Quote of the Week: Don't tell people how to do things. Tell them what to
do and let them surprise you with their results - George S. Patton
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ESBA WEEKLY of Friday 21 September 2001 - VOL 3 - N° 38
Headlines of WEEK 38:
- INTERNAL MARKET: Standard forms for public tenders
- TRADE: WTO China negotiations concluded
- TRADE: Lamy confirms: Doha will go on as planned
- UPCOMING EVENTS
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EU / INTERNAL MARKET
Brussels 17/09/2001: Standard forms for public tenders
As from 1 May 2002 onwards all public authorities in the EU will have to
use (new) standard forms when publishing calls for tenders in the EU's
Official Journal. Currently, such forms still differ from one EU member
state to another (to a certain extend). By accepting the Directive,
following the mandate to got in this field, the European Commission
expects that the standard forms should increase transparency and
efficiency, facilitate electronic procurement, provide more equal
opportunities among businesses, thereby further encouraging SMEs to bid
for public contracts.
ESBA welcomes the new Directive as SMEs are still finding it extremely
difficult to tap into this lucrative market. ESBA expresses the hope that
the discussions on the proposals on the revision of the European
procurement directives will advance as soon as possible as to further
enhance SME participation.
More info: http://simap.eu.int/EN/pub/src/comdirective.htm
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EU / TRADE
Geneva 17/09/2001: WTO China negotiations concluded
The World Trade Organization (WTO) successfully concluded negotiations on
China's terms of membership of the WTO, paving the way for the text of the
agreement to be adopted formally at the WTO Ministerial Conference in
Doha, Qatar, in November.
The WTO hereby concludes almost 15 years of negotiations with China and
agreed to forward some 900 pages of legal text for formal acceptance by
the 142 Member Governments of the WTO. Thirty days after China notifies
its acceptance of the agreement, China legally becomes a member of the
WTO.
In 2000 China was the 7th leading exporter and 8th largest importer of
merchandise trade, and 12th leading exporter and the 10th largest importer
in commercial services.
China has agreed to undertake a series of important commitments to open
and liberalise its regime in order to better integrate in the world
economy and offer a more predictable environment for trade and foreign
investment in accordance with WTO rules.
Some commitments undertaken by China:
- Non-discriminatory treatment to all WTO Members;
- Elimination of dual pricing practices;
- No protection to domestic industries or services providers via price
controls;
- No export subsidies on agricultural products;
- Implementation of the TRIPS agreement; and
- Acceptance of a 12-year transition period in cases where Chinese imports
cause market disruption to domestic producers of other WTO members;
- Elimination of most restrictions for foreign companies after three years
(with the exception of products such as cereals, tobacco, fuels and
minerals).
- Gradual elimination of trade barriers for goods and expanding market
access for non-Chinese goods.
More info: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres01_e/pr243_e.htm
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EU / TRADE
Brussels 18/09/2001: Lamy confirms: Doha will go on as planned
Following the dramatic events in the United States, one could question
whether the upcoming Ministerial meeting of the WTO in November in Doha,
Quatar, would and could go ahead as planned. The Doha Ministerial should
decide on the launch of a new multilateral trade negotiation round.
However, following earlier positive statements by the US government and
the WTO, also EU Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, confirmed several
times this week that work continues to maintain the November multilateral
meeting for political reasons.
The EC recently held preparatory meetings in Mexico, in Hanoi between
Europeans and Asians, and will hold meetings still, as planned, in Nairobi
between Europeans and Africans, in Singapore after that, and the APEC
meetings in Shanghai.
The WTO announced that it intends to circulate a draft text of a
Ministerial Declaration for consideration by the end of September.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Brussels (B) 21/09/2001: European day on entrepreneurship; Theme:
Enterprise policy, SMEs, Corporate Social Responsibility. Info:
http://www.csreurope.org/csr_europe/activities/activitiesframes.htm?conten
t=communications/events/events.htm
Cardiff (UK) 11&12/10/2001: Forum on Top Class Business Support Services;
Theme: Enterprise Policy, MAP 2001-2005, SMEs, Entrepreneurship, Best
Procedure. Info: http://www.cardiff2001.org
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The ESBA Weekly is now sent to an increasing amount of persons with a
direct interest in SMEs.
This bulletin is made in co-operation with LOGOS
(http://www.logos-eu.com).
