Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) temporarily suspending the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on certain industrial products intended to equip the free zones of the Azores and Madeira
Date: 1993-03-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Azores, CCT duties, Madeira, free zone, industrial product, suspension of customs duties

COMMISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  CGMV1UNITIES 

COM(93)126 final 

Brussels, 29 March  1993 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EEC) 

temporarily suspending  the autonomous Common  Customs Tariff  duties on 
certain  industrial  products  intended  to equip  the free zones of  the Azores 
and Madeira 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

1. Within  the programme of options specific  to the remote and  insular  nature 

of Madeira and  the Azores  (POSEIMA),  approved  by Council  Decision 
91/315/EEC of 26 June  1991,  it  is stated  that  free zones might  constitute 
an  important  tool  for  the economic development  of  these regions and that 
the adoption of special  customs measures might  prove suitable. 

2.  In implementation of  its own mandate,  the Council  adopted  Regulation 

(EEC) No 1604/92 of  15 June  1992 establishing  a special  customs 
arrangement  for  Inward processing  operations  In free zones and 
warehouses  in the ultraperipheral  regions,  including  the Azores and 
Madeira. 

3. On 4 March  1992, the Portuguese  authorities asked  the Commission  to be 

granted exemption of CCT duties with  respect  to certain products  intended 
f«»l  <*<|tl I p p l l ig 

I hf?c»f>  f l no  HH\rtt» 

4.  It has been  found,  in examining  the situation  particulai ly with rospocl 

to the size and production  capacity of  local  industry  that  such a measure 
is likely to contribute  to the starting  and  development  of economic 
activity  in the free zones  in these regions. 

assistance — 

5. Taking  account  of  the national  and currently  applicable\to the two free 

zones concerned,  the Commission  proposes  that  the tariff  suspension  in 
question should  be applied until  31.12.2000. 

6. As these two types of measure complement  each other  in regard  to their 

economic objectives, the Commission  intends to make a joint evaluation of 
their  impact with  the competent  Portuguese  authorities, with a view to 
ensuring  particularly  that  the ceilings  for  the  intensity of aid applied 
to these regions as part of competition  policy are  respected. 

Proposât for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 

temporarily suspending the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on 
certain industrial products Intended to equip the free zones of the Azores 
and Madeira 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
and in particular Article 28 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,1 

Having regard to the opinion of. the European Parliament,2 

Whereas the Council, in its Decision No 91/315/EEC of 26 June 1991, set up a 
programme of options specific to the remote and  insular nature of Madeira 
and the Azores (Poseima);^ 

Whereas, in the context of the overall programme of measures established in 
that Decision to stimulate the economic and social development of the 
abovementioned autonomous regions, it was stipulated that free zones could 
be an appreciable instrument of economic development  in the regions 
concerned; whereas it may be appropriate to adopt specific customs measures 
regarding the arrangements applicable to the free zones of the Azores and 
Madeira; 

Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 1604/92 of 15 June 19924 provided that 
processing operations carried out  in the free zones of these autonomous 
regions should not be subject to the economic conditions laid down in the 
inward processing arrangements; 

Whereas in a request submitted on 4 March 1992 and supplemented on 
22 October 1992 and 20 January 1993, the competent Portuguese authorities 
asked to be granted an exemption from Common Customs Tariff duties on 
imports of certain industrial products intended to equip the free zones of 
the Azores and Madeira; 

Whereas, upon detailed examination of the situation, such a measure appears 
likely to give the required boost to the development of economic activities 
in the free zones located in the regions in question; 

Whereas, in order to avoid directly affecting the functioning of the common 
market, a time limit must be set for this measure and suitable action taken 
to ensure that the products for which a suspension  is granted are intended 
solely to equip the free zones of the Azores and Madeira; 

1  0J C ..., 
2  0J C 
3  0J L 171, 29 June 1991, p.10. 
4  OJ L 173. 27.6.1992, p. 30. 

199., p 
199. , p 

3 

Whereas  the Commission must  be  informed of  the volume of  imports  involved, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

1. The Common Customs Tariff duties applicable to products  listed  in the 

Annex  shall  be suspended  in full until  31 December  2000. 

2. The suspension  referred  to  in paragraph  1 shall  apply  solely  to products 

intended  to equip  the free zones of  the Azores and Madeira. 

3. The relevant  Portuguese authorities shall  adopt  the provisions  necessary 
to ensure compliance with paragraph  2 pursuant  to the relevant  Community 
provisions on end-use,  in particular  the charging of Common  Customs 
Tariff  duties when  the products  in question  are transported  to other 
parts of  the Community's  customs territory. 

They  shall  inform  the Commission  of  these measures  at  the earliest 
opportunity. 

Art icle 2 

With  respect  to the products referred  to  in Article  1, the competent 
Portuguese authorities shall  inform  the Commission,  no  later  than 15 March 
of each year, of  the volume of  imports  for which  the  tariff  suspension  has 
been granted  during  the preceding  year. 

This Regulation shall  enter  into force on  the day of  its publication  in the 
Official  Journal  of  the European  Communities. 

Art icle 3 

This Regulation  shall  be binding  in  its entirety  and directly  applicable  in 
a 11 Member  States. 

Done at Brussels 

For  the CounciI 
The President 

Order No 

18.0300 

CN  CODE 

6B04 

18.0302 

7308 

18.0304 

7309 00 

18.0306 

18.0308 

18.0310 

7310 other than 
7310 21 10 

7311 00 

7322 

18.0312 

7610 

A  N  li  E X 

DESCRIPTION 

S i U S | | i à l h B < . l | B a . l < f c ^ « l ! l t M N .v« t A a^ 

-Millstones, grindstones, grinding wheels and the like, without 

frameworks, for grinding, sharpening, polishing, trueing or cutting, 
hand sharpening or polishing  stones, and parts thereof, of natural 
stone, of agglomerated  natural or artificial abrasives, or of 
ceramics, with or without parts of other materials 

-Structures  (excluding prefabricated buildings of heading No  9406) 
and parts of structures  (for example, bridges and bridge-sections, 
lock-gates, towers, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frameworks, doors 
and windows and their frames and thresholds for doors, shutters, 
balustrades, pillars and columns), of iron or steel; plates, rods, 
angles, shapes, sections, tubes and the like, prepared for use in 
structures, of iron or steel 

-Reservoirs, tanks, vats and similar containers for any material 

(other than compressed or liquefied  gas),  of iron or steel, of a 
capacity exceeding 300 litres, whether or not lined or heat-
insulated, but not fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment 

other than cans ôf à kind used for preserving 

food and drink 

-Containers for compressed or liquefied gas, of iron or steel 

-Radiators for central heating, not electrically  heated, and parts 
thereof, of iron or steel; air heaters and hot air distributors 
(including distributors which can also distribute fresh or 
conditioned  air), not electrically heated, incorporating a motor-
driven fan or blower, and parts thereof, of iron or steel 

-Aluminium structures  (excluding prefabricated buildings of heading 

No.  9406) and parts of structures  (for example, bridges and bridge-
sections, towers, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frameworks, doors 
and windows and their frames and thresholds for doors, balustrades, 
pillars and columns); aluminium plates, rods, profiles, tubes and 
the like, prepared for use in structures 

18.0314 

7611 00 00 

18.0316 

7612 

-Aluminium reservoirs, tanks, vats and similar containers, for any 
material  (other than compressed or liquefied  gas),  of a capacity 
exceeding 300 litres, whether or not lined or heat-insulated, but 
not fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment 

-Aluminium casks, drums, cans, boxes and similar containers 

(including rigid or collapsible tubular containers), for any 
material  (other than compressed or liquefied  gas),  of a capacity 
not exceeding 300 litres, whether or not lined or heat-insulated, 
but not fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment 

18.0318 

18.0320 

7613 00 00 

-Aluminium containers for compressed or liquefied gas 

8202 

-Hand saws; blades for saws of all kinds  (including slitting, 

slotting or toothless saw blades) 

18.0322 

8203 

-Files, rasps, pliers  (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers, 

Order  No 

CODE 

DESCRIPTION 

18.0324 

8204 

18.0326 

8205 

18.0328 

8207 

metal cutting shears, pipe-cutters, bolt croppers, perforating 
punches and similar hand  tools 

-Hand-operated  spanners and wrenches  (including torque meter 

wrenches but not including tap wrenches); interchangeable spanner 
sockets, with or without handles 

-Hand tools  (including glaziers' diamonds), not elsewhere specified 
or included; blow lamps; vices, clamps and the like, other than 
accessories for and parts of, machine tools; anvils; portable 
forges; hand or pedal-operated  grinding wheels with  frameworks 

-Interchangeable tools for hand tools, whether or not power-operated, 
or for machine-tools  (for example, for pressing, stamping, punching, 
tapping, threading, drilling, boring, broaching, milling, turning 
or screw driving), including dies for drawing or extruding metal, 
and rock drilling or earth boring tools 

18.0330 

18.0332 

18.0334 

18.0336 

8208  other  than 
8208 40 00 

-Knives and cutting blades, for machines or for mechanical 

appliances other than agricultural, horticultural or forestry machines 

8209 00 

8210 00 

8303 00 

-Plates, sticks, tips and the like for tools, unmounted, of sintered 

metal carbides or cermets 

-Hand-operated mechanical appliances, weighing 10 kg or less, used 

in the preparation, conditioning or serving of food or drink 

-Armoured or reinforced  safes, strong-boxes and doors and safe 

deposit lockers for strong-rooms, cash or deed boxes and the like, 
of base metal 

18.0338 

8304 00 00 

-Filing cabinets, card-index cabinets, paper trays, paper rests, pen 
trays, office-stamp stands and similar office or desk  equipment, of 
base metal, other than office furniture of heading No.  9403 

18.0340 

18.0342 

18.0344 

8402 

8403 

8404 

18.0346 

8405 

18.0348 

18.0350 

18.0352 

8406 

8407 

8408 

'-Steam or other vapour generating boilers  (other than central 

heating hot water boilers capable also of producing  low pressure 
steam); super-heated  water  boilers 

-Central heating boilers other than those of heading No  8402 

-Auxiliary plant for use with boilers of heading No  8402 or  8403 

(for example, economisers, super-heaters, soot removers, gas 
recoverers); condensers for steam or other vapour power units 

-Producer gas or water gas generators, with or without their 

purifiers; acetylene gas generators and similar water process gas 
generators, with or without their purifiers 

-Steam turbines and other vapour turbines 

-Spark-ignition  reciprocating  or rotary internal combustion  piston 

engines 

-Compression-ignition  internal combustion piston engines  (diesel or 

semi-diesel engines) 

IA 

Order No 

CODE 

DESCRIPTION 

* ^ *^ * » » . » # # .» «i»i^*«»^*»*iiB^»^a»a|ifc«»%^*#i* 

18.0354 

8409 

18.0356 

8413 

18.0358 

8414 

18.0360 

8415 

18.0362 

8416 

18.0364 

8417 

18.0366 

8418 

18.0368 

8419 

18.0370 

8420 

18:0372 

8421 

18.0374 

8422 

-Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the engines of 
heading No  8407 or  8408 

-Pumps for liquids, whether or not fitted with a measuring device; 
liquid  elevators 

-Air or vacuum  pumps, air or other gas compressors  and fans; 
ventilating  or recycling  hoods incorporating  a fan, whether or not 
fitted with filters 

-Air conditioning machines, comprising  a motor-driven fan and 
elements for changing  the temperature  and humidity, including  those 
machines in which the humidity cannot be separately regulated 

-Furnace burners for liquid fuel, for pulverised  solid fuel or for 
gas; mechanical stokers, including  their mechanical grates, 
mechanical ash dischargers and similar appliances 

-Industrial or laboratory furnaces and ovens, including incinerators, 
non-electric 

-Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing 
equipment, electric or other; heat pumps other than air 
conditioning  machines of heading No  8415 

-Machinery, plant or laboratory equipment, whether or not 
electrically  heated, for the treatment of materials by a process 
involving  a change of temperature  such as heating, cooking, 
roasting, distilling, rectifying, sterilizing, pasteurising, 
steaming, drying, evaporating, vapourising, condensing or cooling, 
other than machinery or plant of a kind used for domestic purposes; 
instantaneous or storage water heaters, non-electric 

-Calendering or other rolling machines, other than for metals or 
glass, and cylinders therefor 

-Centrifuges, including centrifugal dryers; filtering or purifying 
machinery  and apparatus, for liquids or gases 

-Dish washing machines; machinery for cleaning or drying bottles or 
other containers; machinery for filling, closing, sealing, 
capsuling  or labelling  bottles, cans, boxes, bags or other 
containers; other packing or wrapping machinery; machinery for 
aerating  beverages 

18.0376 

18.0378 

8423  other  than 
8423  10 10 

-Weighing machinery  (excluding balances of a sensitivity of 5 eg or 
better), including weight operated counting or checking machines; 
weighing machine weights of all kinds other than household scales 

8424 other than! 
8424 81 10 

•Mechanical appliances  (whether or not hand-operated) for projecting, 
dispersing  or spraying liquids or powders; fire extinguishers, 
whether or not charged; spray guns and similar appliances; steam or 
sand blasting machines and similar  jet projecting machines  other than watering appliances 

18.0380 

8425 

-Pulley  tackle and hoists other than skip hoists; winches and 

Order No 

CODE 

DESCRIPTION 

18.0382 

18.0384 

18.0386 

18.0388 

8426 

8427 

8428 

8437 

18.0390 

8438 

18.0392 

18.0394 

18.0396 

18.0398 

18.0400 

18.0402 

B439 

8440 

8441 

8443 

8444 00 

8445 

18.0404 

18.0406 

8446 

8447 

18.0408 

8448 

capstans; jacks 

-Ships' derricks; cranes, including cable cranes; mobile lifting 
frames, straddle carriers and works trucks fitted with a crane 

-Fork-lift trucks; other works trucks fitted with lifting or 

handling equipment 

-Other lifting, handling, loading or unloading machinery  (for 

example, lifts, escalators, conveyors, teleferics) 

-Machines for cleaning, sorting or grading seed, grain or dried 

leguminous vegetables; machinery used in the milling industry or 
for the working of cereals or dried leguminous vegetables, other 
than farm-type machinery 

-Machinery, not specified  or included elsewhere in this chapter, for 
the industrial preparation or manufacture of food or drink, other 
than machinery for the .extraction or preparation of animal or fixed 
vegetable fats or oils 

-Machinery far making pulp of fibrous celluloslc material or for 

making or finishing paper or paperboard 

-Book-binding machinery, including book-sewing machines 

-Other machinery for making up paper pulp, paper or paperboard, 

including cutting machines of all kinds 

-Printing machinery; machines for uses ancillary  to printing 

-Machines for extruding, drawing, texturing or cutting man-made 

textile materials 

-Machines for preparing textile fibres; spinning, doubling or 

twisting machines and other machinery for producing textile yarns; 
textile reeling or winding  (including weft-winding) machines and 
machines for preparing textile yarns for use on the machines of 
heading No  8446 or  8447 

-Weaving machines  (looms) 

-Knitting machines, stitch-bonding machines and machines for making 
gimped yarn, tulle, lace, embroidery, trimmings, braid or net and 
machines for tufting 

-Auxiliary machinery for use with machines of heading No  8444, 

8445,  8446 or  8447  (for example, dobbies, Jacquards, automatic 
stop motions, shuttle changing mechanisms); parts and accessories 
suitable for use solely or principally with the machines of this 
heading or of heading No  8444,  8445,  8446 or  8447  (for example, 
spindles and spindle flyers, card clothing, combs, extruding 
nipples, shuttles, healds and heald-frames, hosiery needles) 

18.0410 

8450 

-Household or laundry-type washing machines, including machines 

which both wash and dry 

-V 

Order No 

CODE 

18.0412 

8451 

18.0414 

8452 

18.0416 

8453 

18.0418 

8456 

18.0420 

8457 

18.0422 

18.0424 

8458 

8459 

18.0426 

8460 

18.0428 

8461 

18,0430 

8462 

18.0432 

B4<53 

18.0434 

18.0436 

8464 

8465 

DESCRIPTION 

-Machinery  (other than machines of heading No  8450) for washing, 
cleaning, wringing, drying, ironing, pressing  (including fusing 
presses), bleaching, dyeing, dressing, finishing, coating or 
impregnating  textile yarns, fabrics or made up textile articles and 
machines for applying the paste to the base fabric or other support 
used in the manufacture of floor coverings such as linoleum; 
machines for reeling, unreeling, folding, cutting or pinking 
textile fabrics 

-Sewing machines, other than book-sewing machines of heading No 
8440; furniture, bases and covers specially designed for sewing 
machines; sewing machine needles 

-Machinery for preparing, tanning or working hides, skins or leather 

or for making or repairing footwear or other articles of hides, 
skins or leather, other than sewing machines 

-Machine-tools for working any material by removal of material, by 

laser or other light or photon beam, ultrasonic, electro-discharge, 
electro-chemical, electron beam, ionic-beam or plasma arc processes 

-Machining centres, unit construction machines  (single station) and 

multi-station  transfer machines, for working metal 

-Lathes for removing metal 

-Machine-tools  (including way-type unit head machines) for drilling, 
boring, milling, threading or tapping by removing metal, other than 
lathes of heading No  8458 

-Machine-tools for deburring, sharpening, grinding, honing, lapping, 
polishing or otherwise finishing metal, sintered metal carbides or 
cermets by means of grinding stones, abrasives or polishing 
products, other than gear cutting, gear grinding or gear finishing 
machines of heading No  8461 

-Machine-tools for planing, shaping, slotting, broaching, gear 

cutting, gear grinding or gear finishing, sawing, cutting-off and 
other machine-tools working by removing metal, sintered metal 
carbides or cermets, not elsewhere specified or included 

-Machine-tools  (including presses) for working metal by forging, 

hammering or die-stamping; machine-tools  (including presses) for 
working metal by bending, folding, straightening, flattening, 
shearing, punching or notching; presses for working metal or metal 
carbides, not specified above 

-Other machine-tools for working metal, sintered metal carbides or 

cermets, without removing material 

-Machine-tools for working stone,ceramics, concrete, asbestos-
cement or like mineral materials  qr  for cold working glass 

-Machine-tools  (including machines fbr nailing, stapling, glueing or 

otherwise assembling) for working w^od, cork, bona, hard rubber, 

\ 

Order  No 

CODE 

DESCRIPTION 

4. 

18.0438 

8467 

18.0440 

8468 

18.0442 

18.0444 

8469 

8470 

18.0446 

8471 

18.0448 

8472 

18.0450 

8477 

18.0452 

18478 

18.0454 

|Q4 80 

hard plastics or similar hard materials 

-Tools for working in the hand, pneumatic or with self-contained non 

electric motor 

-Machinery and apparatus for soldering, brazing or welding, whether 
or not capable of cutting, other than those of heading No  8515; 
gas-operated  surface tempering machines and appliances 

-Typewriters and word-processing machines 

-Calculating machines; accounting machines, postage-franking, 

machines, ticket-issuing machines and similar machines, 
incorporating  a calculating device; cash registers 

-Automatic data processing machines and units thereof; magnetic or 

optical readers, machines for transcribing  data onto data media in 
coded form and machines for processing  such data, not elsewhere 
specified or included 

-Other office machines  (for example,, hectograph or stencil 

duplicating machines, addressing machines, automatic banknote 
dispensers, coin-sorting machines, coin-counting or wrapping 
machines, pencil-sharpening machines, perforating or stapling 
machines) 

-Machinery for working  rubber or plastics or for the manufacture of 
products from these materials, not specified or included elsewhere 
in this Chapter 

-Machinery for preparing or making up tobacc 
included elsewhere in this Chapter 

not specified or 

-Moulding boxes for metal foundry; mould bases; moulding patterns; 

moulds for metal  (other than ingot moulds), metal carbides, glass, 
mineral materials, rubber or plastics 

18v0456 

18.0458 

J8501 

-Electric motors and generators  (excluding generating  sets) 

8508 other than 
;8508 80 80 

-Electro-mechanical  tools for working in the hand, with self-

contained electric motor  other than hedge trimmers and lawn edge cutters 

18.0460 

8514 

18.0462 

8515 

-Industrial or laboratory electric  (including induction or 

dielectric) furnaces and ovens; other industrial or laboratory 
induction or dielectric heating equipment 

-Electric  (including electrically hsated gas), laser or other light 

or photon beam, ultrasonic, electron beam, magnetic pulse or plasma 
arc soldering, brazing or welding machines and apparatus, whether 
or not capable of cutting; electric machines and apparatus for hot 
spraying of metals or sintered metal carbides 

18.0464 

8526 

-Radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus and radio remote 

control apparatus 

18.0466 

9009 

-Photocopying  apparatus incorporating an optical system or of the 

Order No 

CODE 

DESCRIPTION 

18.0468 

18.0470 

18.0472 

18.0474 

18.0476 

18.0478 

18^0480 

contact type and thermo-copying apparatus 

-Apparatus and equipment  for photographic  (including  cinematographic) 

laboratories  (including apparatus for the projection of circuit 
patterns on sensitised  semi-conductor  materials), not specified or 
included elsewhere  in this Chapter; negatoscopes; projection 
screens 

-Drawing, marking-out or mathematical calculating  instruments  (for 

example, drafting machines, pantographs, protractors, drawing sets, 
slide rules, disc calculators); instruments for measuring length, 
for use in the hand  (for example, measuring  rods and tapes, 
micrometers, callipers), not specified  or included elsewhere in 
this Chapter 

-Machines and appliances for testing  the hardness, strength, 

compressibility,  elasticity or other mechanical properties of 
materials  (for example, metals, wood, textiles, paper, plastics) 

-Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, 
pressure or other variables of liquids or gases  (for example, flow 
meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), excluding 
instruments and apparatus of heading No  9014,  9015,  9028 or 
9032 

-Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for 

example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke 
analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or 
checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the 
like; instruments and apparatus for measuring  or checking 
quantities of heat, sound or light  (including  exposure meters); 
microtomes 

-Gas, liquid or electricity  supply or production meters, including 

calibrating meters therefor 

-Prefabricated  buildings 

Il 

FINANCIAL  RECORD 

1. Budget  line concerned  : Chap. 12 Art. 120 

2. Legal  basis  : Art. 28 of  the Treaty 

3. Title of  the tariff measure concerned  : Proposal  for a Council  Regulation 

(EEC) temporarily  suspending  the autonomous Common Customs Tariff  duties 
on certain  industrial  products  intended  to equip  the free zones of the 
Azores and Madeira 

4. Objective  : To provide  favourable conditions  for  the supply of  certain 
industrial  products  intended  to equip  the free zones of  the Azores and 
Madeira 

5. Duty-loss  : On the basis of  information  from  the Portuguese authorities, 

the  loss of  revenue  for  the period  1 March  1993 until  31 December  2000 is 
estimated  to amount  to 25 390 000 ECU. 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM{93) 126  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

02 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-148-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-53952-6 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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