Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-14-Speech-2-182"
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"en.19991214.7.2-182"2
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"I am pleased to see that the Commissioner has, along with my own Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Byers, formed the impression that the European car industry has indeed taken UK consumers for a ride. But I have to say that I cannot agree with you that it is a simple exchange rate issue because it would not account for the fact that some cars cost around four thousand pounds more in the UK than they do, for example, in the Netherlands.
If it were only a question of the exchange rate, then prices should also go down with exchange rate variables. Why then, for example, do imported cars – which now represent over 70% of the UK market – get dearer as the pound is getting stronger? How do UK car manufacturers export record numbers of cars to the continent at a time when exporting is more expensive? Why are cars built in the UK cheaper on the continent just as our pound is making our exports more expensive? I am afraid I do not accept the logic of this wholly.
I believe – after an 18 months' investigation by a UK newspaper, following your investigation – that time is running out and the car industry now wants to find a settlement to this issue. If I were to arrange a round table with the industry – with dealers and manufacturers – would you be willing to come along to it and discuss with them how we can find a way through the problem while, at the same time, resorting to competition instruments if we have to?"@en1
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