COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/425

of 9 March 2021

suspending commercial policy measures concerning certain products from the United States of America imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 following the adjudication of a trade dispute under the Dispute Settlement Understanding of the World Trade Organization

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 concerning the exercise of the Union’s rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 laying down Community procedures in the field of common commercial policy in order to ensure the exercise of the Community’s rights under international trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (1), and in particular Article 7(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 7 November 2020, the Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 (2) on commercial policy measures concerning certain products from the United States of America (the United States) following the adjudication of a trade dispute under the Dispute Settlement Understanding of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that provides for the application of additional customs duties on imports into the Union of a number of products originating in the United States.

(2) Recital 9 of Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 provides that the Commission intends to suspend the application of the Regulation in case of suspension by the United States of the countermeasures against imports of certain products from the European Union, in relation to the WTO disputes on large civil aircraft.

(3) On 4 March 2021, an understanding was reached with the United States to mutually suspend all measures for a period of four months, to allow for the negotiations of a balanced settlement of the WTO disputes on large civil aircraft, as soon as internal procedures are completed on both sides.

(4) In accordance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EU) No 654/2014, the Commission may adopt immediately applicable implementing acts suspending commercial policy measures on grounds of urgency, when this suspension is related to the modification of the third country’s measure concerned,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 The application of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 is hereby suspended for a period of four months from the entry into force of this Regulation. Accordingly, without prejudice to any further suspension or modification, the duties provided for in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 shall again apply with effect from and including 11 July 2021.

Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 9 March 2021. For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 50; amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/1843 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2015 (OJ L 272, 16.10.2015, p. 1) and by Regulation (EU) 2021/167 of the European Parliament and the Council of 10 February 2021 (OJ L 49, 12.2.2021, p. 1).

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1646 of 7 November 2020 on commercial policy measures concerning certain products from the United States of America following the adjudication of a trade dispute under the Dispute Settlement Understanding of the World Trade Organization (OJ L 373, 9.11.2020, p. 1).