付録9 EU産業閣僚理事会決定(2000年12月5日)
PRESS RELEASE : Brussels (O5-12-2OOO)
Press: 466 - Nr: 14000/00
Subject:
2318th Council meeting
- INDUSTRY / ENERGY -
Brussels, 5 December 2000
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<Extract of the press release>
SITUATION IN WORLD SHIPBUILDING - CONCLUSIONS
The Council noted the report on the situation in world shipbuilding presented by Commissioners LIIKANEN and MONTI. After the presentation the Council adopted the following conclusions:
"THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
RECALLING the Council's conclusions of 9 November 1999 and 18 May 2000 on world shipbuilding and unfair competition by Korea;
NOTING that the negotiations held with Korea at three successive meetings after the signing of "Agreed Minutes", with the aim of restoring fair and transparent competitive conditions and obtaining an increase in prices kept artificially low by Korea, have to date ended in failure;
HAVING CONSIDERED the report from the Commission,
VOICES its serious concern at the critical situation in shipbuilding, characterised by very low prices and significant overcapacity attributable mainly to Korean shipyards;
URGES Korea as a matter of urgency to act swiftly to help restore normal competitive conditions to the world shipbuilding market and to implement its commitments under the "agreed minutes", specifically by ensuring an effective price surveillance mechanism;
CALLS ON
- the Commission to continue monitoring the market situation closely and organise an annual discussion on the issues with Member States and industry, within the Maritime Industries Forum;
- the Commission and the Member States to continue to work closely with the industry on competitiveness issues and INVITES the Commission to investigate the possibility of facilitating use of subsidies for research and development;
- the Commission to envisage the implementation of all possible measures against Korea under procedures approved by international bodies, so as to bring this situation of unfair competition to an end as soon as possible and, if appropriate, to explore all possible avenues in commercial policy;
- the Commission to examine swiftly the complaint lodged by European operators under the Trade Barriers Regulation (TBR) in order to bring it before the World Trade Organisation as soon as possible;
- the Commission and the Member States to keep the International Monetary Fund (IMF)and the World Bank informed of developments, with particular regard to the trade complaint by European operators, and to reiterate once again their desire for rigorous monitoring and evaluation of Korea's compliance with the conditions under which it has been granted IMF and World Bank aid in exchange for restructuring financial and industrial conglomerates, particularly in respect of shipbuilding;
- the Commission and the Member States to pursue efforts to establish a level international playing field for the shipbuilding industry in the OECD, in particular with a view to amending the 1981 rules on granting export credits for shipbuilding so as to adapt them to the current situation and to the requirements of European shipyards, bringing forward again the proposals made in 1994 with a view to updating them.
The Council WELCOMES the Commission's determination to support and adopt trade measures against the unfair competition of Korea and ASKS the Commission to make every effort to report to the Council as early as possible in April and in any event before 1 May 2001, with a view to proposing that this case be brought before the WTO should the Commission fail to reach an agreement with that country that is satisfactory to the European Union and to fulfil its obligations under Article 12 of Council Regulation (EC)No 1540/98 of 29 June 1998.
Moreover, the Council TAKES NOTE of the Commission initiative, failing a satisfactory agreement with Korea, to put in place a temporary and appropriate mechanism by that date, intended to counter Korea's unfair practices, pending conclusion of the procedure under way before the WTO as described in the Commission decision of 29 November 2000.
Implementation of this mechanism under Commission supervision must not result in distortion of competition within the European Union.
