Posted on 02/05/2004 10:41:58 AM PST by knighthawk
BRITAIN has stamped down on plans for a "Made in Europe" brand mark, it was revealed today.
Trade minister Mike O’Brien wrote to EU Commission chiefs yesterday rejecting the move on the advice of patriotic UK firms.
But Eastern European firms could still be allowed to use the brand to improve their export prospects, Mr O’Brien admitted.
"We have consulted with a number of British businesses and the consultation clearly shows there is no support for a Made in Europe mark and our view is that the idea for one should now be dropped," he said.
But while British markings are safe other countries could still choose the Made in Europe tag.
"I don’t think they will enforce anything in the sense of obliging anyone to say ‘Made in the EU’," Mr O’Brien told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
"What they could do is talk to the other European countries and see what their consultation with their business community produced.
"It might be that some of the Eastern European countries think that is something they like."
So you would have no objections to Chinese products with 'Made in USA' labeling?
My company had recent experience with a Dutch manufacturer trying to substitute product manufactured at a Czech subsidiary. The difference between the quality of the Dutch vs. Czech production was laughable. If both products were labeled "Made in Europe" there would be no way to differentiate (from the paperwork) which was which.
Hmmm. Interesting. I thought the label said 'Made in Europe'. Not the EU. If a country is based in Europe and wants to put a label that says 'Made in Europe' where have they done anything bad?
You need to keep in mind- I am very anti-EU. I'm just asking a question.
There's nothing inherently "wrong" with that but my point is if such a product landed in a customs office on a dock in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia it would never make it through. Those guys with the clipboards want to know what particular country that particular widget was made in. This would change if and when the EU becomes a recognized nation state (a concept which most people in Europe seem resistant to).
Seems to me, like in so many other ways, the overpaid untaxed bureaucrats in Brussels and Strasbourg are jumping the gun and trying to abrogate powers to themselves without a thought to whether they actually have the power or right to do so.
Duh.
What's your point?
I already said that the EU shouldn't be trying to regulate this.
PS: I thought I was answering your question with due respect and was neither arguing with you nor making fun, so I'm a little puzzled by the "Duh" response. A lot of people aren't familiar with the arcana of importing or why products are labeled "Made in Wherever".
The other point in my first comment was that there's a world of difference in manufacturing standards between, say, The Netherlands and Poland. Marking something "Made in Europe" tells the customer nothing about what kind of quality he might expect.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.