Access to markets

The 2006 European Commission report « Global Europe: competing in the world » stresses the importance of improved market access for both goods and services for European companies interested in doing business abroad.

Trade barriers come in many forms, such as high import duties, complicated customs procedures, insufficient protection of intellectual property rights, technical rules and standards, health and plant protection measures as well as restrictions on access to raw materials.

Tackling barriers to trade may take place via different channels:

• The multilateral trade system (World Trade Organization – WTO) is considered the best channel for ensuring increased worldwide trade liberalisation.
• Moreover, bilateral cooperation such as free trade agreements should not be neglected (see the website of the DG Trade of the European Commission).
• Finally, a renewed Market Access Strategy has been implemented. The aim is to systematically identify, analyse and remove trade barriers through closer cooperation between the European Commission, Member States and EU Business. EU Business can also count on support with resolving concrete problems which may be encountered when exporting/importing to or from third countries.

The following steps have been taken (among others) in support of this strengthened partnership for improved access to third markets:

• Monthly meetings of the Market Access Advisory Committee (MAAC). These meetings, chaired by the European Commission and assisted by Member States and EU Business , are the central platform for dialogue and coordination;
• Market Access Teams(MAT)in third countries which include European Commission delegations, Member State embassies as well as European companies;
• Working Groups has been set up for specific sectors and priority countries;
• The online Market Access DataBase (MADB) which includes information on tariffs and import formalities in third countries, a list of registered trade barriers and a register of complaints in which EU companies or their professional federations may register new trade barriers.

When a trade barrier violates international WTO rules, a formal complaint may be filed with the European Commission as part of the Trade Barrier Ragulation (Council Regulation on obstacles to trade No 3286/94).

Through bilateral dialogue with the concerned country, the Commission will attempt to find an amicable solution to the trade dispute before initiating any formal dispute settlement procedure in Geneva.

The FPS Economy’s role is to actively monitor, along with the specialised sectoral counters, the meetings of the Market Access and Trade Barriers advisory committees and the Working Groups as well as share information with all federal or regional governments such as the FPS Foreign Affairs, FIT, AWEX, the Brussels Region, etc.