COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 3065/95

of 22 December 1995

adopting autonomous and transitional measures for the free trade agreements with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in certain processed agricultural products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas, in the framework of the free trade Agreements between the European Community, on the one hand, and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, on the other hand, concessions regarding certain processed agricultural products have been granted to those countries;

Whereas, following the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, the said concessions need to be adapted to take account in particular of the trade arrangements which existed in processed agricultural produce between Austria, Finland and Sweden, on the one hand, and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, on the other;

Whereas Council Decision of 19 June 1995 adopting the negotiating Directives for the adaptation of the Europe Agreements, free trade agreements and agreements on tariff quotas for certain wines following enlargement states that the line to be followed regarding the adaptation of the agreements with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on processed agricultural produce should take account of enlargement of the European Union and align preferences on those granted to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

Whereas Regulation (EC) No 3064/95 (1) provides for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional measure, of concessions for certain processed agricultural products provided for in the Europe Agreements to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round Multilateral Trade Negotiations;

Whereas negotiations are in progress to this end with the said third countries with a view to concluding Additional Protocols to the abovementioned agreements;

Whereas, however, it has not proved possible for these additional protocols to enter into force; whereas, under the circumstances, pursuant to Articles 76, 102 and 128 of the 1994 Act of Accession, the Community must take the necessary steps to remedy this situation; whereas these steps must take the form of autonomous Community tariff quotas equivalent to the preferential tariff concessions granted by the Community or, failing this, the conventional preferential tariff concessions applied by Austria, Finland and Sweden,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

1. From 1 January to 30 June 1996, the goods originating in Lithuania listed in Annex I shall be subject to the tariff quotas and preferential duties mentioned in that Annex. The basic amounts to be taken into consideration in calculating the reduced agricultural components and additional duties applicable to the importation into the Community are given in Annex II.

2. From 1 January to 30 June 1996, the goods originating in Latvia listed in Annex III shall be subject to the tariff quotas and preferential duties mentioned in that Annex. The basic amounts to be taken into consideration in calculating the reduced agricultural components and additional duties applicable to the importation into the Community are given in Annex II.

3. From 1 January to 30 June 1996, the goods originating in Estonia listed in Annex IV shall be subject to the tariff quotas and preferential duties mentioned in that Annex. The basic amounts to be taken into consideration in calculating the reduced agricultural components and additional duties applicable to the importation into the Community are given in Annex II.

Article 2

The quotas referred to in Article 1 shall be administered by the Commission in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 3238/94 (2).

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

It shall apply from 1 January 1996.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 1995.

For the Council

The President

L. ATIENZA SERNA

(1) See page 2 of this Official Journal.

(2) OJ No L 338, 28. 12. 1994, p. 30. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1795/95 (OJ No L 174, 26. 7. 1995, p. 9).

ANNEX I

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NB: The reduced agricultural component (EAR) is calculated on the basis of the amounts shown in Annex II.

ANNEX II

PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

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ANNEX III

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NB: The reduced agricultural component (EAR) is calculated on the basis of the amounts shown in Annex II.

ANNEX IV

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NB: The reduced agricultural component (EAR) is calculated on the basis of the amounts shown in Annex II.