Transcript Slide 1

External Trade
The Market Access Strategy
and its implementation
Global Europe: a stronger partnership to deliver
market access for EU exporters
25 June 2008
Martin Pilser,
European Commission, DG Trade - Market Access Unit
Czech Business Representation, Brussels
External Trade
PART 1
Market Access as part of the
Global Europe Strategy
The Commission’s April 2007 Communication
“Global Europe: A Stronger Partnership to
Deliver Market Access for European Exporters”
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External Trade
Market access in a changing global economy
• Progress since 1996
– Renewing the 1996 EU Market Access Strategy
- Key part of the Global Europe Strategy of October 2006
• Changing nature of barriers in the global economy
- Behind the border barriers
- NTB’s due to failure to implement and enforce rules
- NTB’s not yet covered by WTO rules
• Stakeholders support for change
- External evaluation study
- Public consultation on internet
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Trade barriers in the modern global economy
The barriers faced by EU exporters can be categorized in the following way:
1. Tariff barriers. Although these have been eroded by successive multilateral trade
rounds, high tariffs still pose problems for EU exporters.
2. Burdensome customs procedures for import, export and transit as well as unfair
or discriminatory tax rules and practices.
3. Technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures that are
not in line with WTO rules on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement).
4. Misuse of sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures that are not justified on health
and safety grounds within existing WTO rules.
5. Restrictions on access to raw materials, particularly restrictive export practices,
including export taxes, which drive up prices for products such as hides and
skins, key mineral and metal goods as well as dual pricing practices.
6. Poor protection of intellectual property rights including geographical indications
and the lack of proper implementation and enforcement.
7. Barriers to trade in services and foreign direct investment such as unjustified
foreign ownership caps, joint venture obligations and discriminatory treatment.
8. Restrictive government procurement rules and practices that prevent EU
companies from bidding effectively for public contracts in third countries.
9. Abusive and/or WTO-incompatible use of trade defence instruments by third
countries.
10. Unfair use of state aids and other subsidies by third countries in a way that
constitutes market access barriers.
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Proposals for a Stronger Partnership to
Deliver Market Access
• A new relationship with Member States and Business
• The right mix of policy instruments (new trade
agreements, implementing existing agreements,
technical assistance, trade diplomacy etc)
• Prioritising to make the best use of resources
(economic impact, certainty of breach, likelihood of
resolution)
• A more effective, efficient and transparent service
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External Trade
PART 2
Implementing the
Market Access Partnership
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A stronger relationship between the
Commission, Member States and Business
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In particular through coordination in a stronger and more
focused Market Access Advisory Committee (MAAC),
working closely with the TBR Committee as well as other
specialist committees, and inviting EU business whenever
appropriate
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Special Working groups under the MAAC focusing on
specific market access issues
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Through Market Access Teams to be created in third
countries including MS Embassies and business (EU
Chambers of Commerce and other stakeholders)
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Member
States
Business
Market Access Partnership
Delegations
DG TRADE
Civil Society
Trading
partners
Interservice
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External Trade
Member
States
Business
Market Access
Advisory Committee
Commission
Other
experts
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External Trade
Market Access
Advisory Committee
Trade Barrier
Regulation
Committee
Link it to the MAAC
Close organisational link
between the two Committees.
Overlapping in terms of subjects
and participation from MS.
Meetings to be held ‘back to back’.
Without Business and other
participants.
Topics identified e.g.
 Sanitary Phyto-sanitary/TBT
 IPR, Government Procurement
 Regulatory and Standards
 Services and Investment
 Raw materials
 SMEs
Special
Working Groups
Examples:
- Vaccines Japan
- Medical devices
(China, India, etc)
- SPS (China)
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EU
Third Countries
MS
EU Business
MS Embassies
MAAC
Commission
Network
Exchange
Market Access
Teams
EU Business
Delegations
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External Trade
Network of MA experts
facilitated by TRADE Market Access Unit (G.1)
Steering Group MA Partnership
Sectors TRADE
Bilateral TRADE
(Industry, Services
Investments,
Textiles, steel etc)
(FTAs: Korea, India
etc.
All Bilateral)
Thematic TRADE
(TBT, SPS, DSU,
TBR)
Other DGs
(ENTR, MARKT,
SANCO, AGRI,
RELEX etc)
Delegations
Member States;
sectorial and horizontal
EU business federations
MS Embassies,
European Chambers
Others experts
MA Teams
in Brussels
MA teams
In third countries
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External Trade
The role of the Commission services in
Brussels in developing the MAP
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to stimulate discussion between all actors in Europe and in the
Market Access teams on the ground;
to provide fora to promote best practises and team up resources;
to contribute to simplification by linking Committees with similar
topics
to steer ad-hoc networks and working groups between market
access experts
to increase transparency by organising information-sharing and
feed-back;
to facilitate the setting of priorities;
to ensure the right mix of policy instruments chosen for action
and to systematically monitor progress on barrier removal;
to coordinate the promotion of the MAP and the MADB.
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External Trade
The role of the Member States in the MAP
• Sharing information available in capitals (specific databases) and on
the ground (monitoring legislation and collecting data)
• Making resources available to work together effectively with
Commission Delegations and business in Market Access Teams
• Teaming up on early warning, barrier identification and analysis, and
coordinated use of trade diplomacy to tackle barriers
• Training and raising awareness of MS staff in local missions
• Supporting Commission efforts to promote the MAP, including reachout to SMEs, e.g. through national intermediary organisations
• Actively supporting the reporting of barrier complaints to allow
central, transparent registration of barrier cases in the MADB
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External Trade
The role of Business in the MAP
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Active participating in the MAAC, its working groups and
the local Market Access Teams
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Providing detailed information and evidence and on market
access barriers encountered to build strong cases
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Sharing legal analyses of market access barriers
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Use complaint register to make information about new
cases publicly available
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Providing updates of all developments which may affect
the tackling of the barriers
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Transparency with regard to contacts they make with
different Commission services or Member States, as well as
third countries
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External Trade
The role of local Market Access Teams
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MA teams as mirror of Market Access Advisory Committee in
Brussels:
Focal contact point to get all partners together
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MA teams build on existing good-practices and fora
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DEL Trade Officials organise, co-ordinate and animate the local
MA teams
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DEL choose the appropriate model depending on local
conditions, size of cases etc
a. use of existing infrastructure of regular commercial
counsellors meetings or
b. stand alone MA team as working groups in specific
issues
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External Trade
The tasks of local Market Access Teams
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Prevent barriers: Monitor compliance of partner countries with
international and bilateral obligations (legislation and enforcement
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Identify barriers and gather evidence: Important first point of contact
for EU industry complaints about trade barriers
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Analysis: on its basis, assess need to involve HQ to get support
(technical or legal expertise), mobilise trade policy instruments or
stimulate greater involvement of partners.
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Removal/Trade diplomacy: Use regular contacts with local authorities
and third country cooperation on cases of mutual interest
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Reporting: Regular information flow between MA teams on the ground
and in Europe.
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A focussed and results-oriented service
for exporters
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Preventing new barriers coming into effect
(„early warning“)
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Improving the process leading to barrier removal
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Market Access Database (MADB) and complaint register
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Communication tools to connect all actors
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Market Access Database
Market Access Partnership
Market Access Database
Business
Complaint Registration
Member States
Link to other databases
Delegations
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The MADB Complaints Register
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Idea for new Complaint Register came from business
demands during MAS consultation process
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Business wanted better transparency and feedback
from Commission Services on contact persons and
progress in tackling barriers brought to their attention
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Conclusions of Market Access Partnership
Communication proposed a “new streamlined system
for registering complaints”
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Objectives of new Complaint Register
 Simple and efficient system to ensure trade barriers can
be registered quickly
 Facilitate the universal recording of substantially all
known barriers in one place
 Standardised on-line input forms to ensure all relevant
data is obtained at first contact
 Allows EU business to more easily follow progress of
complaint and be informed of designated case handler
 Complaint Register should be integral part of MADB and
publicly accessible
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PART 3
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First progress report to 133-Committee, January 2008
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European Parliament resolution, February 2008
Looking ahead
Key areas of activity:
- Participation of all actors
- Support working groups and MA teams to use their
full potential
- Focus on Small and Medium Enterprises
- New areas – services, intellectual property, investment and
public procurement
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Thank you for your attention!
Contact us via mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Consult the Market Access Database at:
http://madb.europa.eu
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