Memorandum submitted by Mr Roger Liddle,
Member of Cabinet for the European Trade Commissioner, Rt Hon
Peter Mandelson, in response to question number 155, oral evidence
session 6 December 2005
We are absolutely committed to the engagement
of stakeholders in policy development—and also to ensuring
that our impact assessments are as accurate as possible. The ACP
countries are key partners on all issues concerning development
and we engage with them regularly at many levels.
The obligation to accompany all major legislative
proposals with an impact assessment was introduced by the Commission
in 2003, following the action plan "Simplifying and improving
the regulatory environment". The two central elements of
the impact assessment procedure are an extensive analysis of the
issues at stake by the Commission services and a broad-based stakeholder
consultation.
The impact assessment on the reform of the sugar
sector was the first to be carried out with regard to the Common
Agricultural Policy, and was published on 23 September 2003. As
part of the preparation of that impact assessment, a specific
hearing with ACP countries was held on 26 June 2003, in which
the views of ACP stakeholders on the four policy options considered
were received.
On the basis of the public debate, which ensued,
the Commission drew up a white paper on sugar reform, which was
adopted on 14 July 2004, followed by a legislative proposal, accompanied
by an update to the 2003 impact assessment, adopted on 22 June
2005. Throughout this process the Commission held a number
of bi-lateral meetings with ACP countries.
In view of the specific impact of the proposed
reform on ACP countries, and the Commission working paper of 17
January 2005 entitled an "Action Plan on accompanying measures
for Sugar Protocol countries affected by the reform of the EU
sugar regime", the Commission engaged in a further impact
assessment, including consultation with ACP countries, in the
lead up to the entry into force of the accompanying measures on
28 February 2006.
With regard to bananas, possibilities for further
reform of the regime are currently the object of an impact assessment
being carried out by Commission services, due to be completed
in mid-2006, in which ACP countries will be consulted. The agreement
for a tariff-only import regime was introduced in 2001 before
the "Better Regulation" initiative was adopted. The
impact assessments carried out were therefore subject to existing
procedures, especially with regard to stakeholder consultation,
here again the Commission services were in regular contact with
ACP partners on the issue.
March 2006
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