Protocol

adjusting the trade aspects of the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, to take account of the outcome of negotiations between the parties on new mutual agricultural concessions

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as "the Community",

of the one part, and

THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC,

of the other part,

Whereas:

(1) The Europe Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part (hereinafter referred to as "the Europe Agreement") was signed in Luxembourg on 4 October 1993 and entered into force on 1 February 1995(1).

(2) Article 21(5) of the Europe Agreement provides that the Community and the Slovak Republic shall examine in the Association Council, product by product and on an orderly and reciprocal basis, the possibility of granting each other additional agricultural concessions. On this basis negotiations have been undertaken and were concluded between the parties.

(3) For the first time, improvements to the preferential agricultural regime of the Europe Agreement were provided for in the Protocol adjusting trade aspects of the Europe Agreement(2) to take account of the last enlargement of the Community and the outcome of the GATT Uruguay Round.

(4) Two further rounds of negotiations for improved agricultural trade concessions were concluded on 3 May 2000 and 21 June 2002.

(5) From the one side, the Council decided, by virtue of Council Regulation (EC) No 2434/2000 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for an adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreement with the Slovak Republic(3), to apply on a provisional basis, as from 1 July 2000, the Community concessions resulting from the 2000 round of negotiations and from the other side the Government of the Slovak Republic took legislative provisions to apply, as from the same date, the equivalent Slovak concessions.

(6) The abovementioned concessions will be supplemented and replaced on the date of entry into force of this Protocol by the concessions provided for herein,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The arrangements for import into the Community applicable to certain agricultural products originating in the Slovak Republic as set out in Annexes A(a) and A(b) and the arrangements for import into the Slovak Republic applicable to certain agricultural products originating in the Community as set out in Annexes B(a) and B(b) to this Protocol shall replace those set out in Annexes XI and XII as referred to in Article 21(2) and (4), as amended, of the Europe Agreement. The agreement between the Community and the Slovak Republic on reciprocal preferential trade concessions for certain wines, set out in Annex C, shall form an integral part of this Protocol.

Article 2

This Protocol shall form an integral part of the Europe Agreement. The Annexes to this Protocol shall form an integral part thereof.

Article 3

This Protocol shall be approved by the Community and the Slovak Republic in accordance with their corresponding procedures. The Contracting Parties shall take the necessary measures to implement this Protocol.

The Contracting Parties shall notify each other of the accomplishment of the abovementioned procedures.

Article 4

Subject to completion of the procedures provided for in Article 3, this Protocol shall enter into force on 1 January 2003. Should these procedures not be completed in time, it shall enter into force on the first day of the first month following the Contracting Parties' notification of the accomplishment of the procedures.

Article 5

This Protocol shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Slovak languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.

Hecho en Bruselas, el veinticuatro de abril del dos mil tres./Udfærdiget i Bruxelles den fireogtyvende april to tusind og tre./Geschehen zu Brüssel am vierundzwanzigsten April zweitausendunddrei./Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις είκοσι τέσσερις Απριλίου δύο χιλιάδες τρία./Done at Brussels on the twenty-fourth day of April in the year two thousand and three./Fait à Bruxelles, le vingt-quatre avril deux mille trois./Fatto a Bruxelles, addì ventiquattro aprile duemilatre./Gedaan te Brussel, de vierentwintigste april tweeduizenddrie./Feito em Bruxelas, em vinte e quatro de Abril de dois mil e três./Tehty Brysselissä kahdentenakymmenentenäneljäntenä päivänä huhtikuuta vuonna kaksituhattakolme./Som skedde i Bryssel den tjugofjärde april tjugohundratre./V Bruseli dvadsiatchostvrtého apríla dvetisíetri.

Por la Comunidad Europea/For Det Europæiske Fællesskab/Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft/Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα/For the European Community/Pour la Communauté européenne/Per la Comunità europea/Voor de Europese Gemeenschap/Pela Comunidade Europeia/Euroopan yhteisön puolesta/På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar

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Za Slovenskú republiku

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(1) OJ L 359, 31.12.1994, p. 2.

(2) OJ L 306, 16.11.1998, p. 3.

(3) OJ L 280, 4.11.2000, p. 9.

ANNEX A(a)

Customs duties on imports applicable in the Community to products originating in the Slovak Republic and listed below shall be abolished

CN code(1)

0101 10 90

0101 90 19

0101 90 30

0101 90 90

0104 20 10

0106 19 10

0106 39 10

0205 00

0206 80 91

0206 90 91

0207 13 91

0207 14 91

0207 26 91

0207 27 91

0207 35 91

0207 36 89

0208 10 11

0208 10 19

0208 20 00

0208 30 00

0208 40

0208 50 00

0208 90 10

0208 90 55

0208 90 60

0208 90 95

0210 99 10

0210 99 39

0210 99 59

0210 99 79

0210 99 80

0407 00 90

0409 00 00

0410 00 00

0701 10 00

0701 90 50

0703 10 11

0703 20 00

0703 90 00

0709 20 00

0709 30 00

0709 40 00

0709 51 00

0709 52 00

0709 59

0709 70 00

0709 90 10

0709 90 20

0709 90 40

0709 90 50

0709 90 90

0710 10 00

0710 21 00

0710 22 00

0710 29 00

0710 30 00

0710 80 51

0710 80 59

0710 80 61

0710 80 69

0710 80 70

0710 80 85

0710 80 95

0710 90 00

0711 30 00

0711 40 00

0711 59 00

0711 90 10

0711 90 50

0711 90 80

0711 90 90

0712 20 00

0712 31 00

0712 32 00

0712 33 00

0712 39 00

0712 90 05

0712 90 30

0712 90 50

0712 90 90

0713 50 00

0713 90

0714 90 90

0802 12 90

0802 21 00

0802 22 00

0802 31 00

0802 32 00

0802 40 00

0802 50 00

0802 90 50

0802 90 60

0802 90 85

0806 20

0808 20 90

0809 40 90

0810 40 30

0810 40 50

0810 40 90

0810 50 00

0810 60 00

0810 90 95

0811 20 59

0811 20 90

0811 90 50

0811 90 70

0811 90 75

0811 90 80

0811 90 85

0811 90 95

0812 10 00

0812 90 10

0812 90 30

0812 90 40

0812 90 50

0812 90 60

0812 90 70

0812 90 99

0813

0814 00 00

0901 12 00

0901 21 00

0901 22 00

0901 90 90

0902 10 00

0904 12 00

0904 20

0905 00 00

0907 00 00

0910 20 90

0910 40

0910 91 90

0910 99 99

1006 10 10

1007 00 10

1105 20 00

1106 10 00

1106 30 90

1208 10 00

1209 10 00

1209 21 00

1209 23 80

1209 29 50

1209 29 60

1209 29 80

1209 30 00

1209 91

1209 99 91

1209 99 99

1210

1211 90 30

1212 10 10

1212 10 99

1214 90 10

1302 19 05

1503 00 19

1503 00 90

1504 10 10

1504 10 99

1504 20 10

1504 30 10

1507

1508

1511 10 90

1511 90 19

1511 90 91

1511 90 99

1512 11 91

1512 19 91

1512 21

1512 29

1513

1515

1516 20 95

1516 20 96

1516 20 98

1518 00 31

1518 00 39

1518 00 91

1518 00 95

1518 00 99

1522 00 91

1602 90 10

1602 90 31

1602 90 41

1602 90 72

1602 90 74

1602 90 76

1602 90 78

1602 90 98

1603 00 10

2001 90 20

2001 90 50

2003 20 00

2003 90 00

2005 60 00

2005 90 10

2005 90 50

2007 91 90

2007 99 10

2007 99 91

2007 99 93

2008 19 11

2008 19 19

2008 19 51

2008 19 95

2008 19 99

2008 92 14

2008 92 34

2008 92 38

2008 92 59

2008 92 72

2008 92 74

2008 92 78

2008 92 93

2008 92 98

2008 99 11

2008 99 19

2008 99 23

2008 99 28

2008 99 37

2008 99 40

2008 99 43

2008 99 45

2008 99 49

2008 99 68

2008 99 99

2009 11 19

2009 11 99

2009 19 19

2009 29 11

2009 29 19

2009 29 91

2009 29 99

2009 31 11

2009 39 31

2009 41

2009 49 19

2009 49 30

2009 49 93

2009 49 99

2009 80 19

2009 80 38

2009 80 50

2009 80 63

2009 80 69

2009 80 71

2302 50 00

2306 90 19

2308 00 90

2309

(1) As defined in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2031/2001 of 6 August 2001, amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (OJ L 279, 23.10.2001).

ANNEX A(b)

Imports into the Community of the following products originating in the Slovak Republic shall be subject to the concessions set out below

(MFN = most-favoured-nation duty)

>TABLE>

ANNEX TO ANNEX A(b)

Minimum import price arrangement for certain soft fruit for processing

1. Minimum import prices are fixed as follows for the following products for processing originating in the Slovak Republic:

>TABLE>

2. The minimum import prices, as set out in Article 1, will be respected on a consignment by consignment basis. In the case of a customs declaration value being lower than the minimum import price, a countervailing duty will be charged equal to the difference between the minimum import price and the customs declaration value.

3. If the import prices of a given product covered by this Annex show a trend suggesting that the prices could go below the level of the minimum import prices in the immediate future, the European Commission will inform the Slovak authorities in order to enable them to correct the situation.

4. At the request of either the Community or the Slovak Republic, the Association Committee shall examine the functioning of the system or the revision of the level of the minimum import prices. If appropriate, the Association Committee shall take the necessary decisions.

5. To encourage and promote the development of trade and for the mutual benefit of all parties concerned, a consultation meeting will be organised three months before the beginning of each marketing year in the Community. This consultation meeting will take place between the European Commission and the interested European producers' organisations for the products concerned, of the one part and the authorities', producers' and exporters' organisations of all the associated exporting countries, of the other part.

During this consultation meeting, the market situation for soft fruit including, in particular, forecasts for production, stock situation, price evolution and possible market development, as well as possibilities to adapt supply to demand, will be discussed.

ANNEX B(a)

Customs duties on imports applicable in the Slovak Republic to products originating in the Community and listed below shall be abolished

SLK customs code(1)

0101 90 11

0101 90 19

0102 90 90

0103 91 90

0103 92 90

0206 10 10

0206 10 91

0206 10 99

0206 21 00

0206 22 00

0206 29 10

0206 29 99

0206 30 20

0206 30 31

0206 30 80

0206 41 20

0206 41 80

0206 49 20

0206 49 80

0206 80 10

0206 80 91

0206 80 99

0206 90 10

0206 90 91

0206 90 99

0207 13 91

0207 14 91

0207 26 91

0207 27 91

0207 34 10

0207 34 90

0207 35 91

0207 36 81

0207 36 85

0207 36 89

0209 00 11

0209 00 19

0209 00 30

0210 99 10

0210 99 71

0210 99 79

0210 91 00

0210 92 00

0210 93 00

0210 99 39

0210 99 59

0210 99 80

0407 00 90

0408 11 20

0408 19 20

0408 91 20

0408 99 20

0409 00 00

0410 00 00

06

0701 10 00

0703 10 11

0703 90 00

0709 51 00

0709 70 00

0709 90 10

0709 90 90

0710 21 00

0710 22 00

0710 29 00

0710 30 00

0710 80 51

0710 80 59

0710 80 70

0710 80 85

0710 80 95

0710 90 00

0711 40 00

0711 90 10

0711 90 50

0711 90 80

0711 90 90

0712 20 00

0712 90 05

0712 90 11

0712 90 30

0712 90 50

0712 90 90

0713 10 10

0713 10 90

0713 40 00

0806 10 10

0806 20

0808 20 90

0809 20 05

0809 20 95

0809 30 90

0809 40 05

0810 40 10

0810 40 30

0810 40 50

0810 40 90

0811 20 19

0811 20 31

0811 20 59

0811 20 90

0811 90 31

0811 90 50

0811 90 70

0811 90 75

0811 90 80

0811 90 85

0811 90 95

0812 10 00

0812 90 10

0812 90 40

0812 90 50

0812 90 60

0812 90 70

0812 90 99

0813

0901 11 00

0901 12 00

0901 21 00

0901 22 00

0901 90 10

0901 90 90

0904 20 10

0904 20 30

0904 20 90

1001 10 00

1105 20 00

1204 00 90

1205 10 10

1205 90 00

1206 00 10

1207 50 10

1207 50 90

1207 91 10

1207 91 90

1209 10 00

1209 29 60

1209 21 00

1209 22 10

1209 22 80

1209 23 11

1209 23 15

1209 23 80

1209 24 00

1209 25 10

1209 25 90

1209 26 00

1209 29 10

1209 29 50

1209 29 80

1210 10 00

1210 20 10

1210 20 90

1302 19 05

1502 00 10

1503 00 11

1503 00 19

1503 00 30

1503 00 90

1510 00 90

1511 90 19

1511 90 91

1511 90 99

1512 11 91

1512 19 91

1513 19 11

1513 29 19

1513 29 50

1513 29 91

1513 29 99

1515 11 00

1515 19 10

1515 19 90

1515 21 10

1515 21 90

1515 29 10

1515 29 90

1515 90 51

1515 90 59

1515 90 91

1515 90 99

1516 20 95

1516 20 96

1516 20 98

1518 00 31

1518 00 39

1518 00 91

1518 00 95

1518 00 99

1602 90 10

1602 90 31

1602 90 41

1602 90 72

1602 90 74

1602 90 76

1602 90 78

1602 90 98

2001 90 20

2001 90 50

2001 90 65

2001 90 91

2005 60 00

2005 90 10

2007 91 90

2007 99 10

2007 99 91

2007 99 93

2008 20 19

2008 20 39

2008 20 51

2008 20 59

2008 20 71

2008 20 79

2008 20 91

2008 20 99

2008 30

2008 92 12

2008 92 14

2008 92 32

2008 92 34

2008 92 36

2008 92 38

2008 92 51

2008 92 59

2008 92 72

2008 92 74

2008 92 76

2008 92 78

2008 92 92

2008 92 93

2008 92 94

2008 92 97

2008 92 98

2008 99 11

2008 99 19

2008 99 23

2008 99 25

2008 99 26

2008 99 28

2008 99 36

2008 99 37

2008 99 38

2008 99 40

2008 99 41

2008 99 43

2008 99 45

2008 99 46

2008 99 47

2008 99 49

2008 99 51

2008 99 61

2008 99 62

2008 99 68

2008 99 99

2009 61 10

2009 61 90

2009 69 11

2009 69 19

2009 69 51

2009 69 59

2009 69 90

2009 80 19

2009 80 36

2009 80 38

2009 80 50

2009 80 63

2009 80 69

2009 80 71

2309

(1) As defined in Decree of the Government of the Slovak Republic No 598/2001 on the Customs Tariff of the Slovak Republic.

ANNEX B(b)

Imports into the Slovak Republic of the following products originating in the Community shall be subject to the concessions set out below

>TABLE>

ANNEX TO ANNEX B(b)

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ANNEX C

Agreement

between the European Community and the Slovak Republic on reciprocal preferential trade concessions for certain wines

1. Imports into the Community of the following products originating in the Slovak Republic shall be subject to the concessions set out below:

>TABLE>

2. The Community shall grant a preferential zero duty within tariff quotas as mentioned under point 1, subject to the condition that no export subsidies shall be paid for exports of these quantities by the Slovak Republic.

3. Imports into the Slovak Republic of the following products originating in the Community shall be subject to the concessions set out below:

>TABLE>

4. The Slovak Republic shall grant a preferential zero duty within tariff quotas as mentioned under point 3, subject to the condition that no export subsidies shall be paid for exports of these quantities by the Community.

5. This Agreement shall cover wine

(a) which has been produced from fresh grapes wholly produced and harvested in the territory of the Contracting Party in question, and

(b) (i) originating in the Community, which has been produced in accordance with the rules governing the oenological practices and processes referred to in Title V of Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine(1);

(ii) originating in the Slovak Republic, which has been produced in accordance with the rules governing the oenological practices and processes in conformity with the Slovak law. These oenological rules referred to shall be in conformity with the Community legislation.

6. Imports of wine under the concessions provided in this Agreement will be subject to the presentation of a certificate issued by a mutually recognised official body appearing on the lists drawn up jointly, to the effect that the wine in question complies with point 5(b).

7. The Contracting Parties shall examine the opportunities for granting each other further concessions taking into account the development of wine trade between the Contracting Parties.

8. The Contracting Parties agreed to continue immediately with the already started negotiations with the aim to conclude rapidly an agreement on the reciprocal recognition, protection and control of spirits and wine names, including "Slovenske Tokajske Vino" originating in the Slovak part of the Tokaj Wine Growing Region.

9. The Contracting Parties shall ensure that the benefits granted reciprocally are not called into question by other measures.

10. Consultations are to take place at the request of either Contracting Party on any problem relating to the way this Agreement operates.

11. This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, in the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001 (OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10).