European Union

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding United States policy toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, in light of the Alliance's April 1999 Washington Summit and the European Union's June 1999 Cologne Summit.

United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1999

Declares that the Senate: (1) believes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should remain the primary institution through which European and North American allies address security issues of transatlantic concern; (2) endorses NATO's decision to launch the Defense Capabilities Initiative, intended to improve the defense capabilities of the European Allies; (3) acknowledges European Union (EU) resolve to have autonomy so it can approve military action where the Alliance as a whole is not engaged; and (4) calls upon NATO and the EU to promulgate together during their respective meetings in 1999 principles that will strengthen the transatlantic partnership, reinforce unity within NATO, and harmonize their roles in transatlantic affairs. Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the EU should make it clear that it would take an autonomous mission through its European Security and Defense Identity only after NATO had been offered the opportunity to undertake that mission but had referred it to EU for action; (2) failure of the European allies of the United States to achieve the goals established through the Defense Capabilities Initiative would weaken support for the Alliance in the United States; (3) the President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense should encourage NATO allies to commit the resources necessary to upgrade their capabilities to rapidly deploy forces over long distances, sustain operations for extended periods of time, and operate jointly with the United States in high-density conflicts, thus making them effective partners of the United States; (4) the EU must implement its Cologne Summit decisions concerning its Common Foreign and Security Policy in a manner that will ensure that non-Western European Union NATO allies, including Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey, and the United States, will not be discriminated against, but will be fully involved when the EU addresses issues affecting their security interests; and (5) the EU's implementation of its Cologne Summit decisions should not promote a decline in the military resources that European allies contribute to NATO, but should instead promote the complete fulfillment of their respective force commitments to the Alliance.

To exempt certain small businesses from the increased tariffs and other retaliatory measures imposed against products of the European Union in response to the banana regime of the European Union and its treatment of imported bovine meat.

United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1999

Exempts an importer with under 100 employees during the two preceding calendar quarters from increased tariffs and retaliatory actions with respect to European Union (EU) goods subject to increased tariffs announced by the United States Trade Representative on March 3, 1999, in response to the EU banana regime, and on March 22, 1999, in response to the EU ban on imports of U.S. beef that has been treated with safe hormones, or any other such increased tariffs or retaliatory actions imposed in response to such EU actions. Applies such exemption to that quantity of an article which does not exceed 125 percent of the quantity of the same article that is a product of the EU and was imported by that importer during the preceding calendar year.

Richard L. Morningstar, of Massachusetts, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the European Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

United States · United States Senate · 21 April 1999

To bar the imposition of increased tariffs or other retaliatory measures against the products of the European Union in response to the banana regime of the European Union.

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999

Prohibits the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. Customs Service, and any other U.S. agency or officer from taking any action to: (1) implement the decision of the Office of the USTR announced on March 3, 1999, to withhold liquidation on imports valued at over $500 million of selected European Union (EU) products; and (2) impose increased tariffs on, or impose other retaliatory measures against, EU products in response to the EU banana regime that is the subject of dispute proceedings before the World Trade Organization. Requires the refund of any deposit given or duties paid pursuant to such decision by any importer before enactment of this Act. Declares that, if before the enactment of this Act the EU imposes any increased tariffs on, or other retaliatory measures against, U.S. products in response to the March 3 decision, or in response to any increased tariffs on, or other retaliatory measures against, EU products imposed by the United States in response to the EU banana regime, then this Act shall take effect only upon the President's certification that the EU has revoked such tariffs or other measures.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 661) to direct the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit the commercial operation of supersonic transport category aircraft that do not comply with stage 3 noise levels if the European Union adopts certain aircraft noise regulations.

United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1999

Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 661 (prohibiting commercial operation of supersonic transport category aircraft under certain conditions).

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit the commercial operation of supersonic transport category aircraft that do not comply with stage 3 noise levels if the European Union adopts certain aircraft noise regulations.

United States · United States Congress · 10 February 1999

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit the commercial operation of civil supersonic transport aircraft that do not comply with stage 3 noise levels to or from a U.S. airport if the European Union adopts Common Position (EC) No. 66-98 (relating to certain aircraft noise regulations) as a final regulation.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the canned fruit subsidy regime of the European Union is a bilateral trade concern of high priority, for which prompt corrective action is needed.

United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Government should take all necessary corrective action against the European Union canned peach subsidy regime in order to bring relief to the U.S. canned peach industry and restore fair competition to this sector of trade.