Brussels, 16/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is proposing transitional measures for banana imports into the ten new Member States to the Management Committee for Bananas. The Regulation would fix an additional quantity of bananas of 300 000 tonnes to supply the market of new Member States for the period May-December 2004. This additional quantity would be fixed on a transitional basis, and should in no way prejudge the outcome of the negotiations in the context of the Article XXIV (6) GATT in which the European Union is to engage in the coming weeks. This additional quantity would provide the new Member States with a sufficient supply of bananas. The Regulation also defines the necessary transitional measures for managing the additional quantity as of 1 May 2004 in the enlarged EU.
In view of accession of ten new Member States on 1 May 2004, appropriate arrangements have to be made to ensure sufficient supply of bananas to consumers in the new Member States. To this end, the current import volumes for bananas have to be increased for an EU of 25. The Commission notes that the EU will fully respect its obligations and commitments (safeguarding the interests of EU producers, preferential access for producers from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries will be maintained and all WTO commitments entirely honoured including a tariff only system from 2006).