Brussels, 13/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - As foreseen, the Commission has adopted its proposal of regulation, which abolishes the trade preferences under the Generalised System of Preferences for competitive products in certain countries and restores them for others according to the "graduation" procedure (see EUROPE of 12 February, p.10). It also proposes to introduce a "financial clause" which would allow the countries that faced a severe crisis during the year prior to "graduation" to escape it.
The proposal will abolish preferences for products that have become competitive in the following categories: Argentina (fish products, plants, vegetables and fruit, oils), Brazil (wood), China (edible products of animal origin, plastics, papers, electromechanical products and consumer electronics, optics and clocks and watches), Colombia (plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit), Costa Rica (plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit), Kuwait (mineral products), Morocco (fertilisers), Mauritius (clothing), Mexico (meat or fish preparations, beverages, chemical products except fertilisers, glass and ceramic), Thailand (consumer electronics), Tunisia (fertilisers, clothing), and Uruguay (hides and leather).
Preferential customs duties will be restored, on the other hand, for the following categories: Argentina (edible products and preparations of animal origin), Brazil (transport material), Chile (glues and resins, fertilisers), Kazakhstan (fertilisers, jewellery and precious metals, common metals), Mexico (edible products of animal origin, plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit), Malaysia (cereals, malts and starches, clothing), Russia (common metals), and Thailand (plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit, clothing).