DEMARCHE TO EU MEMBER STATES AND EU PERMREPS ON

UNCLAS MADRID 000501 SIPDIS BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AG MIN-COUNSELOR USDA/FAS/ITP/EAMED FOR DYOUNG USDA/FAS/FFPD USDA/FAS/FAA FOR LSEBRANEK, SBLEGGI STATE FOR EUR/AGS, S/CT, EB/TPP/ABT STATE PASS TO USTR EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU WTRO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO EU MEMBER STATES AND EU PERMREPS ON WOOD PACKAGING MATERIALS (WPM) REF: REF: STATE 20468 Per reftel, Trade, Agriculture and Foreign Ministries have been apprised of U.S. concerns regarding the proposed wood packaging materials directive. On 2/8/05, EconCouns and EconOff met with Secretary General for Foreign Trade (Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade) Alfredo Bonet Baiget and Subdirector General for EU Trade Policy Nicolas Lopez Lopez (Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade) and discussed the proposed directive. They said that they had been in contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, and that the GOS supports the EU directive. Spain does not consider it to be unnecessarily trade restrictive and a technical barrier to trade. Bonet cited Australia as a country that already has a debarking requirement. However, Spain is willing to consider the "timing" of the directive. Charge will be meeting with the Spanish Minister of Agriculture on 2/10/05 who will likely confirm the GOS position and elaborate upon it. MANZANARES