MediaHound
11-16-2005, 07:45 PM
EU lowers proposed banana import tariff again
Tholen – The European Commission yesterday approved of a reduction of the new banana import tariff for Latin America, to start 2006. The commission informed Euro commissary of Agriculture, Mariann Fischer Boel and Trade commissioner Peter Mandelson that the present proposition of 187 per MT, which was rejected by the WTO, will have to be adapted to a lower level. Several diplomats now expect a proposition of € 170 to € 175 per MT ($ 200 - $ 205). It is expected that the new proposition will be discussed by the committee of permanent representatives, the ambassadors of the EU 25, next Thursday.
According to Spain the present proposition should not be lowered by more than 3 or 4%, to a maximum of € 180. Brussels still wants to implement a new import tariff by January 2006 and Latin-America in fact still prefers a maximum tariff of € 75.
Tholen – The European Commission yesterday approved of a reduction of the new banana import tariff for Latin America, to start 2006. The commission informed Euro commissary of Agriculture, Mariann Fischer Boel and Trade commissioner Peter Mandelson that the present proposition of 187 per MT, which was rejected by the WTO, will have to be adapted to a lower level. Several diplomats now expect a proposition of € 170 to € 175 per MT ($ 200 - $ 205). It is expected that the new proposition will be discussed by the committee of permanent representatives, the ambassadors of the EU 25, next Thursday.
According to Spain the present proposition should not be lowered by more than 3 or 4%, to a maximum of € 180. Brussels still wants to implement a new import tariff by January 2006 and Latin-America in fact still prefers a maximum tariff of € 75.