Brussels, 31/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The French Federation of nut and oilseed producers (FOP) referred the European Commission over a legal dossier against the United States "Fair Act", in view of a possible complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). According to the trade union, the American agricultural legislation has "prejudicial" effects for the Community subsidiary in oils and vegetable proteins, with a "particularly aggressive impact on Soya".
The dossier that the FOP President Xavier Beulin handed, last week, to Commissioner Pascal Lamy, "proves the prejudicial effects of the Fair Act for European nut producers", asserts the Trade Union. Mr Beulin outlined to the head of EU trade policy the difficulties that the sector faces since the establishment of the Fair Act ("Freedom to Farm") in 1996 and, especially, the Soya producers. Since then, the United States have increased their surface area of Soy by close to 30%, which accentuated the fall in world prices, while the specific Community subsidies are being dismantled in the framework of the Agenda 2000. Mr Beulin called on the Commissioner to "take all the measures including the path of a complaint to the WTO, which will enable to return the opportunities to the European subsidiary". The dialogue must continue with the Commission services, in the light of the Community regulation on barriers to trade (ROC), among other legal frameworks of reference.