Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) laying down certain provisions for the application of the Bilateral Agreements on Agriculture between the Community, of the one part, and Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, of the other part
Date: 1993-03-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EFTA countries, agreement (EU), bilateral agreement, free-trade agreement, milk, milk product

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(93)137  final 

Brussels,  31 March 1993 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 

laying  down certain  provisions for the application 
of the Bilateral  Agreements on Agriculture  between  the Community, 
of  the one part, and Austria, Finland,  Iceland, 
Norway and Sweden, of the other  part 

(presented  by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

Within  the  framework  of  the  negotiations  on  the  establishment  of  the 
European  Economic  Area  (EEA),  the  Community  signed  Bilateral  Agreements 
concerning  trade  arrangements  covering  certain  agricultural  products  in 
the  form of  exchanges of  letters with  Austria, Finland,  Iceland,  Norway, 
Sweden  and  Switzerland  in  Oporto  on  2 May  1992.  The  Agreements  on 
Agriculture  were  originally  scheduled  to  enter  into  force  on  the  same 
date as  the EEA  Agreement. 

As a result  of  the deferral  of  the entry  into force of  the EEA  Agreement 
in  the  wake  of  Switzerland's  decision  not  to  ratify  the  latter,  it  was 
decided  by  the  Community  on  the  one  hand  and  by  Austria,  Finland, 
Iceland,  Norway  and  Sweden  on  the  other  hand  that  the  Agreements  on 
Agriculture  should  enter  into  force  earlier  than  scheduled,  i.e.  on 
15 April  1993, for  a term of  validity  expiring  on  1 January  1994, except 
where  it  is decided  otherwise. 

Following  the  Council  Decision  to  approve  the Agreements,  a  legal  basis 
enabling  the Commission  to  implement  the  latter  must  be established. 
The proposed  provisions must  of  necessity  be adopted  at  Community  level. 

In  the  light  of  the  foregoing,  the  Council  is  requested  to  adopt  this 
proposa I. 

This proposal  has no  financial  impact  on  the Community  budget. 
It has no  impact  on  small  and medium-sized  enterprises  (SME). 

-1" 

Proposât  fpr a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 

laying  down  certain  provisions  for  the  application  of  the  Bilateral 
Agreements on  Agriculture between  the Community, of  the one  part, and 
Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, of the other part 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic 
Community, and  in particular Article 113 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas  the  Community  signed  Bilateral  Agreements  concerning  trade 
arrangements  covering  certain  agricultural  products  in  the  form  of 
exchanges of  letters with Austria, Finland,  Iceland, Norway, Sweden and 
Switzerland  in Oporto on 2 May 1992; 

Whereas those Agreements were signed at  the same  time as  the Agreement 
on  the European  Economic Area between  the European  Economic Community, 
the European Coal  and Steel Community and the Member States thereof, of 
the  one  part,  and  the  Member  States  of  the  European  Free  Trade 
Association,  of  the  other  part,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  the 
"EEA Agreement";  whereas  the  objective  of  all  parties  was  to  ensure 
that  the  EEA Agreement  and  the  Bilateral  Agreements  on  Agriculture 
entered  into force at the same time; 

Whereas, as a result of  the decision of  the Swiss Confederation not to 
ratify the EEA Agreement, Agreements  in the form of exchanges of  letters 
were concluded on 17 March 1993 between the Community, of  the one part, 
and  Austria,  Finland,  Iceland, Norway  and  Sweden, of  the  other  part, 
with  a view  to applying  the Bilateral  Agreements on Agriculture  signed 
on 2 May 1992 with  those countries as from 15 April  1993 and until such 
time as the EEA Agreement enters  into force-,  whereas the Agreements of 
17 March 1993  also  provide  that, except  where  the  Contracting  Parties 
decide  otherwise,  those  provisional  Agreements  are  to  expire  on 
1 January 1994  if the  EEA Agreement  does not  enter  into  force on  that 
date; 

of  15 March 19931,  the Council  approved  the 
Whereas, by Decision 
Bilateral  Agreements with Austria, Finland,  Iceland, Norway  and  Sweden 
and whereas those Agreements were concluded on 17 March 1993; 

Whereas  the  implementing  provisions  for  the  application  of  various 
provisions of those Agreements must be laid down, 

1  OJ ... 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

-3 

Article 1 

As  regards  agricultural  products  listed  in Annex  II  to  the  Treaty  and 
covered  by ^the_ rules  of  a  common  organization  of  the  market,  the 
implementing  provisions  for  the  Bilateral  Agreements  on  Agriculture 
signed  on  2 May  1992  in Oporto between  the  European  Economic  Community, 
of  the  one  part,  and  Austria,  Finland,  Iceland,  Norway  and  Sweden,  of 
the  other  part,  shall  be  adopted  in accordance  with  the  procedure  laid 
down 
in  the 
corresponding  articles  of  the  other  regulations  on  the  common 
organization  of  the  markets.  Where  the  application  of  the  Agreements 
calls  for  close  cooperation  with  the  signatory  States,  the  Commission 
may  take any measures necessary  to ensure such  cooperation. 

in  Article  30  of  Regulation  (EEC)  No 804/68*  or 

Article  2 

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

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

Done at Brussels, 

For  the Council 
The 

President 

2  Council  Regulation  (EEC) No 804/68 of  27 June  1968 on  the  common 

organization of  the market  in milk and milk products  (OJ  No L 148, 
28.6.1968).  Last  amended  by Regulation  (EEC) No  2071/92 
(OJ No L 215, 30.7.1992). 

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BSN 0254-1475 

COM(93) 137 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  02  11 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-161-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-54366-3 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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