§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has carried out to1002W encourage British industry to prepare for the export potential provided by the entry of the 10 accession countries into 2004. [118353]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 10 June 2003]: I have ensured that my Department is active in promoting the benefits of enlargement to British industry.
The DTI is working very closely with the Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and other Departments to help ensure that British industry does takes full advantage of the opportunities in the new markets.
British Trade International is supporting a programme of 30 outward trade missions to the 10 accession states in this financial year.
§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the export potential provided by the 10 accession countries; and if she will make a statement in terms of the effect on GDP. [118354]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 10 June 2003]: The Department has not commissioned external research on the export potential provided by the 10 accession countries.
The Department's officials are completing an analysis of the trade and investment impact of EU enlargement, which we intend to publish as soon as possible, but research [for CEPR 1] forecasts that enlargement will add 1.5 per cent. to the new members' GDP and boost EU GDP by 0.2 per cent. The UK's share could be worth £1.75 billion per annum.
[1 "The costs and benefits of eastern enlargement: the impact on the EU and Central Europe" Richard E. Baldwin, Joseph F. Francois and Richard Fortes, Centre for Economic Policy Research, April 1997.]