Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-16-Speech-3-207"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000216.10.3-207"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
To answer your question, Mrs Lucas, we must consider this issue from two angles. Firstly, concerning the system of export credits in general, and, secondly, concerning the project you have mentioned in particular.
The question of an export credit licence does not apply to this project. It is worth pointing out that, as funding for the project has not been requested from the World Bank, there is no question of the Bank refusing to finance it. It could only refuse of course if such a request had been made. It goes without saying that the involvement of the Member States’ governments and official export credit agencies in the Ilisu dam project has been in compliance with European Union, OECD and G8 political and legal requirements and commitments, in the case of the G8 by those countries belonging to that group.
With regard to the general point, it should be pointed out that the G8 did not call on the OECD to establish common standards for the granting of export credits, as your question suggests. These standards already exist today. The agreement on guidelines for export credit which enjoy official support have been in force within the OECD since 1978. The objective of these guidelines is precisely to see that officially backed export credits are used properly, that is in a transparent and disciplined way. As you know, most OECD countries are already party to this agreement and the European Community as such, and not the Member States individually, is also party to this agreement, in accordance with Article 133, formerly Article 113 of the Treaty on European Union.
This agreement has been gradually corrected and improved and the European Union wishes to maintain its pivotal role in this process because it considers this to be of central importance in its international economic relations.
With regard to the G8, and in accordance with paragraph 32 of the Cologne Summit statement of June 1999, it is stated that we will work with the OECD towards common environmental guidelines for institutions that promote export. We aim to conclude this work by the time the G8 Summit is held in 2001. The G8 therefore recognise the importance of credits both for exports and for the environment, and the importance of the work currently being done within the OECD on this subject.
In 1999, the OECD Ministerial Council meeting, in which I took part, welcomed the progress made in drawing up an OECD agreement on the exchange of environmental information on large projects involving officially backed export credits. The Council urged that work should continue, with the aim of strengthening common platforms, pending a report on progress to be made to the next session of the Ministerial Council to be held this year. As you know, the Member States of the European Union are playing a central role in this process and in this discussion.
With regard to the specific point of the Ilisu dam itself, discussions are taking place between the Turkish authorities and authorities whose export credit agencies are potential suppliers of export credit insurance for those undertaking the project, who took a deliberate decision to make adequate safeguards for the environmental, social and cultural implications of this project. Furthermore, it was in this context that a representative of the United Kingdom stated in 1999 that he envisaged guaranteeing that export credit insurance would take second place to safeguarding the type of issue that you mentioned in your question, Mrs Lucas."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples