91997E3293

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3293/97 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission (20 October 1997)

Subject: Market access for least developed countries

How does the Commission intend to implement the Council decision which provides for least developed countries to have parity with the ACP countries? What will be the difficulties in implementing the decision? Do any practical proposals on this subject exist?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3292/97 and E-3293/97 given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1997)

The Council asked the Commission in June this year to table proposals on equivalent treatment of all the least-advanced countries by 1 January1998. The Commission is working on those proposals, taking account of the Community's obligations under the Lomé Convention and the provisions of the generalised scheme of preferences. Given the structural differences between the trade arrangements that the Community has with the least-advanced countries party to the Lomé Convention and with the least-advanced countries which are not parties thereto but beneficiaries of the GSP, a number of technical difficulties do exist and solutions to them are being sought. As soon as they have been found, a proposal will be put before the Council as quickly as possible.