Brussels, 23/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 February, the European Parliament Industry Committee (ITRE) strongly emphasised the need to pre-empt practices in some third countries in the railway sector, particularly China. This suggestion was made during talks about a draft resolution on the competitiveness of the European railway equipment parts sector.
Martina Werner (S&D, Germany), the rapporteur on this dossier did not hesitate to make a parallel with the situation in the steel industry, which is currently experiencing a sharp crisis due to unfair Chinese competition (see EUROPE 11490).
The MEP is therefore advocating a raft of measures in the international and domestic arenas in the railway sector. In the external sphere, she is proposing that the reciprocity principle is respected, particularly with regard to access to third countries' markets. Several MEPs expressed concern about the lack of a European Commission response in the context of anti-dumping measures. Some of them also raised the alarm about the disastrous impact that could arise from recognising China's status as a market economy on the European railway sector. David Borrelli (EFDD, Italy) deplored the failure of the Commission to develop an industrial strategy, even though re-industrialisation was part of the EUROPE 2020 strategy objectives.
In the domestic field, Werner outlined several areas where action could be taken, beginning with enhanced innovation as a means of tackling international competition because “We will never be able to win the price war with China”. She therefore called on member states and companies to take full advantage of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the financial arm of the “Juncker” investment plan. The MEP is also calling on member states to invest in the railway sector, given its strong dependency on public orders.
Particular attention also focuses on SMEs and very small enterprises. The MEP identifies several difficulties SMEs are having to face: excessive dependency on national orders, barriers to development outside national borders etc. She is therefore calling on the Commission to develop sectoral groups for rail as part of the Enterprise Europe network. She also called for a revision of the Small Business Act, the European strategy for expanding SMEs.
Dominique Riquet (ALDE France) insisted on the need for operators to restructure as a means of obtaining “critical mass” and remaining competitive on the international market. Adam Gierek (S&D, Poland) said that efforts to improve competitiveness should be particularly made in the freight area of the railways.
There were many of them who considered that the progress made in 4th railway package was good news for railway competitiveness. Nonetheless, some of them expressed concerned by the sluggishness of the negotiations, particularly those on the political pillar (see EUROPE 11450).
The Commission pointed out that progress was being made in the negotiations on the bilateral trade agreements. It indicated that in January, an agreement had been concluded with South Korea, which recognised access difficulties in certain markets, particularly Japan and the US. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)