# C_2007275EN.01001201.xml

| 16.11.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 275/12 |
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16.11.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 275/12

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Notice to Community operators importing agricultural and industrial products originating in the ACP States under the trade measures provided for in Annex V to the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, known as the Cotonou Agreement

(2007/C 275/07)

| 1. | According to Article 37(1) of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, the trade regime applicable to products originating in the ACP States set out in Annex V of that agreement applies for a preparatory period that shall end by 31 December 2007 at the latest and that new trading arrangements should enter into force by 1 January 2008. |
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1.

According to Article 37(1) of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, the trade regime applicable to products originating in the ACP States set out in Annex V of that agreement applies for a preparatory period that shall end by 31 December 2007 at the latest and that new trading arrangements should enter into force by 1 January 2008.

| 2. | The Commission approach to establishing those new trading arrangements within the context of ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations is set out in a Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Economic Partnership Agreements (1). The full text of this Communication is available through the EUR-Lex system (http://eur-lex.europa.eu). |
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2.

The Commission approach to establishing those new trading arrangements within the context of ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations is set out in a Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Economic Partnership Agreements (1). The full text of this Communication is available through the EUR-Lex system (http://eur-lex.europa.eu).

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| 3. | The approach set out in the Communication proposes that, as of 1 January 2008, the trade regime applicable under the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement should be replaced by arrangements pursuant to any WTO-compatible agreement for which negotiations have been concluded between ACP Regions or States and the Community in the context of the ongoing regional Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations. It further proposes that in the event any ACP Region or State fails to conclude such negotiations, the trade regime applicable to products originating in those Regions or States from 1 January 2008 will be the Generalised System of Preferences, until such time as relevant negotiations are concluded and the Council approves the application of a new trade regime. |
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3.

The approach set out in the Communication proposes that, as of 1 January 2008, the trade regime applicable under the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement should be replaced by arrangements pursuant to any WTO-compatible agreement for which negotiations have been concluded between ACP Regions or States and the Community in the context of the ongoing regional Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations. It further proposes that in the event any ACP Region or State fails to conclude such negotiations, the trade regime applicable to products originating in those Regions or States from 1 January 2008 will be the Generalised System of Preferences, until such time as relevant negotiations are concluded and the Council approves the application of a new trade regime.

| 4. | The approach set out in the Communication also foresees that the Commission will propose to Council to repeal or amend as necessary from 1 January 2008 all remaining regulatory provision that either refers to or provides for the management and implementation of the trade provisions in Annex V of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. As this includes acts providing for quotas under the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, operators should take this into account in planning applications for such quotas. |
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4.

The approach set out in the Communication also foresees that the Commission will propose to Council to repeal or amend as necessary from 1 January 2008 all remaining regulatory provision that either refers to or provides for the management and implementation of the trade provisions in Annex V of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. As this includes acts providing for quotas under the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement, operators should take this into account in planning applications for such quotas.

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(1)  COM(2007) 635 final.

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