Brussels, 06/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - Just a few weeks from the date set for technical talks with the United States on alternative solutions to the "first come, first served" system, which must enter into force on 1 July, the Italian Foreign Minister, Lamberto Dini, made a pressing appeal to his European partners for them to propose rapid and acceptable reform of the banana regime, if they do not wish to see the imminent threat of escalation of transatlantic sanctions becoming a reality. The ball is in the American court, was the reply from Brussels, in essence, on Friday.
"We have a clear decision from the Council of Ministers" on the new import regime allowing definitive resolution of the multilateral dispute in Geneva, recalled a European Commission spokesman, in answer to questions on the position taken by Mr Dini this week in The Financial Times. "I do not recall that Italy voted against", he added. Technical talks with the United States were launched after the meeting between Mr Lamy and Mr Zoellick early March. The Commission, however, must take technical decisions well before 1 July, to "give operators the time to prepare themselves", he said, summing up by saying "there is less than one month left". To put it clearly, Washington may still obtain an alternative solution between now and then, including a system for the distribution of import licenses based on historic references, as long as the period chosen is later than 1993 to be acceptable to Brussels and Geneva, and as long as they manage the hard task of convincing the supplier countries.