On the basis of a balanced proposal for a compromise by the German EU Presidency, it proved possible at a special session of the Council's working group on the Customs Union on 3 April 2007 to attain the agreement by all member states to a proposed regulation reducing the tariff on non-alloyed raw aluminium from the current level of 6 % down to 3 %.
Michael Glos, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, said: "This compromise, which has been evolved with a lot of effort and prudence, strikes a good balance between the various interests of the producers and the processors in the member states. It finally provides the business community with the security of planning that it needs. This brings about a constructive conclusion under the German Presidency to many years of wrangling between the EU member states."
The text of the draft regulation approved by the Council Working Group now requires formal confirmation from Coreper and the Council. In addition to cutting the tariff from 6 % to 3 %, it provides for a review of the situation after three years.
The initiative by the German Presidency to find a compromise had become necessary when a draft regulation proposed by the Commission, which would have cut the tariff to 0 % in two stages, did not meet with the requisite support from the member states.
