Press Release: Banana imports: Commission proposes to open tariff-only negotiations

The European Commission submitted a proposal to the Council of the European Union on 2 June 2004 concerning opening of WTO negotiations to ensure the European Union's import regime for bananas moves to a tariff-only system no later than 2006. Once the Council has agreed, the Commission will negotiate the import tariff for bananas with the relevant producer countries. It will seek to maintain the same level of protection and preferences for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries as the existing regime provides while entirely respecting its obligations and commitments vis-à-vis other trading partners, EU producers and EU consumers.