29.10.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 285/17 COMMISSION DECISION of 27 October 2008 on a temporary derogation from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Swaziland with regard to core spun (notified under document number C(2008) 6133) (2008/820/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 applying the arrangements for goods orig- inating in certain states which are part of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States provided for in agreements establishing, or leading to the establishment of, Economic Partnership Agreements ('), and in particular Article 36(4) of Annex II thereto, Whereas: (1) On 13 January 2006 the ACP-EC Customs Cooperation Committee adopted Decision No 3/2005 derogating from the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ to take account of the special situation of the Kingdom of Swaziland with regard to its manufacturing of core spun yarns (?). In accordance with that Decision, by way of derogation from the special provisions in the list in Annex II to Protocol 1 to Annex V of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement (}) Swaziland was granted an annual quantity of 1 300 tonnes of core spun yarn for the period from 1 April 2006 to 31 December 2007. Following the expiry of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement on 31 December 2007, Swaziland requested on 24 April 2008 in accordance with Article 36 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007, a derogation from the rules of origin set out in that Annex for a period of five years. On 25 June 2008 Swaziland submitted additional information relating to its request. The request covers a total annual quantity of 1300 tonnes of core spun yarn of HS Headings 5206 22, 5206 42, 5402 52 and 5402 62. Swaziland is a small landlocked developing country. According to the information provided by Swaziland its economy is heavily dependent on trade and already has a high rate of unemployment. Application of the current rule of origin would seriously affect the ability to continue to export to the Community. Swaziland needs to source non-originating materials for the manu- facture of the final product and is currently unable to 348, 31.12.2007, p. 1. oJL O] L 26, 31.1.2006, p. 14. oL 317, 15.12.2000, p. 94. (6) satisfy the rules on cumulation of origin laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007. Hence, the final product does not comply with the rules laid down in that Annex. However, Swaziland has invested signifi- cantly for the purposes of getting access to the Community market mainly through cumulation with South Africa, eliminating the dependence on a temporary derogation. The request for a temporary dero- gation is therefore justified under Article 36(1)(b) of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007. In order to ensure that Swaziland may continue its exports to the Community, following the expiration of the derogation granted by Decision No 3/2005 of the ACP-EC Customs Cooperation Committee which expired on 31 December 2007, a new derogation should be granted. To ensure smooth transition from the ACP-EC Part- nership Agreement to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the SADC (Southern  African Development Community) EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) States, of the other part  (SADC-EU Interim  Economic  Partnership Agreement), a new derogation should be granted with retroactive effect from 1 January 2008. A temporary derogation from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 would not cause serious injury to an established Community industry taking into account the imports concerned, provided that certain conditions relating to quantities, surveillance and duration are respected. It is therefore justified to grant a temporary derogation under Article 36(1)(b) of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007. Swaziland will be able to make requests for derogation from the rules of origin pursuant to Article 39 of the Origin Protocol attached to the SADC-EU Interim Economic Partnership Agreement, when that Agreement enters into force or is provisionally applied, pending its entry into force.