Brussels, 18/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Commission hopes to improve EU rules for enhancing the EU's ability to enforce its rights under bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
On Tuesday 18 December, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a regulation to establish a clear and predictable framework for adopting implementing acts when its rights are not respected under bilateral or multilateral trade agreements, i.e. when the trade interests of the EU are at stake. In cases of illegal trade measures in other countries, the proposal provides for “effective action to safeguard the interests of EU companies and workers”, the Commission explains.
As a last resort, trade sanctions may be set in place to make the country at fault abolish its illegal measures. Action may be taken to compensate for import restrictions that are imposed on EU products in exceptional situations (so-called safeguard measures), or to react to cases where a WTO member country changes its trade regime in a way that negatively affects EU trade, such as raising its import tariffs, without adequate compensation. Such implementing acts can only be taken under certain well-defined conditions and might take the form of new or increased customs duties or quotas on imports or exports of goods.
Prior to the Lisbon Treaty, action foreseen by EU trade policy for enforcing EU rights under international trade agreements followed an ad hoc approach that no longer responds to the needs of the EU, the Commission explains in a press release. “Those agreements must be respected for them to deliver results. When international trade disputes prove that other countries haven't played by the rules, the EU needs to be able to react efficiently and swiftly to defend its interests. Today's proposal gives us the tools to make sure the EU's international trade rights can be properly enforced in real time”, Commissioner Karel De Gucht has explained.
The proposal has now to be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council. (EH/transl.jl)