§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he received a response from the German Ministry of Economics concerning the VDE mark; if he will publish such response in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawMy officials contacted the Federal Economic Ministry in Bonn in July this year, and received a response in October. The response was that no requirement existed in the area of electrical lighting at Government level, or, as far as they were aware, at local or professional level, for the exclusive use of equipment bearing a VDE mark. My officials are investigating this further.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government propose to bring an 4W enforcement action against the West German Government under Article 170 of the Treaty of Rome in relation to the requirement to obtain approval by VDE; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawNo, as no such German Government requirement exists.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will assess the impact in pounds sterling of the damage suffered to the British electrical manufacturing industry as a result of the imposition in West Germany of the requirement that electrical equipment complies with the VDE standard; whether he will estimate the effect of such impact on the employment situation in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawNo. There is no German Government imposition of such a requirement. It is therefore impossible to make any assessment of any effects on United Kingdom industry in the German market.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the extent to which the use in West Germany of the VDE mark creates an obstacle to international trade and the free movement of goods within the meaning of (a) the agreement on technical barriers to trade and (b) EEC treaty provisions, regulations or directives concerning the free movement of goods and services; what steps he has taken concerning the removal of such obstacles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI have made no such assessment. The use of the VDE mark is not a governmental requirement in West Germany, so it cannot be interpreted as an obstacle to trade with the terms of the question. However, I am aware that West German buyers do look for the VDE mark. Work is going on in the European Community to establish a Community policy for mutual recognition of certification and testing. This will aid products certified in one country to be sold to another without restriction.