Bananas: common organisation of the market CMO, import system (amend. Regulation (EEC) No 404/93)

The European Parliament restated its opposition to many aspects of the Commission's package reforms intended to bring the EU's banana import regime into line with world trade rules, in particular the automatic abolition of tariff quotas in 2006. (Please refer to the previous document). It should be noted that the European Parliament demands an annual report assessing the impact of the new banana market rules on EU producers and consumers, on the ACP countries and on the trade in organic and fair-trade bananas. The House made clear that it wants the first report by January 2002 and says that the Commission must put forward proposals to alter the system if necessary. Commissioner FISCHLER told the House that whilst he could agree to a mid-term review of the new system, he would not be able to provide a report until the end of 2004 and could not agree to an annual report. Nor could he accept the bulk of Parliament's amendments passed in April and adopt yet once again at this plenary session.�