Brussels, 6.12.2004

COM(2004) 780 final

.

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

In response to requests from a number of Member States the Commission has discussed with the national experts concerned the advisability of opening, closing or extending autonomous tariff quotas for certain industrial products.

The upshot of this discussion, which took place at a meeting of the Economic Tariff Questions Group, was that the Member States could endorse opening, closing or extending quotas for the products covered by this proposal for a Regulation, which would not disturb the markets for those products.

This is the purpose of the attached proposal for a Regulation.

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 26 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission[1],

Whereas:

(1) On 20 December 1996 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products.[2] Community demand for the products in question should be met under the most favourable conditions. New Community tariff quotas should therefore be opened at reduced or zero rates of duty for appropriate volumes and certain existing tariff quotas should be extended, while avoiding any disturbance to the markets for these products.

(2) Since the quota amount for certain Community tariff quotas is insufficient to meet the needs of Community industry for the current quota period, these tariff quotas should be increased with effect from 1 January 2005.

(3) It is no longer in the Community interest to continue to grant Community tariff quotas in 2005 for products on which duties were suspended in 2004. These products should therefore be removed from the table in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96.

(4) In view of the many changes to be made, the full text of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 should be replaced in the interests of clarity.

(5) Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 is replaced by the Annex hereto.

Article 2

For the quota period from 1 January to 30 June 2005, in Annex I to Regulation (EC)No 2505/96:

- the validity of tariff quota 09.2021 shall expire on 30 June 2005; its volume shall remain unaltered,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2613 is fixed at 400 tonnes at a 0% rate of duty.

Article 3

For the quota period from 1 January to 31 December 2005, in Annex I to Regulation (EC)No 2505/96:

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2023 is fixed at 700 000 units,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2603 is fixed at 3 400 tonnes,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2612 is fixed at 500 tonnes at a 0% rate of duties,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2619 is fixed at 80 tonnes,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2620 is fixed at 500 000 units,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2621 is fixed at 1 500 tonnes and its period of validity shall expire on 31 December 2005,

- the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2985 is fixed at 300 000 units and its period of validity shall expire on 31 December 2005.

Article 4

The tariff quotas 09.2605, 09.2606, 09.2607, 09.2609, 09.2614, 09.2918, 09.2957, 09.2966, 09.2993 and 09.2999 shall be closed from 31 December 2004.

Article 5

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2005.

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

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President

ANNEX I

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(a) Checks on this prescribed end use shall be carried out pursuant to the relevant Community provisions.

(b) However, the tariff quota is not allowed where processing is carried out by retail or catering undertakings.

(c) The quantities of goods subject to this quota and released for free circulation as from 1 July 2004, as provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1329/2004, shall be fully counted against this quantity.

(1) The specific additional duty is applicable.

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR PROPOSALS HAVING A BUDGETARY IMPACT EXCLUSIVELY LIMITED TO THE REVENUE SIDE

1. NAME OF THE PROPOSAL :

Proposition de règlement (CE) du Conseil modifiant le règlement (CE) n° 2505/96 portant ouverture et mode de gestion de contingents tarifaires communautaires autonomes pour certains produits agricoles et industriels

2. BUDGET LINES :

Chapter and Article : Chap. 12 art. 120

Amount budgeted for the year concerned : 10,749 millions

3. FINANCIAL IMPACT

( Proposal has no financial implications

( Proposal has no financial impact on expenditure but has a financial impact on revenue – the effect is as follows:

(€ million to one decimal place)

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4. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

5. OTHER REMARKS

Dans l'annexe II sont présentées des gains de recettes théoriques de + 3.3 Moi EUR en raison de la clôture de plusieurs contingents non utilisés au cours des dernières années.

ANNEXE I

Avec effet à partir de 1.1.2005 :

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Total des pertes de recettes par rapport à la période contingentaire précédente : (2.137.441 – 534.360) 1.603.081 € net.

ANNEXE II

Liste des contingents clôturés ou diminués

Avec effet à partir de 1.1.2005 :

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Total théorique des recettes en raison de la clôture ou de la diminution des contingents par rapport à la période contingentaire précédente: (4.487.233 – 1.121.808) 3.365.425 € net.

DISPOSITIONS ANTI-FRAUDE PRÉVUES

Des dispositions concernant la gestion des contingents tarifaires prévoient les mesures nécessaires de prévention et de protection contre les fraudes et irrégularités.

[1] OJ C. of., P.

[2] OJ L 345, 31.12.1996, p. 1. Regulation last amended by Regulation (EC) 1329/2004(OJ L 247, 21.7.2004).

[3] Regarding traditional own resources (agricultural duties, sugar levies, customs duties) the amounts indicated must be net amounts, i.e. gross amounts after deduction of 25 % of collection costs.