DECISION No 1/2019 OF THE EU-MEXICO JOINT COMMITTEE

of 16 October 2019

relating to amendments to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council concerning the definition of the concept of originating products and methods of administrative cooperation (Andorra and San Marino, and certain product-specific rules of origin for chemicals) [2021/10]

THE EU-MEXICO JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to Decision No 2/2000 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council of 23 March 2000 (1) and its Annex III, and in particular Article 38 of Annex III,

Whereas:

(1) Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 (‘Annex III’) sets out the rules of origin for the products originating in the territory of the Parties to the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the United Mexican States, of the other part (2), signed in Brussels on 8 December 1997 (‘the Agreement’).

(2) The European Union has in place customs unions with the Principality of Andorra and with the Republic of San Marino, respectively, and, as a result, goods originating in Mexico benefit from preferential treatment when exported to those two countries.

(3) It has been agreed that Mexico will accept products falling within Chapters 25 to 97 of the Harmonized System originating in the Principality of Andorra and products falling within Chapters 1 to 97 of the Harmonised System originating in the Republic of San Marino as products originating in the European Union within the meaning of Annex III.

(4) An Appendix VI should therefore be added to Annex III to allow those products to be treated, when imported into Mexico, in a similar way to products originating in the European Union, and to establish provisions regarding the application of Annex III to those products.

(5) On 7 April 2017 the Joint Committee adopted Decision No 1/2017 (3), which extends the application of the rules of origin established in Notes 2 and 3 of Appendix II(a) to Annex III (‘Notes 2 and 3’) for the fourth time. The extension provided for in Decision No 1/2017 applies until 31 December 2019.

(6) It is appropriate to extend the application of the rules of origin established in Notes 2 and 3 on a permanent basis, because they are in line with the principles of the modernisation of the Agreement.

(7) Annex III should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 1. Appendix II to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 is amended as set out in Annex I to this Decision. 2. An Appendix VI is added to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 as set out in Annex II to this Decision.

Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the Parties have notified each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for this purpose.

Done at Brussels, 16 October 2019. For the Joint Committee Edita HRDA European External Action Service, Managing Director, Americas

(1) OJ L 157, 30.6.2000, p. 10.

(2) OJ L 276, 28.10.2000, p. 45.

(3) Decision No 1/2017 of the EU-Mexico Joint Committee of 7 April 2017 relating to amendments to Annex III to Decision No 2/2000 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council of 23 March 2000 concerning the definition of the concept of originating products and methods of administrative cooperation (certain product-specific rules of origin for chemicals).