91998E3669

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3669/98

by Gérard d'Aboville (UPE) to the Commission

(24 November 1998)

Subject: Imports of canned tuna originating in Ecuador

In January 1998, the Commission initiated an investigation of imports of canned tuna originating in Ecuador with a view to reintroducing the Common Customs Tariff duty applicable to that product(1).

Imports of canned tuna originating in Ecuador and put into free circulation with preferential beneit during 1997 have exceeded the annual average of the last three years (1994,1995 and 1996), and that justified the initiation of the investigation pursuant to Article 14 of Council Regulation (EC) 1256/96(2).

To date, no findings of that investigation seem to have been notified either to the Member States or to the interested parties.

Can the Commission indicate the reasons for this lack of transparency? Has the investigation been completed? If so, what were its findings? Why have they not been notified to the Member States?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1998)

In response to the high level of EC imports of canned tuna from Ecuador to which the Honourable Member refers, a Member State invoked the safeguard clause in Article 14 of Council Regulation (EC) 1256/96 of 20 June 1996 applying multiannual schemes of generalised tariff preferences from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1999 in respect of certain agricultural products originating in developing countries. Note, however, that the quantitative aspect is additional to the criterion stipulated in Article 14, which is that the imports "cause serious difficulties to Community producers." In the course of an investigation in which the Commission worked closely with the Member States on the Committee on Generalised Preferences, no evidence was produced to show that such difficulties were being or might be caused. The Member State concerned let its request drop and the Commission wound up the investigation without taking action. The notice of termination (98/C357/06) was published in the Official Journal(3) to which the Honourable Member is invited to refer.

(1) OJ C 8, 13.1.1998.

(2) OJ L 160, 29.6.1996, p. 1.

(3) OJ C 357, 21.11.1998.