Notice from the Commission pursuant to paragraph 14 of Article 4 of the Protocol 1 to the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the SADC EPA States, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation

Cumulation between the European Union and ACP EPA States and the overseas countries and territories of the EU as provided for under paragraphs 3 and 7 of Article 4 of the Protocol 1 to the EU-SADC EPA

(2018/C 407/07)

Paragraphs 3 and 7 of Article 4 of Protocol 1 to the Economic Partnership Agreement (the ‘EPA’) between the European Union (‘the Union’) and the Southern African Development Community (the ‘SADC’) EPA States (1), provides for cumulation in the Union.

That cumulation allows exporters in the Union to incorporate in the products they export to the SADC EPA States materials originating in other African, Caribbean and Pacific (‘ACP’) EPA States or in the overseas countries and territories (the ‘OCTs’), or working or processing carried out in those countries or territories, as if they were originating or carried out in the Union.

For that cumulation to operate, the Union shall fulfil the following requirements:

— conclude an arrangement or agreement on administrative cooperation with the countries and territories concerned, which ensures a correct implementation of Article 4; and

— notify the SADC EPA States, through the Secretariat of the Southern African Customs Union and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Mozambique, with details of such agreements on administrative cooperation.

The Union has concluded arrangement or agreements on administrative cooperation with the following ACP EPA States and OCTs:

— Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda; the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; the Commonwealth of Dominica; the Dominican Republic; Grenada; the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; Jamaica; Saint Christopher and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Republic of Suriname and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago;

— Central Africa Region: the Republic of Cameroon;

— Eastern and Southern Africa Region: the Republic of Madagascar; the Republic of Mauritius; the Republic of Seychelles and the Republic of Zimbabwe;

— Pacific Region: the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the Republic of the Fiji Islands;

— West Africa Region: the Republic of the Ivory Coast;

— OCTs: Greenland; New Caledonia and Dependencies; French Polynesia; French Southern and Antarctic Territories; Wallis and Futuna Islands; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Aruba; Bonaire; Curaçao; Saba; Sint Eustasius; Sint Marteen; Anguilla; Bermuda; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands; Montserrat; Pitcairn; Saint Helena and its Dependencies; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; Turks and Caicos Islands and British Virgin Islands.

The European Commission informs that following these notifications, the Union fulfils the requirements specified above and will start applying the cumulation provided for under paragraphs 3 and 7 of Article 4 of Protocol 1 to the EU-SADC EPA as from 1 October 2018 with the ACP EPA States and OCTs listed above.

The present notice is published in accordance with paragraph 14 of Article 4 of Protocol 1 to the EU-SADC EPA.

(1) OJ L 250, 16.9.2016, p. 1924.