News Release
Franz Fischler
No. 39/04
March 5, 2004
EUROPEAN COMMISSION TAKES STEPS TO ADAPT BANANA IMPORT
REGIME TO ENLARGEMENT
In view of accession of
ten new Members States on 1 May 2004, appropriate arrangements have to be
made to ensure sufficient supply of bananas to consumers in the new Member States.
To this end, the current import volumes for bananas have to be increased for an
EU of 25. The exact additional volume of bananas will be based on historical imports
to the new Member States and is subject to negotiations with our WTO trading partners
and hence still to be determined. For the new additional quantities, the current
licensing mechanisms will apply (for details see Background
). In due time before the beginning of May, the Commission will determine
the additional quantities of bananas to ensure a sufficient supply to the market
of the enlarged Union, and will take the necessary measures which will enter into
force as of 1 May 2004. These transitional measures are without prejudice to the
decision taken by the Council to move to a tariff only import system no later
than the 1 January 2006.
"The EU will fully respect its obligations and commitments. We will
safeguard the interests of the EU producers. The preferential access for producers
from
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries will be maintained and our WTO commitments
entirely honoured,"
Franz Fischler, EU Commissioner for
Agriculture,
Rural Development and
Fisheries said.
The Commission has today adopted a regulation which lays down the specific
measures for banana imports following enlargement. It has also published a notice
to operators in the banana sector, asking them to make themselves known. The objective
of this procedure is to establish a list of operators in the EU 15 who fulfil
the conditions to qualify either as traditional or non-traditional operators and
who have supplied the market of the new Member States during recent years. A similar
list of operators established in the new Member States has to be drawn up by their
competent authorities. The Commission Regulation to be published specifies documents
to be provided in order to prove the status of traditional or non-traditional
operator. Appropriate checks of these documents must be carried out. In this matter,
a close cooperation between the administrations of new Member
States, the Commission and the
EU 15 is required.
Background
How does the existing system work?
The existing regime provides a transition to a tariff-only system no later
than 2006. During this transitional phase, bananas are imported into the European
Union through import licenses distributed on the basis of past trade. The current
import licence arrangements are largely managed on the basis of historical references
(83% of the quantities of the quotas go to "traditional importers").
However, to ensure that non-traditional operators can pursue trade in bananas,
17% of the quantities are reserved for operators who do not have a suitable historic
reference.
Since 1 January 2002 the following three tariff quotas apply:
- Quota A 2,200,000 tonnes at a tariff of € 75/t (0 for ACP
bananas)
- Quota B 453,000 tonnes at a tariff of € 75/t (0 for ACP
bananas)
- Quota C 750,000 tonnes at a tariff of € 0/t (reserved to
ACP bananas)
Quotas A and B are open to bananas from any origin; the C quota is reserved
to ACP countries. Banana imports outside the quotas are subject to a customs duty
of € 680/t however ACP countries benefit from a tariff preference of € 300/t.
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Anthony Gooch
202-862-9523
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