LONDON -- The future of a blocked proposal to halve European Union aluminum import duty is now in the hands of the German E.U. presidency, an E.U. official told Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday, and no precise time or date for future meetings has been set.
"We are waiting for a move from (the German) side," said Tomas Kucirek, head of unit for the E.U.'s tariff economics and customs duties division.
On Feb. 9, a proposal for an initial cut in the E.U.'s import duty to 3% from 6% with perhaps a further reduction to zero by Jan. 1, 2009, was blocked after a clear opposed minority emerged amongst some of the E.U. government representatives.
Kucirek said no precise meeting or date to discuss the proposal going forward has been set up but said he hoped some progress would come before the changeover in E.U. presidency this summer.
However, Germany isn't likely to be in a hurry to push the proposal forward, some industry insiders have said, because they, along with France and Spain, oppose the duty cut as many smelters are located in those countries.
Instead Portugal, which isn't a major aluminum producer, could help push the proposal towards adoption after it takes over the presidency from Germany on July 1. The member state presidency is largely responsible for preparing and chairing Council meetings.
Poland has been the main driver to lower the duty since its entry into the E.U. in 2004, because its manufacturers of aluminum products previously relied on imports from Russia.
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