Proposta di decisione del Consiglio relativa all'approvazione a nome della Comunità europea, per quanto riguarda le questioni di sua competenza, dei risultati dei negoziati dell'Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio sui servizi finanziari /* COM/98/0440 def. - CNS 98/0239 */



Gazzetta ufficiale n. C 271 del 31/08/1998 pag. 0001



Proposta di decisione del Consiglio relativa all'approvazione a nome della Comunità europea, per quanto riguarda le questioni di sua competenza, dei risultati dei negoziati dell'Organizzazione mondiale del commercio sui servizi finanziari (98/C 271/01) COM(98) 440 def. - 98/0239 (CNS) (Presentata dalla Commissione il 14 luglio 1998) IL CONSIGLIO DELL'UNIONE EUROPEA, visto il trattato che istituisce la Comunità europea, in particolare gli articoli 54, 57, 63, 66, da 73 B a 73 F, 99, 100, 100 A e 113, in combinato disposto con la seconda frase dell'articolo 228, paragrafo 2 e con il primo capoverso dell'articolo 228, paragrafo 3, vista la proposta della Commissione, visto il parere del Parlamento europeo, visto il parere del Comitato economico e sociale, considerando che l'accordo di Marrakech che istituisce l'Organizzazione mondiale del commercio e gli accordi connessi, nonché le decisioni e dichiarazioni ministeriali e l'intesa sugli impegni in materia di servizi finanziari sono stati approvati da una decisione del Consiglio del 22 dicembre 1994; considerando che il complesso degli impegni in materia di servizi finanziari negoziato dalla Commissione a nome della Comunità europea e dei suoi Stati membri costituisce un esito soddisfacente ed equilibrato di negoziati; considerando che il 12 dicembre 1997 il Consiglio ha adottato, salvo approvazione definitiva dopo l'espletamento delle procedure interne, l'elenco definitivo degli impegni della Comunità europea e dei suoi Stati membri (GATS/SC/31/Suppl. 4) e ha autorizzato la Commissione a presentare tale elenco, a nome della Comunità europea e dei suoi Stati membri, all'OMC; considerando che alla stessa data il Consiglio ha autorizzato la Commissione ad approvare, a nome della Comunità europea e dei suoi Stati membri, il risultato finale dei negoziati stabilito nel quinto protocollo del GATS (S/L/45), la decisione relativa all'adozione di tale protocollo (S/L/44) e la decisione relativa agli impegni in materia di servizi finanziari (S/L/50); considerando che la competenza della Comunità a concludere accordi internazionali deriva non solo dai poteri ad essa esplicitamente conferiti dal trattato, ma può anche derivare da altre disposizioni del trattato e da atti adottati ai sensi di tali disposizioni da istituzioni comunitarie; considerando che, laddove sono state adottate norme comunitarie per conseguire gli obiettivi del trattato, gli Stati membri non possono, al di fuori del quadro delle istituzioni comuni, assumersi impegni che possano incidere su tali norme o modificarne la portata; considerando che alcuni impegni in materia di servizi finanziari rientrano tra le competenze della Comunità ai sensi degli articoli 113 e 73 C del trattato; considerando inoltre che altri impegni in materia di servizi finanziari incidono sulle norme comunitarie adottate sulla base degli articoli 54, 57, 63, 66, 99, 100 e 100 A e dunque possono essere sottoscritti unicamente dalla sola Comunità; considerando, in particolare, che l'uso dell'articolo 100 del trattato quale base giuridica per questa decisione è giustificato nella misura in cui i suddetti impegni in materia di servizi finanziari incidono sulla direttiva 90/434/CEE del Consiglio del 23 luglio 1990 relativa al regime fiscale comune da applicare alle fusioni, alle scissioni, ai conferimenti d'attivo ed agli scambi d'azioni concernenti società di Stati membri diversi e sulla direttiva 90/435/CEE del Consiglio del 23 luglio 1990 concernente il regime fiscale comune applicabile alle società madri e figlie di Stati membri diversi, che si basano sull'articolo 100 del trattato; considerando che, per quanto riguarda i movimenti di capitali figuranti nell'elenco degli impegni specifici della Comunità e degli Stati membri e nella situazione attuale del diritto comunitario, la competenza generale spetta alla Comunità; considerando che gli Stati membri rimangono comunque competenti di agire entro i limiti fissati dalle disposizioni dell'articolo 73 C del trattato; considerando che, per loro natura, è improbabile che ci si appelli direttamente all'accordo che istituisce l'Organizzazione mondiale del commercio e ai protocolli all'accordo generale sugli scambi di servizi di fronte ai tribunali della Comunità o degli Stati membri, DECIDE: Articolo unico 1. È approvato a nome della Comunità europea, per quanto riguarda la parte di sua competenza, il quinto protocollo all'Accordo generale sugli scambi di servizi relativo ai servizi finanziari (S/L/45). 2. Il testo del quinto protocollo, nonché l'elenco degli impegni specifici (GATS/SC/31/Suppl. 4) e la lista delle esenzioni all'articolo II dell'accordo generale sugli scambi di servizi (GATS/EL/31) della Comunità e degli Stati membri relativi ai servizi finanziari sono allegati alla presente decisione, così come le seguenti decisioni: - la decisione del Comitato per gli scambi di servizi finanziari relativa all'adozione del quinto protocollo dell'accordo generale sugli scambi di servizi (S/L/44); - la decisione del dicembre 1997 del Consiglio per gli scambi di servizi relativa agli impegni in materia di servizi finanziari (S/L/50). 3. Il presidente del Consiglio è autorizzato a designare la persona abilitata a firmare il quinto protocollo all'Accordo generale sugli scambi di servizi allo scopo di impegnare la Comunità per quanto riguarda la parte del protocollo di sua competenza. FIFTH PROTOCOL TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES Members of the World Trade Organisation (hereinafter referred to as the 'WTO`) whose Schedules of Specific Commitments and Lists of Exemptions from Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services concerning financial services are annexed to this Protocol (hereinafter referred to as 'Members concerned`), HAVING carried out negotiations under the terms of the second Decision on financial services adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 21 July 1995 (S/L/9), AGREE as follows: 1. A Schedule of Specific Commitments and a List of Exemptions from Article II concerning financial services annexed to this Protocol relating to a Member shall, on the entry into force of this Protocol for that Member, replace the financial services sections of the Schedule of Specific Commitments and the List of Article II Exemptions of that Member. 2. This Protocol shall be open for acceptance, by signature or otherwise, by the Members concerned until 29 January 1999. 3. This Protocol shall enter into force on the 30th day following the date of its acceptance by all Members concerned. If by 30 January 1999, it has not been accepted by all Members concerned, those Members which have accepted it before that date may, within a period of 30 days thereafter, decide on its entry into force. 4. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director-General of the WTO. The Director-General of the WTO shall promptly furnish to each Member of the WTO a certified copy of this Protocol and notifications of acceptances thereof pursuant to paragraph 3. 5. This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations. Done at Geneva this twenty-seventh day of February one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight, in a single copy in English, French and Spanish languages, each text being authentic, except as otherwise provided for in respect of the Schedules annexed hereto. EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES Schedule of Specific Commitments Supplement 4 (Only the English, French and Spanish texts are authentic) This text replaces the Financial Services section contained in document GATS/SC/31/Suppl. 1/Rev.1. EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES SCHEDULE OF SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS Modes of supply: (1) Cross-border supply (2) Consumption abroad (3) Commercial presence (4) Presence of natural persons >SPAZIO PER TABELLA> ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES Insurance (a) The European Communities and their Member States note the close cooperation among the insurance regulatory and supervisory authorities of the Member States and encourage their efforts to promote improved supervisory standards. (b) Member States will make their best endeavours to consider, within six months, complete applications for licences to conduct direct insurance underwriting business, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State, by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. In cases where such applications are refused, the Member State authority will make its best endeavours to notify the undertaking in question and give the reasons for the refusal of the application. (c) The supervisory authorities of the Member States will make their best endeavours to respond without undue delay to requests for information by applicants on the status of complete applications for licences to conduct direct insurance underwriting business, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. (d) The European Communities and their Member States will make their best endeavours to examine any questions pertaining to the smooth operation of the internal market in insurance, and consider any issues that might have an impact on the internal market in insurance. (e) The European Communities and their Member States note that, as regards motor insurance, under Community law as in force at 31 December 1997, and without prejudice to future legislation, premiums may be calculated taking several risk factors into account. (f) The European Communities and their Member States note that under Community law, as in force at 31 December 1997, and without prejudice to future legislation, the prior approval by national supervisory authorities of policy conditions and scales of premiums that an insurance undertaking intends to use is generally not required. (g) The European Communities and their Member States note that under Community law, as in force at 31 December 1997, and without prejudice to future legislation, the prior approval by national supervisory authorities of increases in premium rates is generally not required. Other financial services (a) In application of the relevant EC Directives, Member States will make their best endeavours to consider, within 12 months, complete applications for licences to conduct banking activities, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State, by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. In cases where such applications are refused, the Member State will make its best endeavours to notify the undertaking in question and give the reasons for the refusal of the application. (b) Member States will make their best endeavours to respond without undue delay to requests for information by applicants on the status of complete applications for licences to conduct banking activities, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State, by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. (c) In application of the relevant EC Directives, Member States will make their best endeavours to consider within six months complete applications for licences to conduct investment services in the securities field, as defined in the Investment Services Directive, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State, by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. In cases where such applications are refused, the Member State will make its best endeavours to notify the undertaking in question and give the reasons for the refusal of the application. (d) Member States will make their best endeavours to respond without undue delay to requests for information by applicants on the status of complete applications for licences to conduct investment services in the securities area, through the establishment in a Member State of a subsidiary in accordance with the legislation of that Member State, by an undertaking governed by the laws of a non-member country. EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES >SPAZIO PER TABELLA> DECISION ADOPTING THE FIFTH PROTOCOL TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES Adopted by the Committee on Trade in Financial Services on 14 November 1997 THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE IN FINANCIAL SERVICES, HAVING regard to the results of the negotiations conducted under the terms of the second Decision on Financial Services adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 21 July 1995 (S/L/9), DECIDES as follows: 1. To adopt the text of the fifth Protocol to the General Agreement on Trade in Services. 2. Commencing immediately and continuing until the date of entry into force of the fifth Protocol to the General Agreement on Trade in Services, Members concerned shall, to the fullest extent consistent with their existing legislation, not take measures which would be inconsistent with their undertakings resulting from these negotiations. 3. The Committee shall monitor the acceptance of the Protocol by Members concerned and shall, at the request of a Member, examine any concerns raised regarding the application of paragraph 2. DECISION OF DECEMBER 1997 ON COMMITMENTS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES Adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 12 December 1997 THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES, HAVING regard to the second Decision on Financial Services adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 21 July 1995 (S/L/9), NOTING the results of the negotiations carried out under the terms of that Decision, HAVING regard to the Decision adopting the fifth Protocol to the General Agreement on Trade in Services adopted by the Committee on Trade in Financial Services on 14 November 1997 (S/L/44), DECIDES as follows: 1. If the fifth Protocol to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) does not enter into force in accordance with paragraph 3 therein: (a) Notwithstanding Article XXI of the GATS, a Member may for a period of 60 days beginning on 1 March 1999, modify or withdraw all or part of the commitments on financial services inscribed in its Schedule. (b) Notwithstanding Article II of the GATS and paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Annex to Article II 'Exemptions`, a Member may, for the same period referred to in paragraph 1(a), list in that Annex measures relating to financial services which are inconsistent with paragraph 1 of Article II of the GATS. 2. The Committee on Trade in Financial Services shall establish any procedures necessary for the implementation of paragraph 1.