COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 10.07.1998 
COM(1998) 430 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
amending the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 2632/97 temporarily suspending 
some or all of the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain fishery 
products (1998) 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1. During the first quarter of this year, the Commission, assisted by the Economic 
Tariff Problems Group, reviewed all the requests for temporary suspension of 
autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties presented to it by the Member States, 
including requests for extending suspensions currently in force. 
2. The attached proposal concerns fishery products. 
For industrial and agricultural products, the proposal for a Regulation temporarily 
suspending the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties is before the Council. 
3. Requests for suspension relating to the above products were examined in the light of 
the criteria set out in the communication from the Commission concerning 
autonomous tariff suspensions and quotas (see OJ C 128, 25.4.1998, p. 2). 
In the light ol this review, the Commission considers that the suspension of duties is 
justified for the products listed in the attached proposal for a Regulation. 
4. As can be seen from Article 1 of the above-mentioned proposal for a Regulation, the 
period of validity of the proposed measure is 5 months. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /98 
of 1998 
amending the Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 2632/97 temporarily suspending 
some or all of the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain fishery 
products (1998) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 
Article 28 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas the Community relies at present on imports from third countries for supplies of 
certain fishery products; whereas it is in the interest of the Community to suspend 
partially or totally the customs duties for these products;1 whereas, in order to avoid 
endangering the prospects for developing the production of competitive products in the 
Community while ensuring that the industries concerned receive the necessary supplies, 
it is advisable to adopt these suspension measures only from 1 August to 
31 December 1998, 
Whereas it is for the Community to decide to suspend these autonomous duties, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article / 
1. From 1 August to 31 December 1998 the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties 
on "fillets and meat of Alaska pollack (Theragra chalcogramma), in the form of 
industrial blocks, frozen, for processing (a) (b)" (Taric codes ex 0304 20 85 10 and ex 
0304 90 61 10) are hereby suspended at the level of 4%. 
2. Imports of these products shall qualify for the suspension referred to in paragraph 1 
only provided that the free-at-frontier price laid down by the Member States, in 
accordance with Article 22 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3759/92 of 
17 December 1992 on the common organisation of the market in fishery and 
2 
aquaculture products, is not lower than the reference price fixed or to be fixed by the 
Community for the products or categories of products in question. 
OJ No L 356, 31.12.1997, p.9. 
OJ No L 388, 31.12.1992, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1891/93 of 12.7.1993 (OJ 
NoL 172, 15.7.1993, p. 1). 
3 
/it ItCLC L 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 August 1998. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at , 1998 
For the Council 
The President 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
1. Budget heading involved: Chapter 12 Article 120 
2 Title of operation: Proposal for a Council Regulation amending the Annex to 
Council Regulation (EC) No 2632/97 temporarily suspending all or some of the 
autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain fishery products (1998). 
3- Legal basis: Article 28 of the EC Treaty. 
4- Objective: Suspension of the CCT duties for the above products. 
5. Measures aimed at prevention and protection: Checks on the end-use of some of the 
products covered by this Council Regulation will be carried out in accordance with 
Articles 291 to 304 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 laying down 
provisions for the implementation of the Community Customs Code. 
6. Cost: 
It is proposed that autonomous duties on "fillets and meat of Alaska pollack 
(Theragra chalcogramma), in the form of industrial blocks, frozen, for processing 
(a) (b)" (Taric codes ex 0304 20 85 10 and ex 0304 90 61 10) be reduced from 
7.5 % to 4% for the period 1 August-31 December 1998. 
On the basis of the most recent EUROSTAT statistics (1996), the additional loss of 
revenue is estimated at ECU 2 875 000, a figure calculated as follows: 
1996 imports ( 12 months) ECU 197 122 000 
Forecast imports in period 1.8-31.12.1998 ECU 82 134 000 
Original autonomous duty 7.5% 
Amended autonomous duty 4% 
Additional loss ECU 82 134 000 x (7.5 - 4)/l()0 - ECU 2 875 000 
Estimated cost of the current operation (1.1.1998-31.12.1998) 
The amount of duty foregone as a result of the proposed measure can be estimated at 
ECU 37 498 000 + 2 875 000 = 40 373 000, compared with ECU 38 565 000 
foregone in respect of the previous measure (1.1.1997 to 31.12.1997). 
ST 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 430 final 
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Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-442-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-37998-0 
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