Brussels, 11/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - As we announced (EUROPE of 11 December, p.10), on Wednesday the European Commission adopted proposals representing the modalities of the agreement concluded in November with the United States and Canada on the introduction, from 1 January 2003, of a new import scheme for medium and low quality wheat and barley. EU Agriculture Ministers should adopt these proposals next week. The Commission conducted negotiations (at WTO level) to put an end to the harmful effects, for the Community market, of massive imports of cereals originating in Russia and Ukraine. May we point out that negotiations are still underway with these two countries, which are calling for higher quotas to guarantee the import into the EU of their cereals. Russia has even threatened to reduce its imports of European meat if it does not win the case.
The proposals provide for a tariff quota of 2,981,600 tonnes of medium and low quality wheat (with a customs duty of 12 euro/tonne), 570,000 tonnes of which for the United States and 380,000 tonnes for Canada. The remainder of this quota would be open to other third countries. Outside the quota, the duty will be 95 euro/tonne. Should the United States and Canada not use up part of the quota, the Commission intends "transferring the unused quantities to third countries". Th United States and Canada, however, must agree to that.
Two other quotas of barley will be introduced: - a first of 50,000 tonnes of brewing barley (with a duty of 8 euro/tonne); - a second of 300,000 tonnes for other varieties of barley (with a duty of 16 euro/tonne). Outside these two quotas, the current customs duty of 93 euro/tonne will be retained.
"Thanks to this new scheme, the EU will be able to correct the malfunctioning of the current import system for cereals and re-establish the balance of our market. The aim of the new scheme is, however, to enable us to fully respect our commitments vis-à-vis the WTO, while keeping our markets open to imports for everywhere, and especially superior quality products", commented Franz Fischler. The current system of calculating Community import duties for cereals (difference between world market price and 155% of the Community intervention price) will thus remain in place for cereals other than medium and low quality wheat.