18. 1. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 16/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 70/97 of 20 December 1996 concerning the arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of products originating in the Republics of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and to imports of wine originating in the Republic of Slovenia THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas Regulations (EC) No 3355/94(), (EC) No 3356/94 (% and (EC) No 3357/94 (%), setting out the arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of products originating in the Republics of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, expire on 31 December 1996; Whereas these arrangements will eventually have to be replaced by provisions contained in bilateral agreements to be negotiated with the countries in question; Whereas account should be taken of the fact that the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Re- public of Slovenia, of the other part, was signed on 10 June 1996 and that the Interim Agreement will be applied on 1 January 1997; Whereas account should be taken of the fact that the Republic of Slovenia is now covered by the provisions of the aforementioned bilateral agreement and that the auto- nomous arrangements no longer apply to it; Whereas, consequently, the trade concessions provided for in respect of the other countries formerly part of Yugo- slavia should be adapted in an appropriate manner, taking into account the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European Union; (') OJ No L 353, 31.12.1994, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3032/95 (O] No L 316, 30.12.1995, 4 p. 4). (» OJ No L 353, 31.12.1994, p. 55. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3032/95 (OJ No L 316, 30.12.1995, p- 4). (® OJ No L 353, 31. 12. 1994, p. 63. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3032/95 (O] No L 316, 30.12.1995, p. 4). Whereas the preferential trade concessions applicable to the countries formerly part of Yugoslavia are based on those set out in the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia signed on 2 April 1980 and denounced on 25 November 1991; Whereas these preferential concessions comprise exemp- tion from duties and the abolition of quantitative restric- tions for industrial products, except for certain products subject to tariff ceilings, and special concessions (exemp- tion from duties, reduction of the agricultural com- ponents, tariff quotas) for various agricultural products; Whereas Community monitoring may be achieved by means of an administrative procedure based on charging imports of the products in question against the tariff ceilings at Community level as and when those products are entered with the customs authorities for free circula- tion; whereas this administrative procedure must make provision for the possibility of reintroducing customs duties as soon as the ceilings are reached at Community level; Whereas this administrative procedure requires close and particularly rapid cooperation between the Member States and the Commission, which must in particular be able to follow the progress of quantities charged against the ceilings; Whereas the arrangements applicable to imports of textile products from the Republics of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are governed by the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94 (%) Whereas the agreement on ‘wines and spirits’ envisaged by the FEurope Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Slovenia has yet to be () OJ No L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1476/96 (OJ No L 188, 27.7.1996, p. 4).