EC’s Kov?cs slams U.S. 100% screening bill

EC’s Kovßcs slams U.S. 100% screening bill

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L'szl' Kov'cs, European Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, has added his voice to those condemning the legislation signed into law Friday that requires scanning of all containers bound for the United States, saying it will damage trade and offers no security benefits.
   “I am extremely concerned by the possible introduction of the U.S. H.R. 1 legislation,” said Kov'cs in a statement. “Experts on both sides of the Atlantic have already considered this measure to be of no real benefit when it comes to improving security while it would disrupt trade and cost legitimate EU and U.S. businesses a lot of time and money.

Kov'cs

   “I also regret that the USA did not await the results of the pilot actions that the EU and U.S. Customs are about to launch before pressing ahead with this piece of legislation.”
   Kov'cs added that the legislation would require a major restructuring of EU ports and would place a “very heavy financial burden” on European business and taxpayers that could unfairly damage their competitiveness against their U.S. rivals.
   Under the legislation, the Department of Homeland Security must implement a system within five years to scan all cargo at foreign ports for weapons of mass destruction. It could grant two-year extensions to ports that need more time to comply. All cargo booked on passenger planes would have to be scanned within three years. President Bush will sign the bill into law Friday.
   “Instead of a 100 percent scanning, I advocate applying risk analysis for the selection of cargo containers to be checked prior to leaving the EU for the U.S.,” Kov'cs said. “This would find a balance between legitimate trade facilitation and customs security, an approach that the European Union has always supported.”
   Last week, the World Shipping Council, whose member liner shipping companies carry more than 90 percent of the world's containerized cargo, listed its grievances with the 100 percent screening law, saying it was “opposed by virtually all elements of the global trading system.”
   The World Shipping Council’s full statement can be found at: www.worldshipping.org/wsc_legislation_statement.pdf .