Commission Regulation (EC) No 213/2004 of 5 February 2004 suspending for an additional period of six months, with regard to sugar of CN codes 1701 and 1702 imported from Serbia and Montenegro, the arrangements provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the European Union's stabilisation and association process
Date: 2004-02-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Serbia and Montenegro, import, originating product, preferential agreement, sugar

L 36/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

7.2.2004

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 213/2004

of 5 February 2004

suspending for an additional period of six months, with regard to sugar of CN codes 1701 and
1702 imported from Serbia and Montenegro, the arrangements provided for in Council Regulation
(EC) No 2007/2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for countries and territories partici-
pating in or linked to the European Union's stabilisation and association process

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 of 18
September 2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for
countries and territories participating in or linked to the Euro-
pean Union's stabilisation and association process, amending
Regulation (EC) No 2820/98 and repealing Regulations (EC) No
1763/1999 and (EC) No 6/2000 (1), and in particular Article
12(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(4)

(5)

(6)

Article 12(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 states
that, on conclusion of the period of suspension, the
Commission shall decide either to terminate or to extend
the suspension measure.

Despite considerable efforts by the authorities in Serbia
and Montenegro to redress the situation, deficiencies
persist in their system of certification and control of
preferential origin.

The Commission therefore considers that the suspension
measure should be extended for an additional period of
six months,
in so far as sugar of CN codes 1701 or
1702 declared as originating in Serbia and Montenegro
is concerned, in application of Article 12(3) of Council
Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000.

(7)

The Customs Code Committee has been informed
accordingly,

(1)

(2)

No

(EC)

Regulation

764/2003 (2)
Commission
suspended, for a period of three months, the preferential
arrangements provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2007/
2000 for sugar of CN codes 1701 and 1702 imported
from Serbia and Montenegro. At the basis of this deci-
sion were findings made in Serbia and Montenegro
according to which the system of certification and
control of the preferential origin of sugar of CN codes
1701 and 1702 did not allow the competent authorities
this beneficiary country to verify the originating
of
status of
the products and to provide administrative
cooperation as required for the verification of evidence
of origin.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Since there had been no significant change in the situa-
tion in Serbia and Montenegro, Commission Regulation
(EC) No 1343/2003 (3) suspended,
for an additional
period of six months,
the preferential arrangements
provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 for sugar
of CN codes 1701 and 1702 imported from Serbia and
Montenegro.

The preferential arrangements provided for in Council Regu-
lation (EC) No 2007/2000 for sugar of CN codes 1701 and
1702 imported from Serbia and Montenegro are suspended for
an additional period of six months.

(3)

Both suspension measures were decided in application
of the provisions laid down in Article 12(1) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 2007/2000.

(1) OJ L 240, 23.9.2000, p. 1. Regulation last amended by Commission

Regulation (EC) No 607/2003 (OJ L 86, 3.4.2003, p. 18).

(2) OJ L 109, 1.5.2003, p. 13.
(3) OJ L 189, 29.7.2003, p. 30.

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

It is applicable from 8 February 2004.

Article 2

7.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 36/5

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

Done at Brussels, 5 February 2004.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission