Norway meat duties spark European Parliament anger
A strongly worded resolution agreed today (Thursday July 4), MEPs urged the Commission to continue putting Norway under pressure to lift or ease the duties. And if Oslo does not cooperate, propose “further action”.
The EP is particularly riled by the fact that EU and Norway struck a deal on reducing trade barriers for food products only last year (2012). There is free trade for other manufactured goods between the EU and
Norway. According to a Swedish Board of Agriculture study, the main EU suppliers affected by the duties are Irish beef exporters and British lamb producers. Norway imposed 429% tariffs on EU sheepmeat and 344% on EU beef on January 1.
Portuguese socialist MEP Vital Moreira, who co-tabled the resolution as chair of the EP international trade committee said: “The forces of protectionism in Norway are strong but we are their most important trading partners, so they should keep to the agreement which obliges it to open up trade with the EU.”
MEPs were also angered because Norway imposed the duties without prior consultation: “This is not how you deal with friends,” said Swedish centre-right MEP Christofer Fjellner.
The resolution asked the Commission to assess the potential negative effects of the increased tariffs, as currently there is no detailed impact assessment on EU exporters and farmers.
A European Parliament note stressed that the Norway action had “caused turbulence in relations between the EU and Norway which are generally close and smooth.” Oil-rich Norway - which has refused to join the EU - applies most EU rules except on agriculture and fisheries and hence enjoys privileged access to the EU market, as a member of the European Economic Area (EEA).
Article 19 of the EEA treaty says parties must “continue their efforts with a view to achieving progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade,” a commitment MEPs say Norway has now breached.
