Lamy looks at action after US bans Spanish fruit

Date: 07/03/02

TRADE chief Pascal Lamy says

the European Commission is weighing up a World Trade Organisation (WTO) complaint over 'unfair' import restrictions by the United States on Spanish clementines.

MEPs say US authorities overreacted after allegedly spotting a live fruit fly and several dead ones in a consignment last year.

The deputies claim its import ban breaches trade rules.

Spanish members, including centre-right MEPs Carmen Fraga Estévez and José García-Margallo y Marfil, said producers in the country fear the ban was based more on pressure from cash-strapped US producers than genuine fears over an influx of fruit flies.

Lamy said he had already raised the 'apparent disproportionality' of the response with US trade counterpart Robert Zoellick, and that 'technical discussions were ongoing' between US, Commission and Spanish officials.

'In the event that the issue is not resolved rapidly and satisfactorily, the Commission could consider the possibility of appropriate action within the framework of the WTO,' said Lamy.

He added that the US may have breached a specific agreement on 'sanitary and phytosanitary measures'.

In the meantime Lamy said Spanish exporters 'should consider pursuing' court action in the US to recover their losses.

Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy says the European Commission is weighing up a World Trade Organisation (WTO) complaint over 'unfair' import restrictions by the United States on Spanish clementines.