko- mit(cid:130)er (cid:190) UDSTEDT FØLGENDE FORORDNING: Artikel 1 Foranstaltningerne i artikel 1 i forordning (EF) nr. 703/98 ophæves herved. Artikel 2 Denne forordning træder i kraft dagen efter offentliggø- relsen i De Europæiske Fællesskabers Tidende. Denne forordning er bindende i alle enkeltheder og gælder umiddelbart medlemsstat. i hver Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den 1. juli 1998. P(cid:134) Kommissionens vegne Franz FISCHLER Medlem af Kommissionen (1) EFT L 98 af 31. 3. 1998, s. 1. (2) EFT L 328 af 30. 12. 1995, s. 31. (3) EFT L 216 af 8. 8. 1997, s. 1


title: Komission asetus (EY) N:o 1410/98, annettu 1 päivänä heinäkuuta 1998, tiettyjen sokerialan tuotteiden edustavien hintojen ja tuonnissa sovellettavien lisätullien muuttamisesta

eurovoc_concepts:
CCT duties
import
raw sugar
representative price
white sugar

formats: pdf print

text: 2. 7. 98 FI Euroopan yhteis(cid:148)jen virallinen lehti L 188/31 KOMISSION ASETUS (EY) N:o 1410/98, annettu 1 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) hein(cid:132)kuuta 1998, tiettyjen sokerialan tuotteiden edustavien hintojen ja tuonnissa sovellettavien lis(cid:132)tullien muuttamisesta EUROOPAN YHTEIS(cid:153)JEN KOMISSIO, joka ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteis(cid:148)n perustamissopi- muksen, ottaa huomioon sokerialan yhteisest(cid:132) markkinaj(cid:132)rjeste- lyst(cid:132) 30 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) kes(cid:132)kuuta 1981 annetun neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 1785/81 (1), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 1599/96 (2), ottaa huomioon muiden sokerialan tuotteiden kuin melassin tuonnissa sovellettavista yksityiskohtaisista s(cid:132)(cid:132)n- n(cid:148)ist(cid:132) 23 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) kes(cid:132)kuuta 1995 annetun komission asetuksen (EY) N:o 1423/95 (3), sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna asetuksella (EY) N:o 624/98 (4), ja erityisesti sen 1 artiklan 2 kohdan toisen alakohdan ja 3 artiklan 1 kohdan, sek(cid:132) katsoo, ett(cid:132) valkoisen sokerin, raakasokerin ja tiettyjen siirappien edustavien hintojen ja niiden tuonnissa sovellettavien lis(cid:132)- tullien m(cid:132)(cid:132)r(cid:132)t vahvistetaan komission asetuksessa (EY) N:o 1379/98 (5), ja asetuksessa (EY) N:o 1423/95 mainittujen s(cid:132)(cid:132)nt(cid:148)jen sovel- tamisesta komission k(cid:132)ytett(cid:132)viss(cid:132) oleviin tietoihin seuraa, ett(cid:132) mainitut, t(cid:132)ll(cid:132) hetkell(cid:132) voimassa olevat m(cid:132)(cid:132)r(cid:132)t olisi vahvistettava t(cid:132)m(cid:132)n asetuksen liitteen mukaisesti, ON ANTANUT T(cid:142)M(cid:142)N ASETUKSEN: 1 artikla Asetuksen (EY) N:o 1423/95 1 artiklassa tarkoitettujen tuotteiden edustavat hinnat ja niiden tuonnissa sovellet- tavat lis(cid:132)tullit vahvistetaan liitteen mukaisesti. 2 artikla T(cid:132)m(cid:132) asetus tulee voimaan 2 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) hein(cid:132)kuuta 1998. T(cid:132)m(cid:132) asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, j(cid:132)senvaltioissa. ja sit(cid:132) sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa Tehty Brysseliss(cid:132) 1 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) hein(cid:132)kuuta 1998. Komission puolesta Franz FISCHLER Komission j(cid:132)sen (1) EYVL L 177, 1. 7. 1981, s. 4 (2) EYVL L 206, 16. 8. 1996, s. 43 (3) EYVL L 141, 24. 6. 1995, s. 16 (4) EYVL L 85, 20. 3. 1998, s. 5 (5) EYVL L 187, 1. 7. 1998, s. 6 L 188/32 FI Euroopan yhteis(cid:148)jen virallinen lehti 2. 7. 98 LIITE valkoisen sokerin, raakasokerin ja CN-koodiin 1702 90 99 kuuluvien tuotteiden edustavien hintojen ja tuonnissa sovellettavien lis(cid:132)tullien muuttamisesta 1 p(cid:132)iv(cid:132)n(cid:132) hein(cid:132)kuuta 1998 annettuun komis- sion asetukseen CN-koodi 1701 11 10 (1) 1701 11 90 (1) 1701 12 10 (1) 1701 12 90 (1) 1701 91 00 (2) 1701 99 10 (2) 1701 99 90 (2) 1702 90 99 (3) Edustava hinta 100 kilogrammalta kyseist(cid:132) tuotetta Lis(cid:132)tulli 100 kilogrammalta kyseist(cid:132) tuotetta (ecuina) 19,20 19,20 19,20 19,20 22,40 22,40 22,40 0,22 6,70 12,51 6,51 11,99 14,73 9,51 9,51 0,42 (1) Vahvistetaan neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 431/68 (EYVL L 89, 10. 4. 1968, s. 3), sellaisena kuin se on muutettuna, 1 artiklassa m(cid:132)(cid:132)ritellylle vakiolaadulle. (2) Vahvistetaan neuvoston asetuksen (ETY) N:o 793/72 (EYVL L 94, 21. 4. 1972, s. 1) 1 artiklassa m(cid:132)(cid:132)ritellylle vakiolaadulle. (3) Vahvistetaan 1 prosentin sakkaroosipitoisuutta kohden


title: Fourth framework programme : Air transport: Genova: Generic overall validation for ATM.

eurovoc_concepts:
air traffic
research and development
research project
transport safety


title: Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1411/98 der Kommission vom 1. Juli 1998 zur Berichtigung der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1381/98 zur Festsetzung der im Sektor Reis geltenden Einfuhrzölle

eurovoc_concepts:
CCT duties
import
rice

text: 2. 7. 98 DE Amtsblatt der Europ(cid:132)ischen Gemeinschaften L 188/33 VERORDNUNG (EG) Nr. 1411/98 DER KOMMISSION vom 1. Juli 1998 zur Berichtigung der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1381/98 zur Festsetzung der im Sektor Reis geltenden Einfuhrz(cid:148)lle DIE KOMMISSION DER EUROP(cid:142)ISCHEN GEMEINSCHAFTEN (cid:190) gest(cid:129)tzt auf den Vertrag zur Gr(cid:129)ndung der Europ(cid:132)ischen Gemeinschaft, gest(cid:129)tzt auf die Verordnung (EG) Nr. 3072/95 des Rates vom 22. Dezember 1995 (cid:129)ber die gemeinsame Markt- organisation f(cid:129)r Reis (1), ge(cid:132)ndert durch die Verordnung (EG) Nr. 192/98 (2), in Erw(cid:132)gung nachstehender Gr(cid:129)nde: Da eine (cid:154)berpr(cid:129)fung ergeben hat, daß der Anhang I der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1381/98 der Kommission (3) einen Fehler enth(cid:132)lt, ist er zu berichtigen (cid:190) HAT FOLGENDE VERORDNUNG ERLASSEN: Artikel 1 Der Anhang I der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1381/98 wird durch den Anhang der vorliegenden Verordnung ersetzt. Artikel 2 Diese Verordnung tritt am 2. Juli 1998 in Kraft. Sie ist anwendbar ab 1. Juli 1998. Diese Verordnung ist in allen ihren Teilen verbindlich und gilt unmittelbar in jedem Mitgliedstaat. Br(cid:129)ssel, den 1. Juli 1998 F(cid:129)r die Kommission Franz FISCHLER Mitglied der Kommission (1) ABl. L 329 vom 30. 12. 1995, S. 18. (2) ABl. L 20 vom 27. 1. 1998, S. 16. (3) ABl. L 187 vom 1. 7. 1998, S. 10. L 188/34 DE Amtsblatt der Europ(cid:132)ischen Gemeinschaften 2. 7. 98 ANHANG Festsetzung der Einfuhrz(cid:148)lle f(cid:129)r Reis und Bruchreis Zoll (5) (in ECU/Tonne) Drittl(cid:132)nder (außer AKP-Staaten und Bangladesch) (3) (7) AKP-Staaten Bangladesch (1) (2) (3) (4) Basmati Indien und Pakistan (6) (cid:142)gypten (8) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) 294,34 294,34 294,34 262,12 294,34 294,34 294,34 262,12 (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) (7) 121,01 121,01 121,01 121,01 121,01 121,01 121,01 121,01 142,83 142,83 142,83 126,72 142,83 142,83 142,83 126,72 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 232,09 72,38 12,12 12,12 188,03 188,03 188,03 188,03 188,03 188,03 188,03 188,03 220,76 220,76 220,76 196,59 220,76 220,76 220,76 196,59 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 370,50 114,00 KN-Code 1006 10 21 1006 10 23 1006 10 25 1006 10 27 1006 10 92 1006 10 94 1006 10 96 1006 10 98 1006 20 11 1006 20 13 1006 20 15 1006 20 17 1006 20 92 1006 20 94 1006 20 96 1006 20 98 1006 30 21 1006 30 23 1006 30 25 1006 30 27 1006 30 42 1006 30 44 1006 30 46 1006 30 48 1006 30 61 1006 30 63 1006 30 65 1006 30 67 1006 30 92 1006 30 94 1006 30 96 1006 30 98 1006 40 00 (1) Vorbehaltlich der Anwendung der Vorschriften der Artikel 12 und 13 der ge(cid:132)nderten Verordnung (EWG) Nr. 715/90 des Rates (ABl. L 84 vom 30. 3. 1990, S. 85). (2) Gem(cid:132)ß der Verordnung (EWG) Nr. 715/90 wird bei der unmittelbaren Einfuhr von Erzeugnissen mit Ursprung in den Staaten in Afrika, im karibischen Raum und im Pazifischen Ozean in das (cid:129)berseeische Departement R(cid:130)union kein Zoll erhoben. (3) Der bei der Einfuhr von Reis in das (cid:129)berseeische Departement R(cid:130)union zu erhebende Zoll ist in Artikel 11 Absatz 3 der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 3072/95 festgesetzt. (4) Bei der Einfuhr von Reis, ausgenommen Bruchreis (KN-Code 1006 40 00), mit Ursprung in Bangladesch gilt der im Rahmen der Verordnung (EWG) Nr. 3491/90 des Rates (ABl. L 337 vom 4. 12. 1990, S. 1) und der ge(cid:132)nderten Verordnung (EWG) Nr. 862/91 der Kommission (ABl. L 88 vom 9. 4. 1991, S. 7) festgelegte Zoll. (5) Gem(cid:132)ß Artikel 101 Absatz 1 des ge(cid:132)nderten Beschlusses 91/482/EWG des Rates (ABl. L 263 vom 19. 9. 1991, S. 1) werden Erzeugnisse mit Ursprung in (cid:129)berseeischen L(cid:132)ndern und Gebieten zollfrei eingef(cid:129)hrt. (6) F(cid:129)r gesch(cid:132)lten Reis der Sorte Basmati, der seinen Ursprung in Indien und Pakistan hat, wird eine Erm(cid:132)ßigung um 250 ECU/t ber(cid:129)cksichtigt (Artikel 4a der ge(cid:132)nderten Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1503/96). (7) Zollsatz des Gemeinsamen Zolltarifs. (8) Bei der Einfuhr von Reis mit Ursprung in und Herkunft aus (cid:142)gypten gilt der im Rahmen der Verordnungen (EG) Nr. 2184/96 des Rates (ABl. L 292 vom 15. 11. 1996, S. 1) und (EG) Nr. 196/97 der Kommission (ABl. L 31 vom 1. 2. 1997, S. 53) festgelegte Zoll