Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway - Agreed minute
Date: 2004-12-13
Institutions: European Community, Norway
Subjects: Norway, animal fats, ethanol, free-trade agreement, spirits, tariff exemption, tobacco, trade agreement (EU), vegetable oil

L 370/72

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.12.2004

AGREEMENT

in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of
Norway concerning Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European
Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway
A. Letter from the Community

Sir,
I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the ‘Agreed minutes’
attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European
Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.

I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in agreement
with the content of this letter.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

Hecho en Bruselas, el

V Bruselu dne

Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den

Geschehen zu Brüssel am

Brüssel,
Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις

Done at Brussels,

Fait à Bruxelles, le

Fatto a Bruxelles, addí

Briselÿ,

Priimta Briuselyje,

Kelt Brüsszelben,

Magÿmula fi Brussel,

Gedaan te Brussel,

Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia

Feito em Bruxelas,

V Bruseli,

V Bruslju,

Tehty Brysselissä

Utfärdat i Bryssel den

Întocmit la Bruxelles

17.12.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 370/73

Por la Comunidad Europea
Za Evropské společenství

For Det Europæiske Fællesskab
Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft
Euroopa Ühenduse nimel
Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα

For the European Community
Pour la Communauté européenne
Per la Comunità europea
Eiropas Kopienas vārdā
Europos bendrijos vardu
az Európai Közösség részéről
Għall-Komunità Ewropea
Voor de Europese Gemeenschap
W imieniu Wspólnoty Europejskiej
Pela Comunidade Europeia
Za Európske spoločenstvo
za Evropsko skupnost
Euroopan yhteisön puolesta
På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar

L 370/74

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.12.2004

I.

Introduction

AGREED MINUTES

On 11 March 2004, and after several meetings between Norway and Commission officials, a
compromise was reached on tariff reductions or abolition on a number of processed agricultural
products covered by Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement (1) or by Protocol No 2 to the 1973 free
trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (2).

free trade agreement. Therefore,

These concessions should lead to the improvement of market access for Norway and the Community
and would require the modification of Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement as well as Protocol No 2 to the
bilateral
to their
respective authorities some changes to the import arrangements applied by the parties to certain
processed agricultural products. The changes will be implemented in the form of a Decision of the
EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement and of the present Agreement in the
form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway.

the two parties agreed to submit

for approval

The changes in Protocol No 2 will enter into force on 1 January 2005.

The two parties agree that the respective import arrangements below will replace the agreement in the
form of an exchange of letters of 27 November 2002.

II. Norwegian import arrangements

From 1 January 2005, Norway will open the following annual tariff quotas for the Community:

Norwegian tariff
codes

Description

Volume

Applicable rate of
duty

1506.0021

Bonefat, bone oil and neat's foot oil

1518.0041

Linseed oil

2 360 tonnes

100 tonnes

Free

Free

III. Community Import arrangements

From 1 January 2005, the Community will open the following annual tariff quotas for Norway:

Order
number

CN Code

Description

09.0765

1517 10 90

09.0771

ex 2207 10 00
(TARIC Code 90)

09.0772

ex 2207 20 00
(TARIC Code 90)

Margarine, excluding liquid margarine, containing,
by weight, not more than 10% of milk fats

Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcohol strength
by volume of 80% vol. or higher, other than that
obtained from agricultural products
listed in
Annex I to the EEC Treaty

Ethyl alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any
from
strength,
obtained
than
agricultural products listed in Annex I
to the
EEC Treaty

other

that

Volume

2 470
tonnes

164 000
hectolitres

14 340
hectolitres

09.0774

2403 10

Smoking tobacco, whether or not containing
tobacco substitutes in any proportion

370
tonnes

(1) OJ L 22, 24.1.2002, p. 34.
(2) OJ L 171, 27.6.1973, p. 2.

Applicable
rate of duty

Free

Free

Free

Free

17.12.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 370/75

IV. Community arrangements on certain soft drinks

— From 1 January 2005, the present arrangements temporarily suspend the duty free regime applied
under Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement to goods classified under CN codes
2202 10 00 (waters,
including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or
other sweetening matter or flavoured) and ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing
sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)).

— The Community will open an annual duty free tariff quota from 1 January to 31 December for
goods originating in Norway and classified under CN codes 2202 10 00 (waters, including mineral
waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured) and
ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)), for the
following quantity: 14,3 million litres in 2005. Outside the quota allocation, the import duty will be
0,047 €/litre. The import duty may be revised annually on the basis of the difference in sugar prices
between Norway and the Community.

— On 31 October 2005, and on 31 October of each following year,

if the tariff quota has been
exhausted, the tariff quota applicable from 1 January of the following year will be increased by 10 %.
If the quota has not been exhausted on that date, the products mentioned in paragraph 1 will be
granted unlimited duty free access to the Community from 1 January to 31 December of the
following year.

V. The tariff quotas specified under II, III and IV shall be granted to originating products in accordance
with the rules of origin laid down in Protocol No 3 to the 1973 Free Trade Agreement between the
European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.

L 370/76

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.12.2004

Sir,

B. Letter from Norway

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today's date which reads as follows:

‘I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the “Agreed
minutes” attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral
free trade agreement
between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.

I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in
agreement with the content of this letter.’

I have the honour to confirm that my Government is in agreement with the content of your letter and the
proposed date of entry into force of the amendments.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

Done at Brussels,

Hecho en Bruselas, el

V Bruselu dne

Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den

Geschehen zu Brüssel am

Brüssel,
Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις

Fait à Bruxelles, le

Fatto a Bruxelles, addí

Briselÿ,

Priimta Briuselyje,

Kelt Brüsszelben,

Magÿmula fi Brussel,

Gedaan te Brussel,

Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia

Feito em Bruxelas,

V Bruseli,

V Bruslju,

Tehty Brysselissä

Utfärdat i Bryssel den

Întocmit la Bruxelles

17.12.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 370/77

For the Government of the Kingdom of Norway
Por el Gobierno del Reino de Noruega
Za vládu Norského království
På vegne af Kongeriget Norges regering
Im Namen des Königreichs Norwegen
Norra Kuningriigi valitsuse nimel
Για την Κυβέρνηση του Βασιλείου της Νορβηγίας

Pour le gouvernement du Royaume de Norvège
Per il Governo del Regno di Norvegia
Norvēģijas Karalistes valdības vārdā
Norvegijos Karalystės Vyriausybės vardu
A Norvég Királyság Kormánya részéről
Għall-Gvern tar-Renju tan-Norveġja
Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk Noorwegen
W imieniu Rządu Królestwa Norwegii
Pelo Governo do Reino da Noruega
Za vládu Nórskeho kráľovstva
Za vlado Kraljevine Norveške
Norjan kuningaskunnan hallituksen puolesta
För Konungariket Norges regering