WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2368/97 by Ulf HOLM to the Commission. Generalized system of preferences
C 21/148 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 1. 98 Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (11 July 1997) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Questions E-41/97 and E-1567/97 by Mr Cornelissen (1) and Mr Wijsenbeek (2). (1) OJ C 186, 18. 6. 1997. (2) See page 72. (98/C 21/274) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2368/97 by Ulf Holm (V) to the Commission (1 July 1997) Subject: Generalized system of preferences The European Union has had generalized trade preferences since 1971 for finished and semi-finished industrial products from the developing countries. Has there been a request with respect to Pakistan for the removal of GSP? If so, what was the Commissionís reaction? Could the Commission please make its decision public? Why did the Commission establish a procedure for the withdrawal of preferences? What results does the Commission expect from the removal of such preferences? Answer given by Mr Mar ·n on behalf of the Commission (18 July 1997) The Honourable Member is referring to a complaint under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 3281/94 applying a four-year scheme of generalized tariff preferences (1995 to 1998) in respect of certain industrial products originating in developing countries (1). This complaint seeking the withdrawal of generalised tariff preferences has been the subject of consultations within the Committee for the Management of Generalized Preferences under Article 10 of the Regulation. Consultations are the first › confidential › stage of the procedure laid down in the Regulation; they are followed by an investigation and, if called for, a decision withdrawing preferences. In view of the steps taken in the right direction, and in particular the stepping-up of efforts by the government of the country concerned to abolish the practices that gave rise to the complaint (forced child labour), the Commission feels it is enough at the moment to follow developments closely, without moving on to the second stage of the procedure. The decision to withdraw generalised tariff preferences is taken by the Council, not the Commission, under a rigorous procedure aimed at ensuring that complaints are handled with all due legal guarantees of equity and impartiality. The overriding objective of the procedure, during which contacts are established with the authorities of the countries concerned, is to bring about progress on the ground by encouraging the countries concerned to pursue a qualitative social development, a process the Community backs up with complementary schemes. Preferences are withdrawn as a last resort, if the first two stages have come to nothing. (1) OJ L 348, 31. 12. 1994