Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) extending Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 22. 05. 1996 COM(96) 221 final 96/0136 (ACQ Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION q y> extending Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (presented by the Commission) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 1. In accordance with its obligations under the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, the Community replaced variable agricultural levies and other agricultural non-tariff barriers with fixed customs duties from 1 July 1995. This threatens to reduce the value of the agricultural concessions accorded under the Europe Agreements (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania), and in particular of preferential access to the Community market for certain agricultural products originating in the countries concerned. In order to smooth the transition to the system applicable from 1 July 1995 and maintain the level of preferences accorded, the agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements need to be adjusted. 2. At the same time, Articles 76, 102 and 128 of the Act of Accession require Austria, Finland and Sweden to apply, from 1 January 1995, the provisions of the preferential agreements concluded by the Community with certain non-member countries, among them Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland •* and Romania. 3. On 6 March 1995 the Council adopted negotiating directives for the conclusion of additional protocols to the Europe Agreements, notably with regard to agricultural products. These negotiating directives provide for the adjustment of the agricultural concessions accorded under the Europe Agreements, taking account not only of the Community's obligations under the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round (see paragraph 1 above) but of the consequences of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden (see paragraph 2 above). 4. Once these negotiations have been concluded, interim Additional Protocols relating solely to trade will be applied pending ratification of the Additional Protocols by all the parties concerned. In view of the time available, however, ^ there is no way that the interim Additional Protocols can enter into force on 1 July 1996. 5. On 21 December 1995 the Council adopted a series of autonomous measures aimed at maintaining the level of preferences accorded under the Europe Agreements and taking account of pre-existing agricultural trade arrangements between the new Member States and the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe. These measures apply until 30 June 1996. 6. This proposal is aimed at extending to 31 December 1996 the measures adopted by the Council on 21 December 1995. COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No. /. of extending Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations 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 the measures provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations expire on 30 June 1996; Whereas it was planned to replace those measures with interim Additional Protocols to the Europe Agreements; whereas those Protocols cannot enter into force on 1 July 1996; whereas Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 should therefore be extended to 31 December 1996, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: OJ No L 328, 30. 12. 1995, p. 31. Article 1 In Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 3066/95, the second sentence is hereby replaced by the following: "It shall apply from 1 January to 31 December 1996. " Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 July 1996. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, For the Council The President -T ISSN 0254-1475 COM(96) 221 final DOCUMENTS EN 02 11 03 Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-233-EN-C ISBN 92-78-04231-5 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg