Förslag till rådets beslut om ingående på Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar, vad beträffar frågor som hör under dess behörighet, av de avtal som är resultatet av förhandlingarna inom Världshandelsorganisationen (WTO) om finansiella tjänster (98/C 271/01) KOM(98) 440 slutlig 98/0239 (CNS)

(Framlagt av kommissionen den 14 juli 1998)

EUROPEISKA UNIONENS RÅD HAR BESLUTAT FÖLJANDE

med beaktande av Fördraget om upprättandet av Europeiska gemenskapen, särskilt artiklarna 54, 57, 63, 66, 73b 73f, 99, 100, 100a och 113, jämförda med artikel 228.2, andra meningen, och artikel 228.3, första stycket, i detta,

med beaktande av kommissionens förslag,

med beaktande av Europaparlamentets yttrande,

med beaktande av Ekonomiska och sociala kommitténs yttrande, och

av följande skäl:

Marrakechavtalet om upprättandet av Världshandelsorganisationen samt avtalen i anslutning till detta, liksom ministerbesluten, ministerdeklarationerna och Överenskommelsen om åtaganden beträffande finansiella tjänster, godkändes genom rådets beslut av den 22 december 1994.

De generella åtaganden om finansiella tjänster som kommissionen förhandlat fram på Europeiska gemenskapens och dess medlemsstaters vägnar utgör ett tillfredsställande och väl avvägt resultat av förhandlingarna.

Den 12 december 1997 beslöt rådet att, med förbehåll för slutgiltigt godkännande efter slutförandet av interna förfaranden, godkänna den slutliga listan över Europeiska gemenskapernas och deras medlemsstaters åtaganden (GATS/SC/31/Suppl. 4) och att bemyndiga kommissionen att på Europeiska gemenskapernas och deras medlemsstaters vägnar lämna in listan till WTO.

Samma dag bemyndigade rådet kommissionen att, på Europeiska gemenskapens och dess medlemsstaters vägnar, godkänna det slutliga resultatet av förhandlingarna vilket framgår av det femte protokollet till GATS (S/L/45), beslutet om att anta det protokollet (S/L/44) samt beslutet om åtaganden beträffande finansiella tjänster (S/L/50).

Gemenskapens behörighet att ingå internationella avtal härrör inte endast från uttryckliga stadganden om detta i fördraget, utan kan också härröra från andra bestämmelser i fördraget och från rättsakter som antagits av gemenskapens institutioner på grundval av dessa bestämmelser.

Om gemenskapsregler har antagits för att förverkliga fördragets mål, får medlemsstaterna inte utanför de gemensamma institutionernas ram göra åtaganden som kan påverka dessa regler eller påverka deras tillämpningsområde.

Vissa åtaganden beträffande finansiella tjänster ligger inom gemenskapens kompetensområde enligt artiklarna 113 och 73c i fördraget. Andra åtaganden beträffande finansiella tjänster rör gemenskapsregler som antagits på grundval av artiklarna 54, 57, 63, 66, 99, 100 och 100a och kan därför endast ingås av gemenskapen som sådan.

Att använda artikel 100 i fördraget som rättslig grund för detta beslut är berättigat i den utsträckning som ovan nämnda åtaganden om finansiella tjänster påverkar rådets direktiv 90/434/EEG av den 23 juli 1990 om ett gemensamt beskattningssystem för fusion, fission, överföring av tillgångar, utbyte av aktier eller andelar som berör företag i olika medlemsstater och rådets direktiv 90/435/EEG av den 23 juli 1990 om ett gemensamt beskattningssystem för moderbolag och dotterbolag hemmahörande i olika medlemsstater, vilka är grundade på artikel 100 i fördraget.

Vad gäller de åtaganden om kapitalrörelser som ingår i listan över gemenskapens och medlemsstaternas särskilda åtaganden har gemenskapen, enligt nu gällande gemenskapsrätt, allmän behörighet. Medlemsstaterna förblir dock behöriga att handla inom de gränser som följer av artikel 73c i fördraget.

Avtalet om upprättande av Världshandelsorganisationen och protokollen till Allmänna tjänstehandelsavtalet är av sådan natur att de sannolikt inte kommer att omedelbart åberopas inför gemenskapens eller medlemsstaternas domstolar.

HÄRIGENOM FÖRESKRIVS FÖLJANDE.

Enda artikel

1. Det femte protokollet till Allmänna tjänstehandelsavtalet, om finansiella tjänster (S/L/45), godkänns härmed på Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar vad beträffar den del av protokollet som hör under Europeiska gemenskapens behörighet.

2. Till detta beslut fogas texten till femte protokollet med listan över gemenskapens och medlemsstaternas särskilda åtaganden (GATS/SC/31/Suppl. 4) och listan över undantag från artikel II i Allmänna tjänstehandelsavtalet (GATS/EL/31), om finansiella tjänster, samt följande beslut:

- Beslut av Kommittén för handel med finansiella tjänster om att anta det femte protokollet till Allmänna tjänstehandelsavtalet (S/L/44).

- Tjänstehandelsrådets beslut om åtaganden beträffande finansiella tjänster, antaget i december 1997 (S/L/50).

3. Rådets ordförande bemyndigas härmed att utse den person som skall ha befogenhet att underteckna det femte protokollet till Allmänna tjänstehandelsavtalet i syfte att binda Europeiska gemenskapen vad beträffar den del av protokollet som hör under dess behörighet.

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

>Plats för tabell>

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

>Plats för tabell>

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.