Brussels / Washington, 19/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Union and the United States held a transition summit, during which tribute was paid to President Clinton and an open welcome was reserved for the Bush Administration that is to take up its duties on 20 January 2001 (see pages 3/4). The trade disputes, a tiny part but a "natural" set-back in such a wide relationship, took up a large part of the meeting that the White House host held with Presidents Prodi and Chirac, before moving on to a more detailed discussion at ministerial level in the afternoon. As predicted, nothing was settled in Washington, but there could be determining developments in issues concerning bananas, hormone-treated meat and the public financing of the future large carrier aircraft Airbus during the next few weeks.
Together with their American partner, the European officials renewed the bilateral agreement on higher education and vocational training which is to expire after five years of fruitful student exchanges. They agreed to promote joint research into on-line education. A new agreement, aimed at coordinating the programmes for labelling of energy efficient products, was signed and the resumption of regular consultation on energy issues decided. Furthermore, Europeans and Americans welcomed the report on transatlantic consultations on biotechnologies launched in May this year in Queluz. The report, presented by the Forum of independent experts chaired by former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, will be "carefully considered". The 20 personalities, responsible for examining a vast series of questions raised by agricultural and food biotechnologies under the chairmanship of the former Dutch Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers, call on the United States and the Union to avail themselves of stricter rules in order to ensure these products are safe, and to reassure consumers. Above all, they must: i) establish mandatory labelling requirements on the content of finished products including new genetic materials as consumers should have the right to choose in full knowledge of the facts what they wish to consume; ii) provide for the compulsory examination and authorisation - prior to marketing of genetically modified foodstuffs - in order to be reasonably certain such products do not involve health risks; iii) develop and set in place procedures and mechanisms that make it possible to trace all foodstuffs derived from GMOs containing novel ingredients or claiming new beneficial effects with, in some cases, a detailed programme for compulsory surveillance prior to marketing; iv) limit the duration of approval procedures for the marketing of products; v) contribute to the development of international rules and procedures.
Europeans and Americans also agreed on "specific priorities" for the coming half year, including: i) helping Russia to implement its commitments on non proliferation and disarmament (destruction of chemical weapons, management of its military plutonium surplus, etc.); ii) considering the implementation of UN sanctions against the Talibans; iii) focusing on development, environmental and health protection in the northern regions, in line with the Union's Northern Dimension and the American initiative on Northern Europe; iv) working together towards the stability and economic reconstruction of Moldova and South Caucasus; v) supporting efforts for the normalisation of relations between the two Koreas; vi) intensifying the transatlantic dialogue on the peace process in Colombia; and vii) pursuing dialogue on asylum and migration, with a view to presenting a report to the Transatlantic Summit in June 2001. The partners also agree to continue to seek solutions to their main trade disputes. They wish to continue working towards a consensus in favour of launching a new round of trade talks at the WTO as soon as possible, a round that is inclusive and balanced. Finally, among the joint declarations published after the Summit, there is an appeal to the pharmaceuticals industry to improve access by the poorest nations on Earth to medicines against transmissible diseases, and above all to medicines in the treatment of AIDS.
Joint Statement on conditions for open, competitive and transnational electronic commerce
In a joint statement on "e-commerce and the role of alternative dispute resolution", the Union and the United States promise to work in order to "help generate consumer confidence, which is necessary for open, competitive, and cross-border electronic commerce". Ensuring protection of consumers while reassuring them requires "a combination of private sector initiatives and a clear, consistent and predictable legal framework", stressed the European and American leaders. This, they say, involves "good business practice and enforceable self-regulatory programmes such as codes of conduct and trustmarks" for online purchases. It also requires, according to the statement, "security and confidentiality, respect for privacy, high standards of consumer service, timely delivery, full and fair disclosure of information and responsiveness to complaints. The consumers must be able to have "access to redress consistent with the
applicable legal framework and should be protected from fraudulent, deceptive and unfair practices", the statement says, while stressing that the challenges posed by Internet to the existing legal framework will be "difficult to resolve in the near term".
"Solutions at the international level" would help to achieve "our shared goals of global electronic commerce growth, consumer confidence and the predictability of transactions" and, "if parties cannot resolve consumer issues directly, using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)" is suggested for avoiding legal procedures. "We accordingly agree on the importance of promoting" the "development and implementation" of a mechanism along these lines, which is fair, effective and easily accessible, mainly on-line. In the transnational context this implies, they say, cooperation between all the parties concerned and the promotion of international partnerships.
Opposite stances on funding Airbus large carrier project
European and American leaders agreed to continue talks on the main transatlantic trade disputes in general, along positive lines and with the objective of arriving at results before the current American administration leaves office. But President Clinton himself intervened on the funding of the future Airbus large carrier, firmly warning the Union against the risk triggering a new dispute. The entry of the European consortium into the slot current occupied only by Boeing rests on "loans granted" (by France, Germany and the United Kingdom) on the basis of non-commercial criteria", he declared. His main economic advisor, Gene Sperling, explained on the eve of the launch of the A3XX development programme that the cost was estimated at $10.7 billion and public aid at some $3 billion. This funding "would be a breach of WTO multilateral agreements on subsidies to the aeronautical industry", said the American President. "Given the size and financial clout of the parent company, this project should not receive additional subsidies, in any form", the Deputy representative for trade, Susan Essermann said at the end of the meeting of experts held after the Summit. "We regard it essential that this issue be resolved, if we want to avoid a potential conflict over it", she added. "The production of the turbo jet totally respects the bilateral agreements concluded in 1992 for the construction of civilian aircraft and the support provided through refundable loans, compatible with the Multilateral Agreement on subsidies", was the official reply from the European side, imputing the American declarations to pressure exercised by Airbus' rival.