1993R2454 — EN — 01.01.2013 — 017.002

This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

Amended by:





Amended by:

A1 C 241 21 29.8.1994 L 001 1 .. ►A2 L 236 33 23.9.2003





Corrected by:







NB: This consolidated version contains references to the European unit of accout and/or the ecu, which from 1 January 1999 should be understood as references to the euro — Council Regulation (EEC) No 3308/80 (OJ L 345, 20.12.1980, p. 1) and Coundil Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 (OJ L 162, 19.6.1997, p. 1).









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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







THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code ( 1 ), hereinafter referred to as the ‘Code’, and in particular Article 249 thereof, Whereas the Code assembled all existing customs legislation in a single legal instrument; whereas at the same time the Code made certain modifications to this legislation to make it more coherent, to simplify it and to plug certain loopholes; whereas it therefore constitutes complete Community legislation in this area; Whereas the same reasons which led to the adoption of the Code apply equally to the customs implementing legislation; whereas it is therefore desirable to bring together in a single regulation those customs implementing provisions wich (SIC! which) are currently scattered over a large number of Community regulations and directives; Whereas the implementing code for the Community Customs Code hereby established should set out existing customs implementing rules; whereas it is nevertheless necessary, in the light of experience: — to make some amendments in order to adapt the said rules to the provisions of the Code, — to extend the scope of certain provisions which currently apply only to specific customs procedures in order to take account of the Code's comprehensive application, — to formulate certain rules more precisely in order to achieve greater legal security in their application; Whereas the changes made relate mainly to the provisions concerning customs debt; Whereas it is appropriate to limit the application of Article 791 (2) until 1 January 1995 and to review the subject matter in the light of experience gained before that time; Whereas the measures provided for by this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:







PART I

GENERAL IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS







TITLE I

GENERAL







CHAPTER 1

Definitions

Article 1

For the purposes of this Regulation:

1. Code means: Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing a Community Customs Code ( 2 );

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2. ATA carnet means: the international customs document for temporary importation established by virtue of the ATA Convention or the Istanbul Convention;

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3. Committee means: the Customs Code Committee established by Articles 247a and 248a of the Code;

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4. Customs Cooperation Council means: the organization set up by the Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council, done at Brussels on 15 December 1950;

5. Particulars required for identification of the goods means: on the one hand, the particulars used to identify the goods commercially allowing the customs authorities to determine the tariff classification and, on the other hand, the quantity of the goods;

6. Goods of a non-commercial nature means: goods whose entry for the customs procedure in question is on an occasional basis and whose nature and quantity indicate that they are intended for the private, personal or family use of the consignees or persons carrying them, or which are clearly intended as gifts;

7. Commercial policy measures means: non-tariff measures established, as part of the common commercial policy, in the form of Community provisions governing the import and export of goods, such as surveillance or safeguard measures, quantitative restrictions or limits and import or export prohibitions;

8. Customs nomenclature means: one of the nomenclatures referred to in Article 20 (6) of the Code;

9. Harmonized System means: the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System;

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10. Treaty means: the Treaty establishing the European Community;

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11. Istanbul Convention means: the Convention on Temporary Admission agreed at Istanbul on 26 June 1990;

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12. Economic operator means: a person who, in the course of his business, is involved in activities covered by customs legislation;

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13. Single authorisation means: an authorisation involving customs administrations in more than one Member State for one of the following procedures: — the simplified declaration procedure pursuant to Article 76(1) of the Code, or — the local clearance procedure pursuant to Article 76(1) of the Code, or — customs procedures with economic impact pursuant to Article 84(1)(b) of the Code, or — end-use pursuant to Article 21(1) of the Code;

14. Integrated authorisation means: an authorisation to use more than one of the procedures referred to in point 13; it may take the form of an integrated single authorisation where more than one customs administration is involved;

15. Authorising customs authority means: the customs authority who grants an authorisation;

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16. EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification number) means: a number, unique in the European Community, assigned by a Member State customs authority or designated authority or authorities to economic operators and to other persons in accordance with the rules laid down in Chapter 6;

17. Entry summary declaration means: the summary declaration referred to in Article 36a of the Code to be lodged for goods brought into the customs territory of the Community, except where otherwise provided for in this Regulation;

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18. Exit summary declaration means: the summary declaration, referred to in Article 182c of the Code, which is to be lodged for goods to be brought out of the customs territory of the Community, except where otherwise provided for in this Regulation.

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Article 1a

For the purposes of applying Articles 291 to 300, the countries of the Benelux Economic Union shall be considered as a single Member State.

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CHAPTER 2

Decisions

Article 2

Where a person making a request for a decision is not in a position to provide all the documents and information necessary to give a ruling, the customs authorities shall provide the documents and information at their disposal.

Article 3

A decision concerning security favourable to a person who has signed an undertaking to pay the sums due at the first written request of the customs authorities, shall be revoked where the said undertaking is not fulfilled.

Article 4

A revocation shall not affect goods which, at the moment of its entry into effect, have already been placed under a procedure by virtue of the revoked authorization.

However, the customs authorities may require that such goods be assigned to a permitted customs-approved treatment or use within the period which they shall set.

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CHAPTER 3

Data-processing techniques

Article 4a

1. Under the conditions and in the manner which they shall determine, and with due regard to the principles laid down by customs rules, the customs authorities may provide that formalities shall be carried out by a data-processing technique.

For this purpose:

— ‘a data-processing technique’ means: — (a) the exchange of EDI standard messages with the customs authorities; (b) the introduction of information required for completion of the formalities concerned into customs data-processing systems;

— ‘EDI’ (electronic data interchange) means, the transmission of data structured according to agreed message standards, between one computer system and another, by electronic means;

— ‘standard message’ means a predefined structure recognized for the electronic transmission of data.

2. The conditions laid down for carrying out formalities by a data-processing technique shall include inter alia measures for checking the source of data and for protecting data against the risk of unauthorized access, loss, alteration or destruction.

Article 4b

Where formalities are carried out by a data-processing technique, the customs authorities shall determine the rules for replacement of the handwritten signature by another technique which may be based on the use of codes.

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Article 4c

For test programmes using data-processing techniques designed to evaluate possible simplifications, the customs authorities may, for the period strictly necessary to carry out the programme, waive the requirement to provide the following information:

(a) the declaration provided for in Article 178(1);

(b) by way of derogation from Article 222(1), the particulars relating to certain boxes of the Single Administrative Document which are not necessary for the identification of the goods and which are not the factors on the basis of which import or export duties are applied.

However, the information shall be available on request in the framework of a control operation.

The amount of import duties to be charged in the period covered by a derogation granted pursuant to the first subparagraph shall not be lower than that which would be levied in the absence of a derogation.

Member States wishing to engage in such test programmes shall provide the Commission in advance with full details of the proposed test programme, including its intended duration. They shall also keep the Commission informed of actual implementation and results. The Commission shall inform all the other Member States.

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CHAPTER 4

Data exchange between customs authorities using information technology and computer networks

Article 4d

1. Without prejudice to any special circumstances and to the provisions of the procedure concerned, which, where appropriate, shall apply mutatis mutandis, where electronic systems for the exchange of information relating to a customs procedure or economic operators have been developed by Member States in co-operation with the Commission, the customs authorities shall use such systems for the exchange of information between customs offices concerned.

2. Where the customs offices involved in a procedure are located in different Member States, the messages to be used for the exchange of data shall conform to the structure and particulars defined by the customs authorities in agreement with each other.

Article 4e

1. In addition to the conditions referred to in Article 4a (2), the customs authorities shall establish and maintain adequate security arrangements for the effective, reliable and secure operation of the various systems.

2. To ensure the level of system security provided for in paragraph 1 each input, modification and deletion of data shall be recorded together with information giving the reason for, and exact time of, such processing and identifying the person who carried it out. The original data and any data so processed shall be kept for at least three calendar years from the end of the year to which such data refers, unless otherwise specified.

3. The customs authorities shall monitor security regularly.

4. The customs authorities involved shall inform each other and, where appropriate, the economic operator concerned, of all suspected breaches of security.







CHAPTER 5

Risk management

Article 4f

1. Customs authorities shall undertake risk management to differentiate between the levels of risk associated with goods subject to customs control or supervision and to determine whether or not, and if so where, the goods will be subject to specific customs controls.

2. The determination of levels of risk shall be based on an assessment of the likelihood of the risk-related event occurring and its impact, should the event actually materialise. The basis for the selection of consignments or declarations to be subject to customs controls shall include a random element.

Article 4g

1. Risk management at Community level, referred to in Article 13(2) of the Code, shall be carried out in accordance with an electronic common risk management framework comprised of the following elements:

(a) a Community customs risk management system for the implementation of risk management, to be used for the communication among the Member States customs authorities and the Commission of any risk-related information that would help to enhance customs controls;

(b) common priority control areas;

(c) common risk criteria and standards for the harmonised application of customs controls in specific cases.

2. Customs authorities shall, using the system referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1, exchange risk-related information in the following circumstances:

(a) the risks are assessed by a customs authority as significant and requiring customs control and the results of the control establish that the event, as referred to in Article 4(25) of the Code, has occurred;

(b) the control results do not establish that the event, as referred to in Article 4(25) of the Code, has occurred, but the customs authority concerned considers the threat to present a high risk elsewhere in the Community.

Article 4h

1. Common priority control areas shall cover particular customs-approved treatments or uses, types of goods, traffic routes, modes of transport or economic operators that are to be subject to increased levels of risk analysis and customs controls during a certain period.

2. The application of common priority control areas shall be based upon a common approach to risk analysis and, in order to ensure equivalent levels of customs controls, common risk criteria and standards for the selection of goods or economic operators for control.

3. Customs controls carried out in common priority control areas shall be without prejudice to other controls normally carried out by the customs authorities.

Article 4i

1. The common risk criteria and standards referred to in Article 4g(1)(c) shall include the following elements:

(a) a description of the risk(s);

(b) the factors or indicators of risk to be used to select goods or economic operators for customs control;

(c) the nature of customs controls to be undertaken by the customs authorities;

(d) the duration of the application of the customs controls referred to in point (c).

The information resulting from the application of the elements referred to in the first subparagraph shall be distributed by use of the Community customs risk management system referred to in Article 4g(1)(a). It shall be used by the customs authorities in their risk management systems.

2. Customs authorities shall inform the Commission of the results of customs controls carried out in accordance with paragraph 1.

Article 4j

For the establishment of common priority control areas and the application of common risk criteria and standards account shall be taken of the following elements:

(a) proportionality to the risk;

(b) the urgency of the necessary application of the controls;

(c) probable impact on trade flow, on individual Member States and on control resources.

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CHAPTER 6

Registration and Identification System

Article 4k

1. The EORI number shall be used for the identification of economic operators and other persons in their relations with the customs authorities.

The structure of the EORI number shall comply with the criteria set out in Annex 38.

2. If the authority responsible for assigning the EORI number is not the customs authority, each Member State shall designate the authority or authorities responsible for registering economic operators and other persons and assigning them EORI numbers.

The Member State customs authorities shall communicate to the Commission the name and the address details of the authority or authorities responsible for assigning the EORI number. The Commission shall publish this information on the Internet.

3. Subject to paragraph 1, Member States may use as an EORI number a number already assigned to an economic operator or to another person by the competent authorities for tax, statistical or other purposes.

Article 4l

1. An economic operator established in the customs territory of the Community, shall be registered by the customs authority or the designated authority of the Member State in which he is established. Economic operators shall apply for registration before they start activities referred to in Article 1(12). However, economic operators who have not applied for registration may do so during their first operation.

2. In the cases referred to in Article 4k(3), Member States may waive the obligation for an economic operator or another person to apply for an EORI number.

3. Where an economic operator not established in the customs territory of the Community does not have an EORI number, he shall be registered by the customs authority or the designated authority of the Member State where he first performs one of the following:

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(a) he lodges in the Community a summary or customs declaration other than any of the following: (i) a customs declaration made in accordance with Articles 225 to 238; (ii) a customs declaration made for temporary importation or for discharging this procedure by re-exportation; (iii) a customs declaration made under the common transit procedure by an economic operator established in a contracting party to the Convention on a common transit procedure other than the European Union, where that declaration is not also used as an entry or exit summary declaration; (iv) a customs declaration made under the Community transit procedure by an economic operator established in Andorra or in San Marino, where that declaration is not also used as an entry or exit summary declaration;

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(b) he lodges in the Community an exit or entry summary declaration;

(c) he operates a temporary storage facility pursuant to Article 185(1);

(d) he applies for an authorisation pursuant to Article 324a or 372;

(e) he applies for an authorised economic operator certificate pursuant to Article 14a.

4. Persons other than economic operators shall not be registered unless all the following conditions are met:

(a) such registration is required by the legislation of a Member State;

(b) the person has not previously been assigned an EORI number;

(c) the person engages in operations for which an EORI number must be provided pursuant to Annex 30A or Annex 37, Title I.

5. In the case referred to in paragraph 4:

(a) a person established in the customs territory of the Community, other than an economic operator referred to in paragraph 1, shall be registered by the customs authority or the designated authority of the Member State in which he is established;

(b) a person not established in the customs territory of the Community, other than an economic operator referred to in paragraph 3, shall be registered by the customs authority or the designated authority of the Member State in which he is involved in activities covered by customs legislation.

6. Economic operators and other persons shall have only one EORI number.

7. For the purposes of this Chapter, Article 4(2) of the Code shall apply mutatis mutandis in determining whether a person is established in a Member State.

Article 4m

1. Registration and identification data of economic operators or, where appropriate, of other persons processed in the system as referred to in Article 4o shall comprise the data listed in Annex 38d subject to specific conditions laid down in Article 4o(4) and (5).

2. When registering economic operators and other persons for an EORI number, Member States may require them to submit data other than the data listed in Annex 38d where that is necessary for purposes laid down in their national laws.

3. Member States may require economic operators or, where appropriate, other persons to submit the data referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 by electronic means.

Article 4n

The EORI number shall be used, if required, in all communications by economic operators and other persons with the customs authorities. It shall also be used for the exchange of information between customs authorities and between customs and other authorities under the conditions laid down in Articles 4p and 4q.

Article 4o

1. Member States shall cooperate with the Commission with a view to developing a central electronic information and communication system which contains the data listed in Annex 38d provided by all the Member States.

2. The customs authorities shall cooperate with the Commission to process and to exchange between customs authorities and between the Commission and customs authorities, the registration and identification data listed in Annex 38d of economic operators and other persons, by using the system referred to in paragraph 1.

Data other than the data listed in Annex 38d shall not be processed in the central system.

3. Member States shall ensure that their national systems are kept up to date, and are complete and accurate.

4. Member States shall upload on a regular basis to the central system the data listed in points 1 to 4 of Annex 38d concerning economic operators and other persons whenever new EORI numbers are assigned or changes in that data occur.

5. Member States shall also upload on a regular basis to the central system, where available in the national systems, the data listed in points 5 to 12 of Annex 38d concerning economic operators and other persons whenever new EORI numbers are assigned or changes in that data occur.

6. Only EORI numbers assigned in accordance with Article 4l(1) to (5) shall be uploaded to the central system, together with other data listed in Annex 38d.

7. Where it is established that an economic operator or a person other than an economic operator ceases the activities referred to in Article 1(12), Member States shall reflect this in the data listed in point 11 of Annex 38d.

Article 4p

In each Member State the authority designated in accordance with Article 4k(2) shall give the customs authorities of that Member State direct access to the data referred to in Annex 38d.

Article 4q

1. In each Member State the following authorities may give each other direct access on a case-by-case basis to the data referred to in points 1 to 4 of Annex 38d that they have in their possession:

(a) customs authorities;

(b) veterinary authorities;

(c) sanitary authorities;

(d) statistical authorities;

(e) tax authorities;

(f) authorities responsible for the fight against fraud;

(g) authorities responsible for trade policy, including agricultural authorities where relevant;

(h) authorities responsible for border control.

2. The authorities referred to in paragraph 1 may store the data referred to in that paragraph or exchange the data between themselves only if such processing is necessary for the purposes of meeting their legal obligations in respect of the movement of goods concerned by a customs procedure.

3. The Member States customs authorities shall communicate to the Commission the address details of the authorities referred to in paragraph 1. The Commission shall publish this information on the Internet.

Article 4r

An EORI number and the data listed in Annex 38d shall be processed in the central system for the period of time required by the law of the Member States that uploaded the data referred to in Article 4o(4) and (5).

Article 4s

1. This Regulation leaves intact and in no way affects the level of protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data under the provisions of Community and national law, and in particular does not alter either the obligations of Member States relating to their processing of personal data under Directive 95/46/EC or the obligations of the Community institutions and bodies relating to their processing of personal data under Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 when fulfilling their responsibilities

2. Identification and registration data of economic operators and other persons, constituted by the set of data listed in points 1, 2 and 3 of Annex 38d may be published by the Commission on the Internet only if they have freely given specific and informed written consent. Where granted, such consent shall be communicated, in accordance with the national legislation of the Member States, to the authority or authorities of the Member States designated in accordance with Article 4k(2), or to the customs authorities.

3. The rights of persons with regard to their registration data listed in Annex 38d and processed in national systems shall be exercised in accordance with the law of the Member State which stored their personal data, and in particular, where applicable, the provisions implementing Directive 95/46/EC.

Article 4t

The national supervisory data protection authorities and the European Data Protection Supervisor, each acting within the scope of their respective competences, shall cooperate actively and ensure coordinated supervision of the system referred to in Article 4o(1).

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TITLE II

BINDING INFORMATION







CHAPTER 1

Definitions

Article 5

For the purpose of this Title:

1. binding information: means tariff information or origin information binding on the administrations of all Community Member States when the conditions laid down in Articles 6 and 7 are fulfilled;

2. applicant: — tariff matters: means a person who has applied to the customs authorities for binding tariff information, — origin matters: means a person who has applied to the customs authorities for binding origin information and has valid reasons to do so;

3. holder: means the person in whose name the binding information is issued.







CHAPTER 2

Procedure for obtaining binding information — Notification of information to applicants and transmission to the Commission

Article 6

1. Applications for binding information shall be made in writing, either to the competent customs authorities in the Member State or Member States in which the information is to be used, or to the competent customs authorities in the Member State in which the applicant is established.

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Applications for binding tariff information shall be made by means of a form conforming to the specimen shown in Annex 1B.

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2. An application for binding tariff information shall relate to only one type of goods. An application for binding origin information shall relate to only one type of goods and one set of circumstances conferring origin.

3.

(A) Applications for binding tariff information shall include the following particulars: (a) the holder's name and address; (b) the name and address of the applicant where that person is not the holder; (c) the customs nomenclature in which the goods are to be classified. Where an applicant wishes to obtain the classification of goods in one of the nomenclatures referred to in Article 20 (3) (b) and (6) (b) of the Code, the application for binding tariff information shall make express mention of the nomenclature in question; (d) a detailed description of the goods permitting their identification and the determination of their classification in the customs nomenclature; (e) the composition of the goods and any methods of examination used to determine this, where the classification depends on it; (f) any samples, photographs, plans, catalogues or other documents available which may assist the customs authorities in determining the correct classification of the goods in the customs nomenclature, to be attached as annexes; (g) the classification envisaged; (h) agreement to supply a translation of any attached document into the official language (or one of the official languages) of the Member State concerned if requested by the customs authorities; (i) any particulars to be treated as confidential; (j) indication by the applicant whether, to his knowledge, binding tariff information for identical or similar goods has already been applied for, or issued in the Community; ▼M24 (k) acceptance that the information supplied may be stored on a database of the Commission and that the particulars of the binding tariff information, including any photograph(s), sketch(es), brochure(s) etc., may be disclosed to the public via the Internet, with the exception of the information which the applicant has marked as confidential; the provisions governing the protection of information in force shall apply. ▼M10

(B) Applications for binding origin information shall include the following particulars: (a) the holder's name and address; (b) the name and address of the applicant where that person is not the holder; (c) the applicable legal basis, for the purposes of Articles 22 and 27 of the Code; (d) a detailed description of the goods and their tariff classification; (e) the composition of the goods and any methods of examination used to determine this and their ex-works price, as necessary; (f) the conditions enabling origin to be determined, the materials used and their origin, tariff classification, corresponding values and a description of the circumstances (rules on change of tariff heading, value added, description of the operation or process, or any other specific rule) enabling the conditions in question to be met; in particular the exact rule of origin applied and the origin envisaged for the goods shall be mentioned; (g) any samples, photographs, plans, catalogues or other documents available on the composition of the goods and their component materials and which may assist in describing the manufacturing process or the processing undergone by the materials; (h) agreement to supply a translation of any attached document into the official language (or one of the official languages) of the Member State concerned if requested by the customs authorities; (i) any particulars to be treated as confidential, whether in relation to the public or the administrations; (j) indication by the applicant whether, to his knowledge, binding tariff information or binding origin information for goods or materials identical or similar to those referred to under points (d) or (f) have already been applied for or issued in the Community; (k) acceptance that the information supplied may be stored on a public-access database of the Commission; however, apart from Article 15 of the Code, the provisions governing the protection of information in force in the Member States shall apply.

4. Where, on receipt of the application, the customs authorities consider that it does not contain all the particulars required to give an informed opinion, the customs authorities shall ask the applicant to supply the required information. The time limits of three months and 150 days referred to in Article 7 shall run from the moment when the customs authorities have all the information needed to reach a decision; the customs authorities shall notify the applicant that the application has been received and the date from which the said time limit will run.

5. The list of customs authorities designated by the Member States to receive applications for or to issue binding information shall be published in the ‘C’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Article 7

1. Binding information shall be notified to the applicant as soon as possible.

(a) Tariff matters: if it has not been possible to notify binding tariff information to the applicant within three months of acceptance of the application, the customs authorities shall contact the applicant to explain the reason for the delay and indicate when they expect to be able to notify the information.

(b) Origin matters: information shall be notified within a time limit of 150 days from the date when the application was accepted.

2. Binding information shall be notified by means of a form conforming to the specimen shown at Annex 1 (binding tariff information) or Annex 1A (binding origin information). The notification shall indicate what particulars will be treated as confidential. The right of appeal referred to in Article 243 of the Code shall be mentioned.

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Article 8

1. In the case of binding tariff information, the customs authorities of the Member States shall, without delay, transmit to the Commission the following:

(a) a copy of the application for binding tariff information (set out in Annex 1B);

(b) a copy of the binding tariff information notified (copy No 2 set out in Annex 1);

(c) the data as given on copy No 4 set out in Annex 1.

In the case of binding origin information they shall, without delay, transmit to the Commission the relevant details of the binding origin information notified.

Such transmission shall be effected by electronic means.

2. Where a Member State so requests, the Commission shall send it without delay the particulars obtained in accordance with paragraph 1. Such transmission shall be effected by electronic means.

3. The electronically transmitted data of the application for binding tariff information, the binding tariff information notified and the data as given on copy No 4 of Annex 1 shall be stored in a central database of the Commission. The data of the binding tariff information, including any photograph(s), sketch(es), brochure(s) and so forth, may be disclosed to the public via the Internet, with the exception of the confidential information contained in boxes 3 and 8 of the binding tariff information notified.

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CHAPTER 3

Provisions applying in the event of inconsistencies in binding information

Article 9

1. Where different binding information exists:

— the Commission shall, on its own initiative or at the request of the representative of a Member State, place the item on the agenda of the Committee for discussion at the meeting to be held the following month or, failing that, the next meeting,

— in accordance with the Committee procedure, the Commission shall adopt a measure to ensure the uniform application of nomenclature or origin rules, as applicable, as soon as possible and within six months following the meeting referred to in the first indent.

2. For the purpose of applying paragraph 1, binding origin information shall be deemed to be different where it confers different origin on goods which:

— fall under the same tariff heading and whose origin was determined in accordance with the same origin rules and,

— have been obtained using the same manufacturing process.







CHAPTER 4

Legal effect of binding information

Article 10

1. Without prejudice to Articles 5 and 64 of the Code, binding information may be invoked only by the holder.

2.

(a) Tariff matters: the customs authorities may require the holder, when fulfilling customs formalities, to inform the customs authorities that he is in possession of binding tariff information in respect of the goods being cleared through customs.

(b) Origin matters: the authorities responsible for checking the applicability of binding origin information may require the holder, when completing any formalities, to inform the said authorities that he is in possession of binding origin information covering the goods in respect of which the formalities are being completed.

3. The holder of binding information may use it in respect of particular goods only where it is established:

(a) tariff matters: to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that the goods in question conform in all respects to those described in the information presented;

(b) origin matters: to the satisfaction of the authorities referred to in paragraph 2 (b) that the goods in question and the circumstances determining their origin conform in all respect to those described in the information presented.

4. The customs authorities (for binding tariff information) or the authorities referred to in paragraph 2 (b) (for binding origin information) may ask for the information to be translated into the official language or one of the official languages of the Member State concerned.

Article 11

Binding tariff information supplied by the customs authorities of a Member State since 1 January 1991 shall become binding on the competent authorities of all the Member States under the same conditions.

Article 12

1. On adoption of one of the acts or measures referred to in Article 12 (5) of the Code, the customs authorities shall take the necessary steps to ensure that binding information shall thenceforth be issued only in conformity with the act or measure in question.

2.

(a) For binding tariff information, for the purposes of paragraph 1 above, the date to be taken into consideration shall be as follows: — for the Regulations provided for in Article 12 (5) (a) (i) of the Code concerning amendments to the customs nomenclature, the date of their applicability, — for the Regulations provided for in Article 12 (5) (a) (i) of the Code and establishing or affecting the classification of goods in the customs nomenclature, the date of their publication in the ‘L’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities, — for the Regulations provided for in Article 12 (5) (a) (ii) of the Code concerning amendments to the explanatory notes to the combined nomenclature, the date of their publication in the ‘C’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities, — for judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities provided for in Article 12 (5) (a) (ii) of the Code, the date of the judgment, — for the measures provided for in Article 12 (5) (a) (ii) of the Code concerning the adoption of a classification opinion, or amendments to the explanatory notes to the Harmonized System Nomenclature by the World Customs Organization, the date of the Commission communication in the ‘C’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities.

(b) For binding origin information, for the purposes of paragraph 1, the date to be taken into consideration shall be as follows: — for the Regulations provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (i) of the Code concerning the determination of the origin of goods and the rules provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (ii), the date of their applicability, — for the measures provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (ii) of the Code concerning amendments to the explanatory notes and opinions adopted at Community level, the date of their publication in the ‘C’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities, — for judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (ii) of the Code, the date of the judgment, — for the measures provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (ii) of the Code concerning opinions on origin or explanatory notes adopted by the World Trade Organization, the date given in the Commission communication in the ‘C’ series of the Official Journal of the European Communities, — for the measures provided for in Article 12 (5) (b) (ii) of the Code concerning the Annex to the World Trade Organization's Agreement on rules of origin and those adopted under international agreements, the date of their applicability.

3. The Commission shall communicate the dates of adoption of the measures and acts referred to in this Article to the customs authorities as soon as possible.







CHAPTER 5

Provisions applying in the event of expiry of binding information

Article 13

Where, pursuant to the second sentence of Article 12 (4) and Article 12 (5) of the Code, binding information is void or ceases to be valid, the customs authority which supplied it shall notify the Commission as soon as possible

Article 14

1. When a holder of binding information which has ceased to be valid for reasons referred to in Article 12 (5) of the Code, wishes to make use of the possibility of invoking such information during a given period pursuant to paragraph 6 of that Article, he shall notify the customs authorities, providing any necessary supporting documents to enable a check to be made that the relevant conditions have been satisfied.

2. In exceptional cases where the Commission, in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 12 (7) of the Code, adopts a measure derogating from the provisions of paragraph 6 of that Article, or where the conditions referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article concerning the possibility of continuing to invoke binding tariff information or binding origin information have not been fulfilled, the customs authorities shall notify the holder in writing.

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TITLE IIA

AUTHORISED ECONOMIC OPERATORS







CHAPTER 1

Procedure for granting the certificates







Section 1

General provisions

Article 14a

1. Without prejudice to the use of simplifications otherwise provided for under the customs rules, the customs authorities may, following an application by an economic operator and in accordance with Article 5a of the Code, issue the following authorised economic operators’ certificates (hereinafter referred to as ‘AEO certificates’):

(a) an AEO certificate — Customs simplifications in respect of economic operators requesting to benefit from simplifications provided for under the customs rules and who fulfil the conditions laid down in Articles 14h, 14i and 14j;

(b) an AEO certificate — Security and safety in respect of economic operators requesting to benefit from facilitations of customs controls relating to security and safety when the goods enter the customs territory of the Community, or when the goods leave the customs territory of the Community and who fulfil the conditions laid down in Articles 14h to 14k;

(c) an AEO certificate — Customs Simplifications/security and safety, in respect of economic operators requesting to benefit from the simplifications described in point (a) and from facilitations described in point (b), and who fulfil the conditions laid down in Articles 14h to 14k.

2. The customs authorities shall take due account of the specific characteristics of economic operators, in particular of small and medium-sized companies.

Article 14b

1. If the holder of an AEO certificate referred to in point (a) or (c) of Article 14a(1) applies for one or more of the authorisations referred to in Articles 260, 263, 269, 272, 276, 277, 282, 283, 313a, 313b, 324a, 324e, 372, 454a, 912g, the customs authorities shall not re-examine those conditions which have already been examined when granting the AEO certificate.

2. When an entry summary declaration has been lodged by the holder of an AEO certificate referred to in point (b) or (c) of Article 14a(1), the competent customs office may, before the arrival of the goods into the customs territory of the Community, notify the authorised economic operator when, as a result of security and safety risk analysis, the consignment has been selected for further physical control. This notice shall only be provided where it does not jeopardise the control to be carried out.

Member States may, however, carry out a physical control even where an authorised economic operator has not been notified, prior to the arrival of the goods in the customs territory of the Community, of the selection of the consignment for such control. When goods are to leave the customs territory of the Community, the first and second subparagraphs shall apply mutatis mutandis.

3. Holders of an AEO certificate referred to in point (b) or (c) of Article 14a(1) importing or exporting goods may lodge entry and exit summary declarations comprising the reduced data requirements set out in Section 2.5 of Annex 30A.

Carriers, freight forwarders or customs agents who are holders of an AEO certificate referred to in point (b) or (c) of Article 14a(1), and are involved in the importation or exportation of goods on behalf of holders of AEO certificate referred to in point (b) or (c) of Article 14a(1) may also lodge entry and exit summary declarations comprising the reduced data requirements set out in Section 2.5 of Annex 30A.

Holders of an AEO certificate entitled to use reduced data requirements may be required to provide additional data elements in order to ensure the proper functioning of systems set out in international agreements with third countries relating to mutual recognition of AEO certificates and measures related to security.

4. The holder of an AEO certificate shall be subject to fewer physical and document-based controls than other economic operators. The customs authorities may decide otherwise in order to take into account a specific threat, or control obligations set out in other Community legislation.

Where, following risk analysis, the competent customs authority nevertheless selects for further examination a consignment covered by an entry or exit summary declaration or by a customs declaration lodged by an authorised economic operator, it shall carry out the necessary controls as a matter of priority. If the authorised economic operator so requests, and subject to agreement with the customs authority concerned, these controls may be carried out at a place which is different from the place of the customs office involved.

5. The benefits laid down in paragraphs 1 to 4 shall be subject to the economic operator concerned providing the necessary AEO certificate numbers.







Section 2

Application for an AEO certificate

Article 14c

1. Application for an AEO certificate shall be made in writing or in an electronic form in accordance with the specimen set out in Annex 1C.

2. Where the customs authority establishes that the application does not contain all the particulars required, the customs authority shall, within 30 calendar days of receipt of the application, ask the economic operator to supply the relevant information, stating the grounds for its request.

The time limits referred to in Articles 14l(1) and 14o(2) shall run from the date on which the customs authority receives all the necessary information to accept the application. The customs authorities shall inform the economic operator that the application has been accepted and the date from which the time limits will run.

Article 14d

1. The application shall be submitted to one of the following customs authorities:

(a) the customs authority of the Member State where the applicant's main accounts related to the customs arrangements involved are held, and where at least part of the operations to be covered by the AEO certificate are conducted;

(b) the customs authority of the Member State where the applicant's main accounts related to the customs arrangements involved are accessible in the applicant's computer system by the competent customs authority using information technology and computer networks, and where the applicant's general logistical management activities are conducted, and where at least part of the operations to be covered by the AEO certificate are carried out.

The applicant's main accounts referred to in points (a) and (b) shall include records and documentation enabling the customs authority to verify and monitor the conditions and the criteria necessary for obtaining the AEO certificate.

2. If the competent customs authority can not be determined under paragraph 1, the application shall be submitted to one of the following customs authorities:

(a) the customs authority of the Member State where the applicant's main accounts related to the customs arrangements involved are held;

(b) the customs authority of the Member State where the applicant's main accounts related to the customs arrangements involved are accessible, as referred to in paragraph 1(b), and the applicant's general logistical management activities are conducted.

3. If a part of the relevant records and documentation is kept in a Member State other than the Member State of the customs authority to which the application has been submitted pursuant to paragraph 1 or 2, the applicant shall duly complete Boxes 13, 16, 17 and 18 of the application form set out in Annex 1C.

4. If the applicant maintains a storage facility or other premises in a Member State other than the Member State of the customs authority to which the application has been submitted pursuant to paragraph 1 or 2, this information shall be provided by the applicant in Box 13 of the application form set out in Annex 1C, in order to facilitate the examination of the relevant conditions at the storage facility or other premises by the customs authorities of that Member State.

5. The consultation procedure referred to in Article 14m shall apply in the cases referred to in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this Article.

6. The applicant shall provide a readily accessible central point or nominate a contact person within the administration of the applicant, in order to make available to the customs authorities all of the information necessary for proving compliance with the requirements for issuing the AEO certificate.

7. Applicants shall, to the extent possible, submit necessary data to the customs authorities by electronic means.

Article 14e

Member States shall communicate to the Commission a list of their competent authorities, to which applications have to be made, and any subsequent changes thereto. The Commission shall forward such information to the other Member States or make it available on the Internet.

These authorities shall also act as the issuing customs authorities of the AEO certificates.

Article 14f

The application shall not be accepted in any of the following cases:

(a) the application does not comply with Articles 14c and 14d;

(b) the applicant has been convicted of a serious criminal offence linked to the economic activity of the applicant or is subject to bankruptcy proceedings at the time of the submission of the application;

(c) the applicant has a legal representative in customs matters who has been convicted of a serious criminal offence related to an infringement of customs rules and linked to his activity as legal representative;

(d) the application is submitted within three years after revocation of the AEO certificate as provided for in Article 14v(4).







Section 3

Conditions and criteria for granting the AEO certificate

Article 14g

An applicant need not be established in the customs territory of the Community in the following cases:

(a) where an international agreement between the Community and a third country in which the economic operator is established provides for mutual recognition of the AEO certificates and specifies the administrative arrangements for carrying out appropriate controls on behalf of the Member State's customs authority if required;

(b) where an application for the granting of an AEO certificate referred to in point (b) of Article 14a(1) is made by an airline or a shipping company not established in the Community but which has a regional office there and already benefits from the simplifications laid down in Articles 324e, 445 or 448.

In the case referred to in point (b) of the first paragraph, the applicant shall be deemed to have met the conditions set out in Articles 14h, 14i and 14j, but shall be required to meet the condition set out in Article 14k(2).

Article 14h

1. The record of compliance with customs requirements referred to in the first indent of Article 5a(2) of the Code shall be considered as appropriate if over the last three years preceding the submission of the application no serious infringement or repeated infringements of customs rules have been committed by any of the following persons:

(a) the applicant;

(b) the persons in charge of the applicant company or exercising control over its management;

(c) if applicable, the applicant's legal representative in customs matters;

(d) the person responsible in the applicant company for customs matters.

However, the record of compliance with customs requirements may be considered as appropriate if the competent customs authority considers any infringement to be of negligible importance, in relation to the number or size of the customs related operations, and not to create doubts concerning the good faith of the applicant.

2. If the persons exercising control over the applicant company are established or resident in a third country, the customs authorities shall assess their compliance with customs requirements on the basis of records and information that are available to them.

3. If the applicant has been established for less then three years, the customs authorities shall asses his compliance with customs requirements on the basis of the records and information that are available to them.

Article 14i

To enable the customs authorities to establish that the applicant has a satisfactory system of managing commercial and, where appropriate, transport records, as referred to in the second indent of Article 5a(2) of the Code, the applicant shall fulfil the following requirements:

(a) maintain an accounting system which is consistent with the generally accepted accounting principles applied in the Member State where the accounts are held and which will facilitate audit-based customs control;

(b) allow the customs authority physical or electronic access to its customs and, where appropriate, transport records;

(c) have a logistical system which distinguishes between Community and non-Community goods;

(d) have an administrative organisation which corresponds to the type and size of business and which is suitable for the management of the flow of goods, and have internal controls capable of detecting illegal or irregular transactions;

(e) where applicable, have satisfactory procedures in place for the handling of licenses and authorisations connected to commercial policy measures or to trade in agricultural products;

(f) have satisfactory procedures in place for the archiving of the company's records and information and for protection against the loss of information;

(g) ensure that employees are made aware of the need to inform the customs authorities whenever compliance difficulties are discovered and establish suitable contacts to inform the customs authorities of such occurrences;

(h) have appropriate information technology security measures in place to protect the applicant's computer system from unauthorised intrusion and to secure the applicant's documentation.

An applicant requesting the AEO certificate referred to in point (b) of Article 14a(1) shall not be required to fulfil the requirement laid down in point (c) of the first paragraph of this Article.

Article 14j

1. The condition relating to the financial solvency of the applicant referred to in the third indent of Article 5a(2) of the Code shall be deemed to be met if his solvency can be proven for the past three years.

For the purposes of this Article, financial solvency shall mean a good financial standing which is sufficient to fulfil the commitments of the applicant, with due regard to the characteristics of the type of the business activity.

2. If the applicant has been established for less then three years, his financial solvency shall be judged on the basis of records and information that are available.

Article 14k

1. The applicant's security and safety standards referred to in the fourth indent of Article 5a(2) of the Code shall be considered to be appropriate if the following conditions are fulfilled:

(a) buildings to be used in connection with the operations to be covered by the certificate are constructed of materials which resist unlawful entry and provide protection against unlawful intrusion;

(b) appropriate access control measures are in place to prevent unauthorised access to shipping areas, loading docks and cargo areas;

(c) measures for the handling of goods include protection against the introduction, exchange or loss of any material and tampering with cargo units;

(d) where applicable, procedures are in place for the handling of import and/or export licenses connected to prohibitions and restrictions and to distinguish these goods from other goods;

(e) the applicant has implemented measures allowing a clear identification of his business partners in order to secure the international supply chain;

(f) the applicant conducts, in so far as legislation permits, security screening on prospective employees working in security sensitive positions and carries out periodic background checks;

(g) the applicant ensures that its staff concerned actively participate in security awareness programmes.

2. If an airline or shipping company which is not established in the Community, but has a regional office there and benefits from the simplifications laid down in Articles 324e, 445 or 448, submits an application for an AEO certificate referred to in point (b) of Article 14a(1), it shall fulfil one of the following conditions:

(a) be the holder of an internationally recognised security and/or safety certificate issued on the basis of the international conventions governing the transport sectors concerned;

(b) be a regulated agent, as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 3 ), and fulfil the requirements laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 622/2003 ( 4 );

(c) be the holder of a certificate issued in a country outside of the customs territory of the Community, where a bilateral agreement concluded between the Community and the third country provides for acceptance of the certificate, subject to the conditions laid down in that agreement.

If the airline or shipping company is the holder of a certificate referred to in point (a) of this paragraph, it shall meet the criteria laid down in paragraph 1. The issuing customs authority shall consider the criteria laid down in paragraph 1 to be met, to the extent that the criteria for issuing the international certificate are identical or correspond to those laid down in paragraph 1.

3. If the applicant is established in the Community and is a regulated agent as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 2320/2002 and fulfils the requirements provided for in Regulation (EC) No 622/2003, the criteria laid down in paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met in relation to the premises for which the economic operator obtained the status of regulated agent.

4. If the applicant, established in the Community, is the holder of an internationally recognised security and/or safety certificate issued on the basis of international conventions, of a European security and/or safety certificate issued on the basis of Community legislation, of an International Standard of the International Organisation for Standardisation, or of a European Standard of the European Standards Organisations, the criteria provided for in paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met to the extent that the criteria for issuing these certificates are identical or correspond to those laid down in this Regulation.







Section 4

Procedure for issuing AEO certificates

Article 14l

1. The issuing customs authority shall communicate the application to the customs authorities of all other Member States within five working days starting from the date on which it has received the application in accordance with Article 14c using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

2. Where the customs authority of any other Member State has relevant information which may prejudice the granting of the certificate, it shall communicate that information to the issuing customs authority within 35 calendar days starting from the date of the communication provided for in paragraph 1, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

Article 14m

1. Consultation between the customs authorities of the Member States shall be required if the examination of one or more of the criteria laid down in Articles 14g to 14k cannot be performed by the issuing customs authority due either to a lack of information or to the impossibility of checking it. In these cases, the customs authorities of the Member States shall carry out the consultation within 60 calendar days, starting from the date of the communication of the information by the issuing customs authority, in order to allow for the issuing of the AEO certificate or the rejection of the application within the time limits set out in Article 14o(2).

If the consulted customs authority fails to respond within the 60 calendar days, the consulting authority may assume, at the responsibility of the consulted customs authority, that the criteria for which the consultation took place are met. This period may be extended if the applicant carries out adjustments in order to satisfy those criteria and communicates them to the consulted and the consulting authority.

2. Where, following the examination provided for in Article 14n, the consulted customs authority establishes that the applicant does not fulfil one or more of the criteria, the results, duly documented, shall be transferred to the issuing customs authority which shall reject the application. Article 14o(4), (5) and (6) shall apply.

Article 14n

1. The issuing customs authority shall examine whether or not the conditions and criteria for issuing the certificate described in Articles 14g to 14k are met. Examination of the criteria laid down in Article 14k shall be carried out for all the premises which are relevant to the customs related activities of the applicant. The examination as well as its results shall be documented by the customs authority.

Where, in the case of a large number of premises, the period for issuing the certificate would not allow for examination of all of the relevant premises, but the customs authority has no doubt that the applicant maintains corporate security standards which are commonly used in all its premises, it may decide only to examine a representative proportion of those premises.

2. The issuing customs authority may accept conclusions provided by an expert in the relevant fields referred to in Articles 14i, 14j and 14k in respect of the conditions and criteria referred to in those Articles respectively. The expert shall not be related to the applicant.

Article 14o

1. The issuing customs authority shall issue the AEO certificate in accordance with the specimen set out in Annex 1D.

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2. The customs authority shall issue an AEO Certificate or reject the application within 120 calendar days of the date of receipt of the application in accordance with Article 14c. Where it is unable to meet the deadline, this period may be extended by one further period of 60 calendar days. In such cases, the customs authority shall, before the expiry of the period of 120 calendar days, inform the applicant of the reasons for the extension.

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3. The period provided for in the first sentence of paragraph 2 may be extended if, in the course of the examination of the criteria, the applicant carries out adjustments in order to satisfy those criteria and communicates them to the competent authority.

4. Where the result of the examination performed in accordance with Articles 14l, 14m and 14n is likely to lead to the rejection of the application, the issuing customs authority shall communicate the findings to the applicant and provide him with the opportunity to respond within 30 calendar days, before rejecting the application. The period laid down in the first sentence of paragraph 2 shall be suspended accordingly.

5. The rejection of an application shall not lead to the automatic revocation of any existing authorisation issued under the customs rules.

6. If the application is rejected, the customs authority shall inform the applicant of the grounds on which the decision is based. The decision to reject an application shall be notified to the applicant within the time limits laid down in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).

Article 14p

The issuing customs authority shall, within five working days, inform the customs authorities of the other Member States that an AEO certificate has been issued, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x. Information shall also be provided within the same time limit if the application is rejected.







CHAPTER 2

Legal effects of AEO certificates







Section 1

General provisions

Article 14q

1. The AEO certificate shall take effect on the 10th working day after the date of its issue.

2. The AEO certificate shall be recognised in all Member States.

3. The period of validity of the AEO certificate shall not be limited.

4. The customs authorities shall monitor the compliance with the conditions and criteria to be met by the authorised economic operator.

5. A re-assessment of the conditions and criteria shall be carried out by the issuing customs authority in the following cases:

(a) major changes to the relevant Community legislation;

(b) reasonable indication that the relevant conditions and criteria are not any longer met by the authorised economic operator.

In the case of an AEO certificate issued to an applicant established for less than three years, close monitoring shall take place during the first year after issue.

Article 14n(2) shall apply.

The results of the re-assessment shall be made available to the customs authorities of all Member States, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.







Section 2

Suspension of the status of authorised economic operator

Article 14r

1. The status of authorised economic operator shall be suspended by the issuing customs authority in the following cases:

(a) where non-compliance with the conditions or criteria for the AEO certificate has been detected;

(b) the customs authorities have sufficient reason to believe that an act, which gives rise to criminal court proceedings and linked to an infringement of the customs rules, has been perpetrated by the authorised economic operator.

However, in the case referred to in point (b) of the first subparagraph, the customs authority may decide not to suspend the status of authorised economic operator if it considers an infringement to be of negligible importance in relation to the number or size of the customs related operations and not to create doubts concerning the good faith of the authorised economic operator.

Before taking a decision, the customs authorities shall communicate their findings to the economic operator concerned. The economic operator concerned shall be entitled to correct the situation and/or express his point of view within 30 calendar days starting from the date of communication.

However, where the nature or the level of the threat to citizens’ security and safety, to public health or to the environment so requires, suspension shall take place immediately. The suspending customs authority shall immediately inform the customs authorities of the other Member States, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x, in order to permit them to take appropriate action.

2. If the holder of the AEO certificate does not regularise the situation referred to in point (a) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1 within the period of 30 calendar days referred to in the third subparagraph of paragraph 1, the competent customs authority shall notify the economic operator concerned that the status of authorised economic operator is suspended for a period of 30 calendar days, to enable the economic operator to take the required measures to regularise the situation. The notification shall also be sent to the customs authorities of the other Member States using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

3. If the holder of the AEO certificate has committed an act referred to in point (b) of the first subparagraph of paragraph 1, the issuing customs authority shall suspend the status of authorised economic operator for the duration of the court proceedings. It shall notify the holder of the certificate to that effect. Notification shall also be sent to the customs authorities of the other Member States, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

4. Where the economic operator concerned has been unable to regularise the situation within 30 calendar days but can provide evidence that the conditions can be met if the suspension period is extended, the issuing customs authority shall suspend the status of authorised economic operator for a further 30 calendar days.

Article 14s

1. The suspension shall not affect any customs procedure already started before the date of suspension and not yet completed.

2. The suspension shall not automatically affect any authorisation which has been granted without reference to the AEO certificate unless the reasons for the suspension also have relevance for that authorisation.

3. The suspension shall not automatically affect any authorisation for use of a customs simplification which has been granted on the basis of the AEO certificate and for which the conditions are still fulfilled.

4. In the case of an AEO certificate referred to in point (c) of Article 14a(1), if the economic operator concerned fails to fulfil only the conditions laid down in Article 14k, the status of authorised economic operator shall be partially suspended and a new AEO certificate, as referred to in point (a) of Article 14a(1) may be issued at his request.

Article 14t

1. When the economic operator concerned has, to the satisfaction of the customs authorities, taken the necessary measures to comply with the conditions and criteria that have to be met by an authorised economic operator, the issuing customs authority shall withdraw the suspension and inform the economic operator concerned and the customs authorities of the other Member States. The suspension may be withdrawn before the expiry of the time limit laid down in Article 14r(2) or (4).

In the situation referred to in Article 14s (4), the suspending customs authority shall reinstate the suspended certificate. It shall subsequently revoke the AEO certificate referred to in point (a) of Article 14a(1).

2. If the economic operator concerned fails to take the necessary measures within the suspension period provided for in Article 14r(2) or (4), the issuing customs authority shall revoke the AEO certificate and immediately notify the customs authorities of the other Member States, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

In the situation referred to in Article 14s (4), the original certificate shall be revoked and only the new AEO certificate as referred to in point (a) of Article 14a(1) issued shall be valid.

Article 14u

1. Where an authorised economic operator is temporarily unable to meet any of the criteria laid down in Article 14a, he may request suspension of the status of authorised economic operator. In such case, the authorised economic operator shall notify the issuing customs authority, specifying the date when he will be able to meet the criteria again. He shall also notify the issuing customs authority of any planned measures and their timescale.

The notified customs authority shall send the notification to the customs authorities of the other Member States using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

2. If the authorised economic operator fails to regularise the situation within the period set out in his notification, the issuing customs authority may grant a reasonable prolongation, provided that the authorised economic operator has acted in good faith. This prolongation shall be notified to the customs authorities of the other Member States using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

In all other cases, the AEO certificate shall be revoked and the issuing customs authority shall immediately notify the customs authorities of the other Member States, using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

3. If the required measures are not taken within the suspension period, Article 14v shall apply.







Section 3

Revocation of the AEO certificate

Article 14v

1. The AEO certificate shall be revoked by the issuing customs authority in the following cases:

(a) where the authorised economic operator fails to take the measures referred to in Article 14t(1);

(b) where serious infringements related to customs rules have been committed by the authorised economic operator and there is no further right of appeal;

(c) where the authorised economic operator fails to take the necessary measures during the suspension period referred to in Article 14u;

(d) upon request of the authorised economic operator.

However, in the case referred to in point (b), the customs authority may decide not to revoke the AEO certificate if it considers the infringements to be of negligible importance in relation to the number or size of the customs related operations and not to create doubts concerning the good faith of the authorised economic operator.

2. Revocation shall take effect from the day following its notification.

In the case of an AEO certificate as referred to in point (c) of Article 14a(1), where the economic operator concerned only fails to fulfil the conditions in Article 14k, the certificate shall be revoked by the issuing customs authority and a new AEO certificate as referred to in point (a) of Article 14a(1) shall be issued.

3. The issuing customs authority shall immediately inform the customs authorities of the other Member States of the revocation of an AEO certificate using the communication system referred to in Article 14x.

4. Apart from cases of revocation referred to in points (c) and (d) of paragraph 1, the economic operator shall not be permitted to submit a new application for an AEO certificate within three years from the date of revocation.







CHAPTER 3

Information exchange

Article 14w

1. The authorised economic operator shall inform the issuing customs authority of all factors arising after the certificate is granted which may influence its continuation or content.

2. All relevant information at the disposal of the issuing customs authority shall be made available to the customs authorities of the other Member States where the authorised economic operator carries out customs related activities.

3. If a customs authority revokes a specific authorisation granted to an authorised economic operator, on the basis of his AEO certificate, for the use of a particular customs simplification, as provided for in Articles 260, 263, 269, 272, 276, 277, 282, 283, 313a and 313b, 324a, 324e, 372, 454a, 912g, it shall so notify the customs authority which issued the AEO certificate.

Article 14x

1. An electronic information and communication system, defined by the Commission and the customs authorities in agreement with each other, shall be used for the information and communication process between the customs authorities and for information of the Commission and of the economic operators.

2. The Commission and the customs authorities shall, using the system referred to in paragraph 1, store and have access to the following information:

(a) the electronically transmitted data of the applications;

(b) the AEO certificates, and where applicable, their amendment, revocation, or the suspension of the status of authorised economic operator;

(c) all other relevant information.

3. The issuing customs authority shall notify the risk analysis offices in its own Member State of the granting, amendment, revocation of an AEO certificate, or the suspension of the status of authorised economic operator. It shall also inform all issuing authorities of the other Member States.

4. The list of authorised economic operators may be disclosed by the Commission to the public via the Internet with prior agreement of the authorised economic operator concerned. The list shall be updated.

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TITLE IV

ORIGIN OF GOODS







CHAPTER 1

Non-preferential origin







Section 1

Working or processing conferring origin

Article 35

This chapter lays down, for textiles and textile articles falling within Section XI of the combined nomenclature, and for certain products other than textiles and textile articles, the working or processing which shall be regarded as satisfying the criteria laid down in Article 24 of the Code and shall confer on the products concerned the origin of the country in which they were carried out.

‘Country’ means either a third country or the Community as appropriate.







Subsection 1

Textiles and textile articles falling within Section XI of the combined nomenclature

Article 36

For textiles and textile articles falling within Section XI of the combined nomenclature, a complete process, as specified in Article 37, shall be regarded as a working or processing conferring origin in terms of Article 24 of the Code.

Article 37

Working or processing as a result of which the products obtained receive a classification under a heading of the combined nomenclature other than those covering the various non-originating materials used shall be regarded as complete processes.

However, for products listed in Annex 10, only the specific processes referred to in column 3 of that Annex in connection with each product obtained shall be regarded as complete, whether or not they involve a change of heading.

The method of applying the rules in Annex 10 is described in the introductory notes in Annex 9.

Article 38

For the purposes of the preceding Article, the following shall in any event be considered as insufficient working or processing to confer the status of originating products whether or not there is a change of heading:

(a) operations to ensure the preservation of products in good condition during transport and storage (ventilation, spreading out, drying, removal of damaged parts and like operations);

(b) simple operations consisting of removal of dust, sifting or screening, sorting, classifying, matching (including the making-up of sets of articles), washing, cutting up;

(i) changes of packing and breaking-up and assembly of consignments; (ii) simple placing in bags, cases, boxes, fixing on cards or boards, etc., and all other simple packing operations; (c)

(d) the affixing of marks, labels or other like distinguishing signs on products or their packaging;

(e) simple assembly of parts of products to constitute a complete product;

(f) a combination of two or more operations specified in (a) to (e).







Subsection 2

Products other than textiles and textile articles falling within Section XI of the combined nomenclature

Article 39

In the case of products obtained which are listed in Annex 11, the working or processing referred to in column 3 of the Annex shall be regarded as a process or operation conferring origin under Article 24 of the Code.

The method of applying the rules set out in Annex 11 is described in the introductory notes in Annex 9.







Subsection 3

Common provisions for all products

Article 40

Where the lists in Annexes 10 and 11 provide that origin is conferred if the value of the non-originating materials used does not exceed a given percentage of the ex-works price of the products obtained, such percentage shall be calculated as follows:

— ‘value’ means the customs value at the time of import of the non-originating materials used or, if this is not known and cannot be ascertained, the first ascertainable price paid for such materials in the country of processing,

— ‘ex-works price’ means the ex-works price of the product obtained minus any internal taxes which are, or may be, repaid when such product is exported,

— ‘value acquired as a result of assembly operations’ means the increase in value resulting from the assembly itself, together with any finishing and checking operations, and from the incorporation of any parts originating in the country where the operations in question were carried out, including profit and the general costs borne in that country as a result of the operations.







Section 2

Implementing provisions relating to spare parts

Article 41

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1. Accessories, spare parts or tools delivered with any piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle which form part of its standard equipment shall be deemed to have the same origin as that piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle.

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►M1 2. ◄ Essential spare parts for use with any piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle put into free circulation or previously exported shall be deemed to have the same origin as that piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle provided the conditions laid down in this section are fulfilled.

Article 42

The presumption of origin referred to in the preceding Article shall be accepted only:

— if this is necessary for importation into the country of destination,

— if the incorporation of the said essential spare parts in the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle concerned at the production stage would not have prevented the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle from having Community origin or that of the country of manufacture.

Article 43

For the purposes of Article 41:

(a) ‘piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle’ means goods listed in Sections XVI, XVII and XVIII of the combined nomenclature;

(b) ‘essential spare parts’ means parts which are: — components without which the proper operation of the goods referred to in (a) which have been put into free circulation or previously exported cannot be ensured, and — characteristic of those goods, and — intended for their normal maintenance and to replace parts of the same kind which are damaged or have become unserviceable.

Article 44

Where an application is presented to the competent authorities or authorized agencies of the Member States for a certificate of origin for essential spare parts within the meaning of Article 41, box 6 (Item number, marks, numbers, number and kind of packages, description of goods) of that certificate and the application relating thereto shall include a declaration by the person concerned that the goods mentioned therein are intended for the normal maintenance of a piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle previously exported, together with the exact particulars of the said piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle.

Whenever possible, the person concerned shall also give the particulars of the certificate of origin (issuing authority, number and date of certificate) under cover of which was exported the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle for whose maintenance the parts are intended.

Article 45

Where the origin of essential spare parts within the meaning of Article 41 must be proved for their release for free circulation in the Community by the production of a certificate of origin, the certificate shall include the particulars referred to in Article 44.

Article 46

In order to ensure application of the rules laid down in this section, the competent authorities of the Member States may require additional proof, in particular:

— production of the invoice or a copy of the invoice relating to the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle put into free circulation or previously exported,

— the contract or a copy of the contract or any other document showing that delivery is being made as part of the normal maintenance service.







Section 3

Implementing provisions relating to certificates of origin







Subsection 1

Provisions relating to universal certificates of origin

Article 47

When the origin of a product is or has to be proved on importation by the production of a certificate of origin, that certificate shall fulfil the following conditions:

(a) it shall be made out by a reliable authority or agency duly authorized for that purpose by the country of issue;

(b) it shall contain all the particulars necessary for identifying the product to which it relates, in particular: — the number of packages, their nature, and the marks and numbers they bear, — the type of product, — the gross and net weight of the product; these particulars may, however, be replaced by others, such as the number or volume, when the product is subject to appreciable changes in weight during carriage or when its weight cannot be ascertained or when it is normally identified by such other particulars, — the name of the consignor;

(c) it shall certify unambiguously that the product to which it relates originated in a specific country.

Article 48

1. A certificate of origin issued by the competent authorities or authorized agencies of the Member States shall comply with the conditions prescribed by Article 47 (a) and (b).

2. The certificates and the applications relating to them shall be made out on forms corresponding to the specimens in Annex 12.

3. Such certificates of origin shall certify that the goods originated in the Community.

However, when the exigencies of export trade so require, they may certify that the goods originated in a particular Member State.

If the conditions of Article 24 of the Code are fulfilled only as a result of a series of operations or processes carried out in different Member States, the goods may only be certified as being of Community origin.

Article 49

Certificates of origin shall be issued upon written request of the person concerned.

Where the circumstances so warrant, in particular where the applicant maintains a regular flow of exports, the Member States may decide not to require an application for each export operation, on condition that the provisions concerning origin are complied with.

Where the exigencies of trade so require, one or more extra copies of an origin certificate may be issued.

Such copies shall be made out on forms corresponding to the specimen in Annex 12.

Article 50

1. The certificate shall measure 210 × 297 mm. A tolerance of up to minus 5 mm or plus 8 mm in the length shall be allowed. The paper used shall be white, free of mechanical pulp, dressed for writing purposes and weigh at least 64 g/m2 or between 25 and 30 g/m2 where air-mail paper is used. It shall have a printed guilloche pattern background in sepia such as to reveal any falsification by mechanical or chemical means.

2. The application form shall be printed in the official language or in one or more of the official languages of the exporting Member State. The certificate of origin form shall be printed in one or more of the official languages of the Community or, depending on the practice and requirements of trade, in any other language.

3. Member States may reserve the right to print the certificate of origin forms or may have them printed by approved printers. In the latter case, each certificate must bear a reference to such approval. Each certificate of origin form must bear the name and address of the printer or a mark by which the printer can be identified. It shall also bear a serial number, either printed or stamped, by which it can be identified.

Article 51

The application form and the certificate of origin shall be completed in typescript or by hand in block capitals, in an identical manner, in one of the official languages of the Community or, depending on the practice and requirements of trade, in any other languages.

Article 52

Each origin certificate referred to in Article 48 shall bear a serial number by which it can be identified. The application for the certificate and all copies of the certificate itself shall bear the same number.

In addition, the competent authorities or authorized agencies of the Member States may number such documents by order of issue.

Article 53

The competent authorities of the Member States shall determine what additional particulars, if any, are to be given in the application. Such additional particulars shall be kept to a strict minimum.

Each Member State shall inform the Commission of the provisions it adopts in pursuance of the preceding paragraph. The Commission shall immediately communicate this information to the other Member States.

Article 54

The competent authorities or authorized agencies of the Member States which have issued certificates of origin shall retain the applications for a minimum of two years.

However, applications may also be retained in the form of copies thereof, provided that these have the same probative value under the law of the Member State concerned.







Subsection 2

Specific provisions relating to certificates of origin for certain agricultural products subject to special import arrangements

Article 55

Articles 56 to 65 lay down the conditions for use of certificates of origin relating to agricultural products originating in third countries for which special non-preferential import arrangements have been established, in so far as these arrangements refer to the following provisions.







(a)

Certificates of origin

Article 56

1. Certificates of origin relating to agricultural products originating in third countries for which special non-preferential import arrangements are established shall be made out on a form conforming to the specimen in Annex 13.

2. Such certificates shall be issued by the competent governmental authorities of the third countries concerned, hereinafter referred to as the issuing authorities, if the products to which the certificates relate can be considered as products originating in those countries within the meaning of the rules in force in the Community.

3. Such certificates shall also certify all necessary information provided for in the Community legislation governing the special import arrangements referred to in Article 55.

4. Without prejudice to specific provisions under the special import arrangements referred to in Article 55 the period of validity of the certificates of origin shall be ten months from the date of issue by the issuing authorities.

Article 57

1. Certificates of origin drawn up in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall consist only of a single sheet identified by the word ‘original’ next to the title of the document.

If additional copies are necessary, they shall bear the designation ‘copy’ next to the title of the document.

2. The competent authorities in the Community shall accept as valid only the original of the certificate of origin.

Article 58

1. The certificate of origin shall measure 210 × 297 mm; a tolerance of up to plus 8 mm or minus 5 mm in the length may be allowed. The paper used shall be white, not containing mechanical pulp, and shall weigh not less than 40 g/m2. The face of the original shall have a printed yellow guilloche pattern background making any falsification by mechanical or chemical means apparent.

2. The certificates shall be printed and completed in one of the official languages of the Community.

Article 59

1. The certificate shall be completed in typescript or by means of a mechanical data-processing system, or similar procedure.

2. Entries must not be erased or overwritten. Any changes shall be made by crossing out the wrong entry and if necessary adding the correct particulars. Such changes shall be initialled by the person making them and endorsed by the issuing authorities.

Article 60

1. Box 5 of the certificates of origin issued in accordance with Articles 56 to 59 shall contain any additional particulars which may be required for the implementation of the special import arrangements to which they relate as referred to in Article 56 (3).

2. Unused spaces in boxes 5, 6 and 7 shall be struck through in such a way that nothing can be added at a later stage.

Article 61

Each certificate of origin shall bear a serial number, whether or not printed, by which it can be identified, and shall be stamped by the issuing authority and signed by the person or persons empowered to do so.

The certificate shall be issued when the products to which it relates are exported, and the issuing authority shall keep a copy of each certificate issued.

Article 62

Exceptionally, the certificates of origin referred to above may be issued after the export of the products to which they relate, where the failure to issue them at the time of such export was a result of involuntary error or omission or special circumstances.

The issuing authorities may not issue retrospectively a certificate of origin provided for in Articles 56 to 61 until they have checked that the particulars in the exporter's application correspond to those in the relevant export file.

Certificates issued retrospectively shall bear one of the following:

— expedido a posteriori,

— udstedt efterfølgende,

— Nachträglich ausgestellt,

— Εκδοθέν εκ των υστέρων,

— Issued retrospectively,

— Délivré a posteriori,

— rilasciato a posteriori,

— afgegeven a posteriori,

— emitido a posteriori,

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— annettu jälkikäteen/utfärdat i efterhand,

— utfärdat i efterhand,

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— Vystaveno dodatečně,

— Välja antud tagasiulatuvalt,

— Izsniegts retrospektīvi,

— Retrospektyvusis išdavimas,

— Kiadva visszamenőleges hatállyal,

— Maħruġ retrospettivament,

— Wystawione retrospektywnie,

— Izdano naknadno,

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— Vyhotovené dodatočne,

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— издаден впоследствие,

— eliberat ulterior,

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in the ‘Remarks’ box.







(b)

Administrative cooperation

Article 63

1. Where the special import arrangements for certain agricultural products provide for the use of the certificate of origin laid down in Articles 56 to 62, the entitlement to use such arrangements shall be subject to the setting up of an administrative cooperation procedure unless specified otherwise in the arrangements concerned.

To this end the third countries concerned shall send the Commission of the European Communities:

— the names and addresses of the issuing authorities for certificates of origin together with specimens of the stamps used by the said authorities,

— the names and addresses of the government authorities to which requests for the subsequent verification of origin certificates provided for in Article 64 below should be sent.

The Commission shall transmit all the above information to the competent authorities of the Member States.

2. Where the third countries in question fail to send the Commission the information specified in paragraph 1, the competent authorities in the Community shall refuse access entitlement to the special import arrangements.

Article 64

1. Subsequent verification of the certificates of origin referred to in Articles 56 to 62 shall be carried out at random and whenever reasonable doubt has arisen as to the authenticity of the certificate or the accuracy of the information it contains.

For origin matters the verification shall be carried out on the initiative of the customs authorities.

For the purposes of agricultural rules, the verification may be carried out, where appropriate, by other competent authorities.

2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the competent authorities in the Community shall return the certificate of origin or a copy thereof to the governmental authority designated by the exporting country, giving, where appropriate, the reasons of form or substance for an enquiry. If the invoice has been produced, the original or a copy thereof shall be attached to the returned certificate. The authorities shall also provide any information that has been obtained suggesting that the particulars given on the certificates are inaccurate or that the certificate is not authentic.

Should the customs authorities in the Community decide to suspend the application of the special import arrangements concerned pending the results of the verification they shall grant release of the products subject to such precautions as they consider necessary.

Article 65

1. The results of subsequent verifications shall be communicated to the competent authorities in the Community as soon as possible.

The said results must make it possible to determine whether the origin certificates remitted in the conditions laid down in Article 64 above apply to the goods actually exported and whether the latter may actually give rise to application of the special importation arrangements concerned.

2. If there is no reply within a maximum time limit of six months to requests for subsequent verification, the competent authorities in the Community shall definitively refuse to grant entitlement to the special import arrangements.

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CHAPTER 2

Preferential origin

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Section 1

Generalised system of preferences







Sub-section 1

General provisions

Article 66

This section lays down the rules concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’, the procedures and the methods of administrative cooperation related thereto, for the purposes of the application of the scheme of generalised tariff preferences (GSP) granted by the European Union by Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 ( 5 ) to developing countries (‘the scheme’).

Article 67

1. For the purposes of this Section and Section 1A of this Chapter the following definitions shall apply:

(a) ‘beneficiary country’ means a country or territory listed in Regulation (EC) No 732/2008; the term ‘beneficiary country’ shall also cover and cannot exceed the limits of the territorial sea of that country or territory within the meaning of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Montego Bay Convention, 10 December 1982);

(b) ‘manufacture’ means any kind of working or processing including assembly;

(c) ‘material’ means any ingredient, raw material, component or part, etc., used in the manufacture of the product;

(d) ‘product’ means the product being manufactured, even if it is intended for later use in another manufacturing operation;

(e) ‘goods’ means both materials and products;

(f) ‘bilateral cumulation’ means a system that allows products which according to this Regulation originate in the European Union, to be considered as originating materials in a beneficiary country when they are further processed or incorporated into a product in that beneficiary country;

(g) ‘cumulation with Norway, Switzerland or Turkey’ means a system that allows products which originate in Norway, Switzerland or Turkey to be considered as originating materials in a beneficiary country when they are further processed or incorporated into a product in that beneficiary country and imported into the European Union;

(h) ‘regional cumulation’ means a system whereby products which according to this Regulation originate in a country which is a member of a regional group are considered as materials originating in another country of the same regional group (or a country of another regional group where cumulation between groups is possible) when further processed or incorporated in a product manufactured there;

(i) ‘extended cumulation’ means a system, conditional upon the granting by the Commission, on a request lodged by a beneficiary country and whereby certain materials, originating in a country with which the European Union has a free-trade agreement in accordance with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in force, are considered to be materials originating in the beneficiary country concerned when further processed or incorporated in a product manufactured in that country;

(j) ‘fungible materials’ means materials that are of the same kind and commercial quality, with the same technical and physical characteristics, and which cannot be distinguished from one another once they are incorporated into the finished product;

(k) ‘regional group’ means a group of countries between which regional cumulation applies;

(l) ‘customs value’ means the value as determined in accordance with the 1994 Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation);

(m) ‘value of materials’ in the list in Annex 13a means the customs value at the time of importation of the n