EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries applies to imports of textile products originating in third countries, with which the European Community has concluded bilateral agreements, signed protocols or made other arrangements.

In recent years, the European Union only maintained bilateral agreements on trade in textiles with Russia and Serbia. After Russia's accession to the WTO and the entry into force of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia, Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 lost its main purpose.

Moreover, Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 was used to impose quantitative limits to certain textiles products originating from the People's Republic of China during a limited period and to eventually use the transitional product-specific safeguard mechanism for China. This mechanism expired on 11 December 2013.

The present proposal, therefore, foresees the repeal Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 in order to promote legal certainty.

2014/0334 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93[1] entered into force on 9 November 1993 and was applied as from 1 January 1993.

(2) On 22 August 2012, the Russian Federation acceded to the World Trade Organization. As a consequence, the Republic of Serbia remained the last country with which the European Union had a bilateral agreement on trade in textiles.

(3) On 29 April 2008, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Serbia, of the other part[2] was signed. It entered into force on 1 September 2013. On 1 February 2010, the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Serbia, of the other part[3] entered into force. Since then, Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 no longer applied to the Republic of Serbia.

(4) Title I of Council Regulation (EC) No 427/2003[4] expired on 11 December 2013. Therefore, the possibility to impose safeguard measures through this mechanism has expired.

(5) In the circumstances described in recitals 1-4, Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 should be repealed in order to promote legal certainty,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Repeal of Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93

Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 is repealed.

Article 2

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that 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,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

[1] Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 of 12 October 1993 on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries (OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1).

[2] Stabilisation and association agreement between the European Communities and their Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Serbia, of the other part (OJ L 278, 18.10.2013, p. 16).

[3] Interim agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Serbia, of the other part (OJ L28, 30.1.2010, p.2).

[4] Council Regulation (EC) No 427/2003 on a transitional product-specific safeguard mechanism for imports originating in the People's Republic of China (OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1).