A European Commission proposal for a e179 a tonne tariff on EU banana imports had still not been agreed by member states as the FPJ went to press casting doubt on whether a new regime will be in force by January 1, 2006.

Member states representatives were due to vote on Wednesday on the Commission’s plan but governments led by Sweden criticized the proposal for being to protective of EU growers and those in former colonies in the Caribbean and Africa.

The Swedes believe that protection of these growers will come at the expense of consumers who pay a premium on fruit. Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic appear to back Sweden.

Now the issues a threatens to hinder global trade talks next month as Honduras is demanding it be raised at a meeting of World Trade Organization members in Hong Kong on December 8-13.

Meanwhile, the Commission is continuing to urge governments to adopt its plan and hopes for a vote in the coming weeks. “We were trying to resolve the issue before the trade meeting" in December and "we're still hopeful that the tariff will be in place by January,” said EU farm spokesman Michael Mann.

Topics