EU Seeks To Improve Access To Foreign Markets For European Businesses

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

20 April 2007

The European Commission on Wednesday adopted the Communication 'Global Europe: A Stronger Partnership to deliver Market Access for European exporters'.

This strategy for breaking down trade barriers abroad and creating new export opportunities represents part of the Commission's new Global Europe trade policy framework.

Key elements of the newly proposed Market Access Partnership include:

• Closer and more action-oriented cooperation between the European Commission, Member States and business, including the establishment of EU Market Access Teams on the ground in countries outside the EU, both to identify trade barriers before they appear and tackle existing obstacles to trade.
• Better prioritisation of resources, focusing on certain target markets, key sectors or issues such as intellectual property rights.
• Better use of opportunities presented by negotiations – in particular in the Doha Round and the new generation of EU Free Trade Agreements - to make progress on non-tariff barriers.
• Tougher focus on the enforcement of global and bilateral trade rules – through institutional dispute settlement and Europe's trade barrier instruments.
• A more efficient and transparent service to business, including more systematic registration and follow-up of cases and an improved Market Access Database.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson explained that:

"EU business relies on growing markets abroad to fuel economic growth and jobs at home. We need to ensure that European companies are able to compete fairly in those markets. This renewed strategy focuses on coordinating and strengthening the work of the Commission, Member States and business where it really matters – on the ground in our key markets."

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