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Commission Market Access Strategy - New priorities for opening foreign markets

Speaking at a one-day symposium on market access, held in Brussels on 4 November 1997, European Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan highlighted the success to date of the Commission's Market Access Strategy launched in 1996 and indicated priority areas for the future. Sir Leon comm...

Speaking at a one-day symposium on market access, held in Brussels on 4 November 1997, European Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan highlighted the success to date of the Commission's Market Access Strategy launched in 1996 and indicated priority areas for the future. Sir Leon commented on the concrete results achieved so far by the Commission's Market Access Strategy, pointing out that: "Great progress has been achieved in this first year of the Market Access Strategy. Industry now has easy, rapid access to much more comprehensive trade information via the Market Access Database, and the European Union is making greater use of the dispute settlement mechanisms of the World Trade Organization to tackle trade barriers". He stressed however that much still remains to be done: "This is a good start, but we still have a long way to go. We must energetically pursue fresh market-opening commitments from our trading partners around the world. We must also ensure that our partners comply with their international commitments, by acting more swiftly, more firmly and more consistently against trade barriers". Particular attention was given to the services sector, where the Commissioner noted a need for specific action to help European services operators gain better access to markets abroad. In this context, the symposium also offered the occasion for the official launch of a new database, "Access to World Markets for Services", providing comprehensive on-line information for businesses about access to world services markets. Its elder sister, the main Market Access Database, to which the new site is linked, was launched last year. As well as providing a comprehensive, interactive information service about third country markets for European businesses, it gives firms the ability to tell the Commission on-line of any problems they encounter in getting access to those markets.

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