WRITTEN QUESTION E-1581/96 by Klaus Rehder (PSE) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Simplification of trade between the European Union and the Visegrad countries

On 1 July 1996 agreements on the simplification of trade and transit between the Visegrad countries and the European Union will enter into force. What detailed provisions have been adopted in these agreements?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (26 September 1996)

The provisions referred to by the Honourable Member are set out in two 1987 Conventions which have grown to cover eight Contracting Parties as of 1 July 1996: the Community, three EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), and the four Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic). The Conventions also apply to Liechtenstein by virtue of its customs union with Switzerland.

The Convention on a Common Transit Procedure ((Adopted under Council Decision No 87/415/EEC of 15 June 1987, OJ L 226, 13.8.1987. )) simplified goods transport between the countries concerned by doing away with both the duties and other charges traditionally levied by each border country of transit and the need to follow separate transit procedures for each country. This has made trade between the countries concerned considerably easier. The Convention includes four appendices and a number of annexes.

In all important respects, the new common transit procedure is identical in theory and practice to the Community transit procedure applied inside the Community's own borders:

- the principal undertakes to obey the rules and produce the goods intact at their destination (Article 11 of Appendix I to the Convention);

- a guarantee is furnished for the amount of any duties and other charges applicable (Article 24 et seq. of Appendix I);

- declaration procedures are generally based on the single administrative document and require the office of destination to return a copy of the declaration to the office of departure for the purpose of discharging the procedure (Articles 19 et seq. and 37 of Appendix I);

- investigation and document control procedures are subject to administrative arrangements agreed by the Contracting Parties.

The Convention also provides for mutual assistance with recovery of claims.

The Convention on the Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods ((Adopted under Council Decision No 87/267/EEC of 28 April 1987, OJ L 134, 22.5.1987. )) introduced a single administrative document for trade between the Contracting Parties similar to that used in the Community, which superseded different national customs declaration forms for all customs procedures for import, export and transit operations. The Convention greatly simplified formalities for operators by laying down a standard customs document and rules for printing, filling in and using it. This also facilitates cooperation between customs administrations.

The four Visegrad countries acceded to the two Conventions on 1 July 1996 as a corollary to concluding Europe Agreements with the Community and establishing 'pre-accession' strategies. The Europe Agreements sought to align the four countries' customs arrangements with those of the Community through cooperation on linking up transit procedures and simplifying checks and formalities for goods transport between the Contracting Parties. ((See for example Article 93 of the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Czech Republic, of the other part (OJ L 360, 31.12.1994). ))