IP/04/1163
Brussel, 30 september 2004
De Commissie start met een openbare raadpleging over de versterking van het
economisch partnerschap tussen de EU en de VS
De Europese Commissie heeft vandaag een openbare raadpleging van alle
betrokkenen gelanceerd over de wijze waarop het transatlantisch
Economisch Partnerschap moet worden versterkt. Dit is de eerste stap
naar de tenuitvoerlegging van de verklaring van de EU en de VS over de
versterking van hun economisch partnerschap, die op de top van de EU
en de VS op 26 juni 2004 in Ierland is aangenomen door voorzitter
Prodi, president Bush en Taoiseach Ahern. De Commissie verzoekt het
bedrijfsleven, milieu- en consumentenorganisaties, vakbonden en andere
belanghebbende groeperingen en personen hun standpunt bekend te maken
over de hinderpalen die zij op hun weg ontmoeten wanneer zij op
elkaars markt handel voeren of investeren, en over de toekomstige
commerciële en economische betrekkingen tussen de Europese Unie en de
Verenigde Staten.
Het document in bijlage bevat een aantal vragen aan de betrokkenen en
een verzoek om hun ideeën en voorstellen in te dienen.
De openbare raadpleging zal in oktober en november 2004 plaatsvinden.
De resultaten ervan zullen worden samengevat en geanalyseerd, en
vergeleken met de resultaten van een soortgelijke raadpleging die
tegelijk in de VS wordt georganiseerd. Vervolgens zullen door beide
partijen beleidskeuzen worden uitgewerkt, die worden geïntegreerd in
een gezamenlijke toekomststrategie die de EU-VS-groep van ambtenaren
op hoog niveau op de volgende EU-VS-Top in 2005 zal presenteren.
Deze raadpleging heeft tot doel nieuwe ideeën bijeen te brengen over
de bevordering van de transatlantische economische integratie, de
versterking van investeringen en handel, het stimuleren van innovatie,
het scheppen van werkgelegenheid en het identificeren en overwinnen
van hinderpalen voor het realiseren van het concurrentievermogen van
onze economieën.
De EU en de VS hebben de belangrijkste handels- en
investeringsbetrekkingen in de wereld en zijn elkaars grootste
handels- en investeringspartner. Het handelsvolume in 2003 omvatte
meer dan EUR 600 miljard aan goederen en diensten; de directe
investeringen van EU-bedrijven in de VS vertegenwoordigen
EUR 890 miljard, en die van de VS-bedrijven in de EU EUR 650 miljard.
In totaal betekent dit meer dan EUR 1.500 miljard.
De raadpleging loopt tot 30 november 2004 via de websites van de
Europese Commissie voor handel en buitenlandse betrekkingen. Een
presentatie, een link naar de vragenlijst, die in alle officiële talen
van de EU bestaat, en meer informatie over de betrekkingen tussen de
EU en de VS kunnen worden gevonden op:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/us/intro/index.htm
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/usa/pr29090
4_en.htm
De vragenlijst bevindt zich op de website "Your Voice in Europe", het
centrale aanspreekpunt dat toegang geeft tot alle raadplegingen van de
Commissie en hun resultaten op alle beleidsterreinen.
http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/consultations/index_nl.htm
Voor toegang tot de resultaten van de Top EU-VS van 2004 ga naar:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/us/sum06_04/conclusions.h
tm
Strengthening the EU-US Economic Partnership
Request for comments and proposals of the services of the European
Commission
1. EU and US leaders agreed at the EU-US Summit in June 2004 to look
at new ways to make the transatlantic economic relationship stronger,
and to give it new impetus. Presidents Prodi and Bush and Prime
Minister Ahern called for innovative proposals to further develop the
transatlantic market in the 21^st century. They called on all
interested parties "on both sides of the Atlantic to engage in a
vigorous discussion of concrete ideas on how to further transatlantic
economic integration to the fullest, spur innovation and job creation,
and better realise the competitive potential of our economies and
enterprises".
2. This consultative document sets out some key elements of the
Transatlantic Economic Partnership and requests comments and proposals
from stakeholders. The US Government is running a similar
consultation.
Purpose of this consultation
3. The starting point of this exercise is the existing strong economic
partnership between the EU and the US as set out in the annex. This
consultation is aimed at bringing forward new ideas on how to further
transatlantic economic integration, to enhance the flow of investment
as well as trade, and to identify and overcome obstacles to the
realisation of the competitive potential of our economies. In this
consultation, the Commission services want to go beyond the annual
review of trade barriers on which the Commission and US Government
publish reports and to consider more far-reaching ideas.
4 The Commission services are, therefore, looking for concrete
proposals to develop the EU/US economic partnership from all segments
of civil society, including business, trade unions, environmental and
consumer NGOs, and academic circles.
5. It is understood that any new effort to promote transatlantic
economic integration would have to take account of systemic
differences, such as differing ways of governance and public
attitudes, which also shape our transatlantic economic relationship
and can be a source of misunderstanding and sometimes friction. Among
these differences the following can be identified:
* existence in the US of many federal and sub-federal agencies with
independent powers, which the US Administration cannot override;
* more frequent resort in the US towards using litigation to solve
disputes, whereas the EU leans towards regulatory options and
compliance;
* different public attitudes to risk, safety and precaution.
6. Finally, the endeavour to strengthen our bilateral economic
partnership should be placed within the broader context of our common
aim to continue developing sound economic ties with the rest of the
world and notably with the developing countries. Our renewed
partnership should also contribute to the advancement of this and
other aspects of our co-operation, such as sustainable development.
Consultation
The Commission services are interested in your views, inter alia on
the following questions:
* Q1: What in your view are the most significant obstacles to closer
EU-US economic integration?
* Q2: What practical measures should be undertaken to remove the
obstacles?
* Q3: What additional measures could be taken to further
transatlantic economic integration to the fullest, spur
innovation, create jobs and better realise the competitive
potential of our economies and enterprises?
* Q4: The EU-US bilateral trade and economic agenda has achieved
some progress, especially through the Financial Markets Regulatory
Dialogue, the Guidelines for Regulatory Cooperation and
Transparency, the Galileo-GPS agreement on satellite navigation
and the Mutual Recognition Agreement on marine equipment. Should
more of this be done? Which new areas do you suggest?
* Q5: What measures would be appropriate to promote good corporate
governance and reliable financial information in the transatlantic
market?
* Q6: Can you suggest essential steps that should be taken to ease
transatlantic direct and indirect investment?
* Q7: Do you have any proposals on how to protect the environment,
consumer interests and health and safety as well as labour
standards, while simultaneously promoting further economic
integration?
* Q8: To what extent do new border and transport security measures
have an impact on trade, investment and travel? If they do have a
negative impact, what remedies would you propose?
* Q9: Does the administration of export controls and transfers of
know how in the US and the EU work satisfactorily in balancing the
objectives of trade and security? If not, what measures should be
taken jointly to improve the situation?
* Q10: What additional steps, if any, should be taken jointly to
protect Intellectual Property Rights?
* Q11: Do you experience problems when tendering for public
contracts in the US? If so, what should be done to remedy these
problems?
* Q12: What should be done to further liberalise transatlantic trade
in services, including professional qualifications?
* Q13: Do you think that a further reduction or elimination of
tariffs between the EU and US is important? If so, which or in
which sectors?
* Q14: Do you have any comment on the possible impact that
strengthening EU-US bilateral integration might have on the
multilateral trading system and the interests of developing
countries?
* Q15: How can we enhance transparency and public participation in
the transatlantic economic dialogue?
* Q16: Do you have any other comments or suggestions?
7. The services of the Commission would like to receive input from
this consultation from a wide range of stakeholders with interests in
the EU-US economic relationship. If you wish to let us have your
thoughts on any part of this consultation document, please send in
your reply to reach us by 30 November 2004.
The online form is available at:
http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/consultations/index_nl.htm
Your replies will help to formulate policy options which could in turn
feed into a joint strategy to enhance EU -US economic partnership an
eliminate barriers.
In parallel, between now and the end of November the Commission
intends to organise a stakeholder event in Brussels. It is expected
that this will be supplemented by some events organised by national
Governments of member states. These activities will give further
opportunities for you to contribute your views.
Annex
THE TRANSATLANTIC ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP
The EU and US form the largest trade and investment relationship in
the world and are each other's largest trade and investment partners.
The volume of trade in 2003 comprised more than EUR 600 bn ($ 725 bn)
worth of goods and services . Large as this is, it is now far
outweighed by the flow of investment. In 2003, the EU had EUR 890 bn
of direct investment in the US while the US had EUR 650 bn in the EU;
a total of over EUR 1.5 trillion ($ 1.8 trn). Today investment
constitutes the most significant element of our economic relationship.
The EU and the US have a long history of close cooperation in GATT and
then the WTO, most recently illustrated over the adoption of a new
Doha Round framework in July. This cooperation has underpinned this
high level of economic interdependence, despite the absence of any
formal trade/investment agreement between the EU and US.
THE STRUCTURE OF OUR ECONOMIC COOPERATION FRAMEWORK
With the aim of structuring discussions over issues that arise in
trade, and over steps to build closer cooperation, the EU and the US
have adopted some formal arrangements that have been built up over the
past ten years. The framework of the EU-US economic relationship goes
beyond trade and investment and includes a number of institutionalised
dialogues and growing regulatory cooperation between the partners. The
main elements of this framework are described below. The EU and the US
also cooperate in numerous multilateral organisations.
The New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) and the accompanying EU-US Joint
Action Plan of December 1995 created a senior level dialogue structure
and embarked on a series of concrete cooperative endeavours. One of
the aims of the NTA is "to create a New Transatlantic Marketplace by
progressively reducing or eliminating barriers that hinder flow of
goods, services and capital between us".
The Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP) agreed in May 1998 lays
the foundations to enable the EU and US to intensify their efforts to
reduce or eliminate barriers to trade and investment between them
notably through closer co-operation between regulators. It allows them
to focus initiatives on areas where there is goodwill on both sides
and where gains can be enormous - for example financial markets. It
promotes upstream convergence or mutual recognition of rules and
standards; and it acts as an early warning mechanism in case a
potentially damaging piece of legislation is in the pipeline. In
November 1998 the European Commission and the US Administration
adopted a rolling work programme, entitled the TEP Action Plan. This
document identifies areas for common actions both bilaterally and
multilaterally. Some elements of the plan take the form of trade
negotiations, others are achieved through co-operative actions.
In order to manage day-to-day transatlantic trade and investment
relations, the TEP Steering Group (SG) was set up. It monitors the
realisation of TEP objectives and provides a horizontal forum for
bilateral consultation and early warning on any matter of trade and
investment relevance, with a view to preventing conflicts and
resolving trade frictions. It is also responsible for implementing and
developing the Positive Economic Agenda (PEA) - a series of positive
and specific trade-related initiatives designed in May 2002 to promote
co-operation and mutual commercial benefit. Activities under the PEA
include the implementation of the Guidelines on Regulatory Cooperation
and Transparency, developed in 2002 under the TEP, and the Financial
Markets Dialogue, a forum for the discussion of complex bilateral
financial and regulatory issues.
---
EU-U.S. Declaration on Strengthening our Economic Partnership
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/us/sum06_04/decl_eco.pdf
USTR's 2004 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade
Barriers (NTE):
www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Reports_Publications/2004/2004_National_
Trade_Estimate/2004_NTE_Report/Section_Index.html
The EU's 2003 Report on United States Barriers to Trade and
Investment:
http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/doclib/docs/2003/december/tradoc_115383.p
df
For comparison, figures for EU trade in goods and services with
the next largest partners:
with Switzerland: EUR 200.7 bn, with China: EUR 155.7 bn, with Japan
:EUR 139.1 bn, with Russia EUR 113 bn
European Commission