Council Regulation (EC) No 1349/2000
of 19 June 2000
establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for an adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreement with Estonia
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part(1), provides for further concessions for certain agricultural products originating in Estonia.
(2) Improvements to the preferential agreements of the Europe Agreement with Estonia were provided for in the Protocol adjusting trade aspects of the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part, to take into account of the accession of the Republic of Austria, of the Republic of Finland and of the Kingdom of Sweden to the European Union and the outcome of the Uruguay Round negotiations on agriculture including improvements to the existing preferential arrangements(2). The Council approved the abovementioned Protocol on behalf of the Community by Council Decision 1999/86/EC(3).
(3) In accordance with the directives adopted by the Council on 30 March 1999, the Commission and the Republic of Estonia concluded on 22 November 1999 negotiations on a new Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement.
(4) The new Additional Protocol, which provides for additional agricultural concessions, will be based on Article 19(4) of the Europe Agreement, establishing that the Community and Estonia are to examine in the Association Council, product by product and on an orderly and reciprocal basis, the possibility of granting each other further concessions.
(5) The Republic of Estonia already applies zero-duties for imports of agricultural products originating in the Community. When Estonia on 1 January 2000 introduced tariffs on imports of agricultural products from other third countries, additional preferences were created for Community exports of agricultural products.
(6) A swift implementation of the adjustments forms an essential part of the results of the negotiations for the conclusion of a new Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement with Estonia.
(7) It is therefore appropriate to provide for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of the agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreement with Estonia.
(8) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999, laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(4),
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. The arrangements for import into the Community applicable to certain agricultural products originating in Estonia as set out in Annex A(a) and A(b) to this Regulation shall replace those set out in Annex Va to the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part.
2. On the entry into force of the new Additional Protocol adjusting the Europe Agreement referred to in paragraph 1, the concessions provided for in that Protocol shall replace those referred to in Annex A(a) and A(b) to this Regulation.
3. The Commission shall adopt detailed rules for the application of this Regulation in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 2(2).
Article 2
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the committee instituted by Article 23 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1766/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market of cereals(5) or, where appropriate, the committee instituted by the relevant provisions of the other Regulations on the common organisation of agricultural markets, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee".
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.
The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.
3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
It shall apply from 1 July 2000.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 19 June 2000.