EU under attack for slow action on DRam tariffs

The EU has come under fire for not acting soon enough to stabilise prices for the DRam market after European commissioners imposed tariffs on Far Eastern memory makers.

Reference prices for the sale of memory will be phased in by the EU in three stages as a means to prevent Japanese and Korean DRam makers selling product in Europe at less than cost price.

The move was intended to stabilise the market, but the gradual phasing in of the tariffs has prompted channel sources to accuse the EU of creating further confusion.

Sukh Rayat, general manager of Flashpoint, said: ?A straightforward decision is needed. Why not come out with a bold step rather than doing things bit by bit??

Ed Bateman, product manager at Ideal Hardware, said: ?Production has been cut by about 30 per cent anyway, so prices have naturally been rising.?