Draft DECISION No 1/2000 OF THE EC-EFTA JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE SIMPLIFICATION OF FORMALITIES IN TRADE IN GOODS amending Annexes II and III of the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods - Draft common position of the Community

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. The Convention of 20 May 1987 [1] is aimed at simplifying formalities in trade in goods between the Community and the EFTA and Visegrad countries, mainly by introducing a single administrative document (SAD).

[1] OJ L 134, 22.5.1987, p. 2.

2. Annexes II and III to the Convention contain provisions on the use of the SAD.

3. Decision No 1/2000 of the EC-EFTA Joint Committee on Common Transit [2] will introduce new provisions on the particulars required in the transit declaration into the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure. [3] In tandem with this, Annexes II and III of the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods must be amended.

[2] Not yet adopted.

[3] OJ L 226, 13.8.1987, p. 1.

4. That is the purpose of this Draft Decision No 1/2000 of the Joint Committee. The draft has been endorsed by the EC-EFTA Working Party on Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods.

5. This draft Decision is being submitted to the Council to reach a joint position with a view to its definitive adoption by the Joint Committee by written procedure.

Draft DECISION NO 1/2000 OF THE EC-EFTA JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE SIMPLIFICATION OF FORMALITIES IN TRADE IN GOODS amending Annexes II and III of the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods

The Joint Committee,

Having regard to the Convention of 20 May 1987 on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods, and in particular Article 11(3) thereof, [4]

[4] OJ L 134, 22.5.1987, p. 2.

Whereas:

(1) New provisions relating to the particulars required in the transit declaration have been incorporated into the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure; [5]

[5] OJ L 226, 13.8.1987, p. 1.

(2) Annexes II and III to the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods should be amended accordingly,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Annexes II and III to the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods are hereby amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

It shall apply from 1 July 2001.

Done at Brussels,

For the Joint Committee

The President

ANNEX

A. Annex II is amended as follows:

1. The fourth sentence of Article 2(1) is replaced by the following:

"However, on the copies used for transit (1, 4 and 5), boxes 1 (except the middle sub-division), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33 (first sub-division on the left), 35, 38, 40, 44, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55 and 56 have a green background."

2. Article 6(2) is replaced by the following:

"For transit the copies 1, 4 and 5 conforming to the specimen contained in Appendix 1 to Annex I or the copies 1/6 and 4/5 (twice) conforming to the specimen in Appendix 2 to Annex I shall be required."

3. Title I A "General description" of Appendix 3 is amended as follows:

a) The seventh indent of the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

"- copy 7 which is to be used for statistics by the country of destination (for import formalities),".

b) The second indent of the third subparagraph of paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

"- export + transit: copies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,".

c) The fourth indent of the third subparagraph of paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

"- transit alone: copies 1, 4 and 5,".

4. Title I B "Particulars required" of Appendix 3 is amended as follows:

The second indent of the second paragraph is replaced by the following:

"- transit formalities: boxes 1 (third sub-division), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 25, 27, 31, 32, 33 (first sub-division), 35, 38, 40, 44, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55 and 56 (boxes with a green background),".

5. Title II, I "Formalities in the country of export" of Appendix 3 is amended as follows:

a) The text relating to Box 33 is replaced by the following:

"33. Commodity code

Enter the code number corresponding to the item in question.

For the purposes of transit and proving the Community status of the goods this box is optional for the Contracting Parties, except in cases where the Convention on a common transit procedure of 20 May 1987 specifies that its use is obligatory."

b) The following is added as the second paragraph of the text relating to Box 40:

"For the purposes of transit and proving the Community status of the goods this box is optional for the Contracting Parties, except in cases where the Convention on a common transit procedure of 20 May 1987 specifies that its use is obligatory."

6. Title II, II "Formalities en route" of Appendix 3 is amended as follows:

The text relating to Box 55 "Transhipments" is replaced by the following:

"Box to be used in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on a common transit procedure of 20 May 1987."

B. Annex III is amended as follows:

The text on the first sub-division of Box 33 is replaced by the following:

Box 33: Commodity code

"First sub-division:

In the Community indicate the eight digits of the Combined Nomenclature. In the EFTA countries indicate in the left-hand side of this sub-division the six digits of the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System.

For transit purposes, where required by the Convention on a common transit procedure of 20 May 1987, indicate the code of at least six digits from the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System."