§ Mr. GaleTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what surveys have been carried out by(a) the Government of the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union to establish the effect upon jobs of the proposed abolition of the duty-free trade; and if she will make a statement. [42342]
§ Mrs. Beckett[holding answer 19 May 1998]The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has undertaken a study into the effects on the transport sector of the abolition of intra-EU duty and tax free sales in 1999. The European Union has not undertaken a survey to establish the effect upon jobs of the proposed abolition of duty and tax free sales within the EU. The Government's position remains that they would not oppose a study should there be a consensus amongst Member States in favour of such a study. However, when these matters were discussed at 19 May EFOFIN Council, there was no consensus amongst Member States to call for a Community-wide study of the impact of abolition.