COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 3668/93 of 20 December 1993 extending into 1994 the application of Regulation (EEC) No 3917/92 applying generalized tariff preferences for 1994 in respect of certain products originating in developing countries, and adding to the list of beneficiaries of such preferences
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 113 and 43 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Whereas, in accordance with the offer it made within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the European Union introduced generalized tariff preferences in 1971 for finished and semi-finished industrial products, textile products and some agricultural products from developing countries; whereas the initial 10-year period of application of this system of preferences ended on 31 December 1980;
Whereas the positive role played by this system in improving access for the developing countries to the markets of the preference-giving countries was recognized at the ninth session of the UNCTAD Special Committee on Preferences; whereas it was agreed at that session that the objectives of the generalized system of preferences would not be fully achieved by the end of 1980, and that it should consequently be extended beyond the initial period, an overall review of the system having started in 1990;
Whereas progress on the review of the system is not sufficient for the setting-up of a scheme based on new guidelines to be envisaged as from 1 January 1994; whereas, however, completion of the review is expected during 1994;
Whereas, pending the outcome of the review, the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3917/92 (2) on the application of generalized tariff preferences in 1993 should be temporarily renewed from 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1994, the amounts of the preferential limits to be laid down for the first six months of 1994 corresponding to half the amounts laid down for the annual period of 1993;
Whereas the arrangements provided for in this Regulation will be automatically extended until 31 December 1994 if the Council has not adopted a scheme based on new guidelines by 15 June 1994;
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 3917/92 extending into 1993 the application of Regulations (EEC) No 3831/90, (EEC) No 3832/90, (EEC) No 3833/90, (EEC) No 3834/90, (EEC) No 3835/90 and (EEC) No 3900/91, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3667/93 (3), applying generalized tariff preferences for 1991 in respect of certain products originating in developing countries and adding to the list of beneficiaries of such preferences, applies until 31 December 1993,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Regulation (EEC) No 3917/92 applying generalized tariff preferences in respect of certain products originating in developing countries shall apply mutatis mutandis from 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1994.
References in the Regulation mentioned in the first subparagraph to specific dates in 1992, 1993 or 1994 shall be taken to refer to the same dates in 1993, 1994 or 1995 respectively.
Article 2
The volume of the preferential amounts for the six-month period to 30 June 1994 shall correspond to half the annual volume of the corresponding amounts set for 1993.
Article 3
The amendments to CN codes indicated in the Annex to this Regulation shall apply from 1 January 1994.
Article 4
In Regulations (EEC) No 3831/90, (EEC) No 3832/90, (EEC) No 3833/90 and (EEC) No 3834/90, all references to Regulation (EEC) No 693/88 shall be replaced by a reference to Articles 66 to 97 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code (4).
Article 5
This Regulation shall be automatically extended until 31 December 1994 if the Council has not adopted the new generalized tariff preference arrangements by 15 June 1994.
The volume of the preferential amounts for the six-month period to 31 December 1994 shall correspond to half the annual volume of the corresponding amounts set for 1993.
Any quantities still unused at 30 June 1994 out of the fixed preferential amounts and ceilings which did not fall within two half-yearly volumes in 1993 may be added to imports carried out up to 31 December 1994.
Article 6
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 January 1994.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 20 December 1993.