European Union agrees to maintain trade preferences for developing countries

The European Commission has welcomed yesterday´s adoption by EU Member States of a new Regulation applying the EC's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) for the period from 1 January 2009 until the end of 2011. This decision will allow the EU to maintain preferential access to its market for 176 developing countries. The renewed preference system will be updated and improved, ensuring that GSP is targeted at those countries that need it most. GSP provides real economic value to developing countries, with € 57 billion worth of trade under the scheme in 2007.

Mandelson - breakdown and breakthrough equally possible in Doha Round

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has warned a meeting of Civil Society that if the current round of world trade talks did not succeed, the loss of the benefits to the world economy would be profound. The status quo in the global economy would not be maintained if DDA negotiations collapsed, as we would risk rising protectionism and increased tariffs in developed and developing countries. The poorest countries would stand to lose the most, as they are most dependent on access to other developing and larger markets. But the EU would also suffer, as lost trade opportunities amounting to billions of Euros per year could be lost. Mandelson argued that prosperity in Europe is down to business certainty, tariff predictability, economic stability, and, crucially, access to fast-growing markets. In the event of a DDA failure, Europe would be less able to anchor these growing markets in the rules-based trading system.

Some 30,000 chemicals currently in use (e.g. acids, metals, solvents, surfactants, glues) have to be pre-registered at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) between 1st June and 1st December 2008. As the new chemicals legislation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals) will enter into operation on 1st June, the European Commission and ECHA are alerting companies of their obligations. Tens of thousands of manufacturers or importers of chemicals will have to pre-register chemicals in 2008 if they want to continue manufacturing or importing them without interruption. It has been estimated that over 180,000 pre-registration files will be submitted. The pre-registration process will enable companies to share data on their chemicals and paves the way to enhanced knowledge about chemicals. This is a prerequisite for improved safety in the years to come.

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European Union agrees to maintain trade preferences for developing countries

Mandelson - breakdown and breakthrough equally possible in Doha Round

REACH: Industry urged to pre-register all chemicals by 1 December 2008

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