COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1134/91 of 29 April 1991 on the tariff arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of products originating in the occupied territories and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 3363/86
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas products originating in the West Bank of the River Jordan or the Gaza Strip (called the 'occupied territories'), both occupied by Israel, enjoy preferential treatment with regard to access to the Community market under Council Regulation (EEC) No 3363/86 of 27 October 1986 on the tariff arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of products originating in the occupied territories (1);
Whereas the preferential arrangements provide for free access to the Community market for industrial goods and preferential tariff treatment for certain agricultural products;
Whereas it is appropriate to introduce measures to bring about a rapid improvement in the conditions of access to the Community market for agricultural products originating in the occupied territories; whereas, to achieve this objective, Regulation (EEC) No 3363/86 should be replaced by a new Regulation,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. Products other than those listed in Annex II to the Treaty and originating in the occupied territories shall be imported into the Community without quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect and free of customs duties and charges having equivalent effect.
2. In the case of goods listed in the Annex to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3033/80 of 11 November 1980 laying down the trade arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products (2) which list is set out in Annex I hereto, paragraph 1 shall apply only to the fixed component of the charge imposed on such goods imported into the Community.
Article 2
The customs duties on imports into the Community of the agricultural products set out in Annex II hereto and originating in the occupied territories shall be eliminated in two equal instalments, on 1 January 1992 and 1 January 1993, and within the periods indicated for each product.
Article 3
1. Article 2 shall apply within the limits of a Community tariff quota of 1 200 tonnes to strawberries falling within CN Code 0810 10 90.
2. A reference quantity is set out in Annex II hereto for certain products.
Where imports of any of these products exceed the reference quantity, the product concerned may be made subject to a Community tariff quota which shall apply to a volume equivalent to the reference quantity, if the amounts imported appear likely to cause difficulties in the Community market.
3. In the case of products listed in Annex II other than those in paragraphs 1 and 2, reference quantities may be set if the amounts imported appear likely to create difficulties in the Community market.
These products may subsequently be made subject to tariff quotas under the same conditions as those set out in paragraph 2.
4. The rates of tariff reduction set out in Annex II shall apply to amounts imported in excess of the quotas.
5. From the time when, pursuant to the application of Article 2, customs duties have reached a level of 2 % or less, their collection shall be totally suspended.
Article 4
The rules of origin to be applied shall be those laid down in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 4129/86 (3).
Article 5
Regulation (EEC) No 3363/86 is hereby repealed.
Article 6
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1992. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 29 April 1991.