Breaking down trade barriers must work both ways
Posted, April 18, 2007 @ 16:00
Mandelson should create 'Market Access Teams' for the developing world too
Brussels, 18th April 2007 -- Commissioner Mandelson's attempt to overcome trade barriers for European companies wanting to do business in other countries is laudable, but he must also offer assistance to developing nations being held back by Europe's own technical barriers to trade, Syed Kamall MEP, Conservative trade spokesman in the European Parliament, said today.
The Trade Commissioner will publish an update to the 10-year old market access strategy today, which will focus on 'behind the border' non-tariff barriers. In particular, the proposal would create 'market access teams' able to assist European companies overcome technical and regulatory barriers to trade.
Mr Kamall today called for the EU to provide similar teams to countries in the developing world which want to do trade with Europe. He said one of the greatest obstacles traders from poorer countries have described is Europe's stringent technical standards.
He said:
"Commissioner Mandelson is right to seek ways of breaking down the barriers to trade, but he should also tackle the non-tariff barriers developing countries face when trading with the EU.
"Entrepreneurs from developing countries want to sell their goods on the European market, but they say the technical restrictions are too complex for them to understand.
"We could save a fortune in aid payments just by stumping up the cost of an airplane ticket to send some of our own technical experts to help entrepreneurs in lesser developed
countries understand the hoops they must jump through to gain access to European markets.
"The developing world does not want our pity; it wants to trade with us. But the EU's trade barriers are far too difficult for even the most enthusiastic entrepreneur to comprehend. We are right to break down the barriers to trade that Europeans face, but surely we should also seek to help others overcome the multitude of barriers we have created ourselves."