The ACP countries that export bananas traditionally benefit from a preferential tariff regime for access to the EU markets.  All the other banana producing countries pay for the right of entry to the European market except the ACP countries.  The WTO has questioned this system and is in the process of reforming it.  As rights of entry for the competitor countries of the ACP will decrease from €176 to €114 per ton, the competitive situation for the ACP countries is deteriorating.  To reinforce their competitiveness, the European Commission has proposed accompanying measures for the Banana sector (MAB).

Charles Goerens ((Parti démocratique, Luxembourg), rapporteur for this text and ALDE coordinator for the parliamentary committee on Development, said: "The measures come to an end in 2013, and given that trade preferences are already, it's important to look beyond 2013.  This is why I have proposed during the plenary to bring forward by several months the evaluation of the programme and the progress made in the countries.  A study that we have financed reveals in effect that very small amounts go back to the people working in the fields, only 2% of the purchase price of our consumers goes back to the worker.  Hence the reference to the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation and the invitation to the beneficiaries to respect these recommendations." Mr. Goerens added: "The dispute between Latin-American countries to ACP countries is in fact a struggle between emerging countries and less advanced ones.  This is why I plead in favour of more prudent steps to be taken in terms of the liberalisation of trade preferences.

For more information please contact:

 Neil Corlett: +33-3-88 17 41 67 or +32-478-78 22 84

e-mail: neil.corlett@europarl.europa.eu

Yannick Laude: +33-3-88 17 27 76 or +32-495-22 78 37

also consult: http://www.alde.eu