Brussels, 12/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following intense negotiations in Beijing, from 10 to 12 December, the European Union and China reached an agreement in the maritime transport sector. This agreement, which must still pass the tests of the respective decision-making bodies, is based on the principal of the free provision of services, to have access to third party cargo and traffic, and on the principal of non-discriminatory treatment over access to ports, announced the European Commission on Thursday. The agreement also contains provisions on auxiliary services and on a wide-range of trade issues, including: the logistical aspects of transport, the establishment of companies, the employment of key personnel, the transfer of payments and capital, door-to-door services and movements of "equipment" such as empty containers. The continuation of the bilateral co-operation is also confirmed, in a series of fields, ranging from maritime safety to the prevention of marine pollution, passing by the fight against piracy and terrorism.
The negotiations that officially began last September, three years after the issuing of a mandate by the Council to the European Commission (see Europe of 8 September), had been slowed on the Chinese side by the supported effort to accede to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), then on the European side by the issue of maritime safety, which became pressing after the sinking of the Erika and the Ievoli Sun. The decisive session ran over three days and the head-to-head between Fotis Karmitsos, Director for Maritime Transport in the European Commission and Su Xingang, Director General in the Ministry for Communication (in the presence of Member State representatives) finally allowed to conclude the first Community agreement in this sector with a third country. "This is a very important step ahead, which will benefit to all service providers, both European and Chinese, and it is a special added value to the China's recent accession to the WTO," a success that also shows "how far we can go when EU Member States act all together", emphasised Loyola de Palacio, Commission Vice-President responsible for Transport and Energy.