Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-25-Speech-3-159"
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"en.20040225.12.3-159"2
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".
Mr President, I regret that Mrs Randzio-Plath is not able to be here with us this evening. I would like to congratulate and thank her for the work which she carried out so promptly and smoothly.
In the light of unfair competition from Korean shipyards and the failure of Korea to implement the provisions of the Agreed Minutes relating to world shipbuilding, signed by the EU and Korea on 22 June 2000, the Commission adopted a twin-track strategy to tackle these unfair practices in the shipbuilding sector. This strategy involves two instruments: the initiation of an action against Korea before the WTO and the authorisation of temporary and limited contract-related operating aid under the Temporary Defensive Mechanism – TDM – to assist Community shipyards in those segments where adverse effects have been suffered owing to unfair Korean competition.
From the outset, a close link was established between the TDM and the action of the EU against Korea before the WTO. As these WTO proceedings are taking more time than originally foreseen, and as Korea continues to fail to implement the Agreed Minutes, the Commission now proposes to prolong the application of the TDM Regulation until 31 March 2005, when the final decision of the WTO appellate body is expected.
The TDM Regulation was adopted by the Council on 27 June 2002. It provides for contract-related state aid up to 6% of the contract value, benefiting the shipyards hit by the Korean unfair competition. I would like to underline that from the outset the mechanism was strictly limited in scope and time. Regarding the scope, only those market segments where it has been demonstrated that the EU shipbuilding industry has suffered adverse effects as a result of unfair Korean competition are eligible for aid: container ships, chemical and product tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers.
As for the timing, the defensive mechanism was to be applied only until the conclusion of the WTO proceedings against Korea, or until the suspension of these proceedings on the grounds that the EU considered that the Agreed Minutes had been effectively implemented. In any case, the support mechanism was to expire on 31 March 2004, the expected date of conclusion of the WTO proceedings. The Commission strictly limits its proposal to this extension and does not propose any other changes such as extension of the scope. I fully agree with Mrs Randzio-Plath that it would be counter-productive to weaken the EU strategy tackling Korea’s behaviour in the shipbuilding industry at the crucial moment that the satisfactory conclusion of the WTO proceedings is expected.
I am delighted that the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs called for the adoption of the proposal without amendments. I also am grateful that Parliament has accepted that this urgent matter should be dealt with via an accelerated procedure. This will allow the extension to be adopted before the expiration of the existing instrument.
I would like to conclude by reiterating that the defensive mechanism is an exceptional measure, closely targeted – and I am closely targeting this remark! – at the trade problem with Korea. I therefore hope that you will be able to support the extension of the mechanism for one year with the aim of restoring normal trading conditions in the international shipbuilding market."@en1
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