	europe on sidelines in u s japan microchip row rising imports of japanese made cars and electronic goods may upset west european officials but they generally seem prepared to stay on the sidelines in the latest  row between the united states and japan japan s huge  surplus is a sore point in west europe as it is in the united states but u s charges of unfair  practices involving computer microchips leave europeans cold the european community ran a billion dlr  deficit with japan last year and seeks redress when it feels japanese  policy hurts europeans diplomats and economists said but only in britain has there been any suggestion of acting with the u s to do something about japan s huge  surplus the ec is no more illiberal on  issues than is the u s said martin wolf director of studies at the  policy research centre in london basically their policies are pretty much the same but that did not mean europe would support the u s or that the ec would climb on the bandwagon to take advantage of the u s dispute to press its own claims wolf said basically europeans have a different approach to  problems he said in the u s people talk about fair  but not here he added in the u s it all has to do with the general ethic of free competition while in europe the general approach is that liberal  is good because it makes countries rich wolf said this basic u s attitude explains washington s tendency to impose so called countervailing duties an import tax designed to offset advantages alleged to be unfair in western europe the approach to  disputes tends to be to try to reach a settlement through negotiation wolf said in the latest u s japan  row president reagan has threatened to raise tariffs on selected japanese electronic goods by as much as mln dlrs alleging that japan has failed to abide by a u s japan pact on microchip  but the european community has challenged the agreement as a violation of general agreement on tariffs and  gatt practices that discriminates against its microchip producers it follows that they re not likely to rally to the side of the united states in defence of the agreement said wolf although british parliamentarians are pushing for a tough line on japanese  issues government officials in the rest of europe told reuter correspondents they would let the ec take the lead in any response to the u s japan  row a spokeswoman for the ec commission in brussels told reuters there has been no change in the community s position since a march meeting of foreign ministers which sent a strong warning to tokyo on  imbalances in a statement issued after that meeting ec foreign ministers deplored japan s continued  imbalance and appealed for a greater japanese effort to open up its markets ec external  commissioner willy de clercq said after the talks there was a growing impatience with japan in the ec diplomats accredited to the ec in brussels said they saw no signs of any immediate intention to impose any broad ranging sanctions against japan the ec is anxious to avoid provoking a  war they said instead the community is trying to target problem areas in european  with japan including wines and spirits cosmetics and financial services and will continue talking to try to improve the situation the diplomats said in britain where the government is angered over the difficulties telecommunications giant cable and wireless has faced in its bid to crack the japanese market officials said last week that retaliatory action is being considered but government officials said last night we are not talking about days or weeks this is going to take time they said the government would consider its options at a cabinet meeting on thursday but added that no final decisions were expected the main thing the british would threaten the japan with is denial of access to london s booming financial markets government officials said reuter 
