Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MADRID187
2005-01-19 11:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Madrid
Cable title:  

FSC/ETI DISPUTE

Tags:  ETRD SP USTRUWR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS MADRID 000187 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SP USTRUWR
SUBJECT: FSC/ETI DISPUTE

REF: SECSTATE 11149

UNCLAS MADRID 000187

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SP USTRUWR
SUBJECT: FSC/ETI DISPUTE

REF: SECSTATE 11149


1. EconOff discussed reftel demarche with Subdirector General
for EU Trade Policy (Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism)
Nicolas Lopez on 1/19/05. Lopez said the GOS was still
studying its "posture" on the automaticity issue, although he
conceded that in the past, Spain had not opposed the
Commission's automaticity provision. He said that Germany
and the United King opposed the Commission on this matter.
Spain would like to find a "compromise" between
Germany/United Kingdom and the Commission, but it will not be
particularly active on this issue. Lopez said the FSC, among
other matters, would be discussed during the Friday, 1/21/05
EU 133 meeting, which he will be attending. Lopez said that
he was aware that the U.S. calculates that the grandfathering
provisions may amount to about USD 75 million a year, but he
said the Commission calculates that the grandfathering
provisions are worth in the billions of dollars. However,
Lopez could not provide a more precise number or describe how
the Commission had arrived at this much higher estimate.


2. Comment: Although Lopez has always said that Spain would
not like to see sanctions imposed on the FSC matter, the GOS
is clearly more sympathetic to the Commission's position than
to the views of Member States such as Germany and the United
Kingdom.
MANZANARES