Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of Bulgaria on reciprocal preferential trade concessions for certain wines
Date: 2006-02-23
Institutions: Bulgaria, European Community
Subjects: Bulgaria, import, originating product, tariff quota, trade agreement (EU), wine

L 66/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.3.2006

in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of
Bulgaria on reciprocal preferential trade concessions for certain wines

AGREEMENT

Sir,

A. Letter from the Community

I have the honour to refer to the Agreement of 20 March 2001 in the form of an Exchange of Letters
between the European Community and Bulgaria on the reciprocal establishment of tariff quotas for certain
wines and spirits, amending Agreement of 29 November 1993, and to the negotiations concluded during
2004 between the European Community and Bulgaria covering trade concessions on wine.

I hereby confirm that, following the negotiations and pending the procedure for the adoption and the entry
into force of an Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement covering wines and spirits and in order to
implement from 1 January 2005 the results of the negotiations on new bilateral trade concessions for
certain wines, the European Community and the Republic of Bulgaria have agreed on the following which
will replace the concessions on wine set out in the Exchange of Letters of 2001:

1. Imports into Bulgaria of the following products originating in the Community shall be subject to the

concessions set out below.

Bulgarian tariff code

Description

ex 2204 10
ex 2204 21
ex 2204 29

Sparkling wine, in containers holding not
more than 2 litres
Wine of fresh grapes

Annual quantity from
1.1.2005
(hl)

Applicable duty

73 100

free

2. Imports into the Community of the following products originating in Bulgaria shall be subject to the

concessions set out below.

CN code

Description

Annual quantity
from 1.1.2005
(hl)

Yearly increase
from 1.1.2006
(hl)

Applicable
duty

ex 2204 10

Sparkling wine, in containers holding not
more than 2 litres

4 000

200

ex 2204 21

Wine of fresh grapes

ex 2204 29

Wine of fresh grapes

510 000

195 000

25 500

0

free

free

free

3. The rules of origin applicable under this Agreement shall be as set out in Protocol 4 of the Europe
Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States of
the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria of the other part.

4. For the purposes of this Agreement wine is as defined in point 10 of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC)
No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine and must be produced in accordance
with the rules governing the oenological practices and processes referred to in Title V and Annexes IV
and V of the said Regulation and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 laying down detailed rules
for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common market organisation in wine
and establishing a Community code on oenological practices and processes.

5. Imports of wine under the concessions provided for in this Agreement will be subject to the presentation
of a certificate issued by a mutually recognised official body appearing on a list to be drawn up jointly,
to the effect that the wine in question complies with point 4.

8.3.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 66/25

6. The Contracting Parties shall ensure that the trade concessions granted reciprocally are not called into

question by other measures.

7. Consultations are to take place at the request of either Party on any problem relating to the way this

Agreement operates.

8. This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the
European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other
hand, in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

9. This Agreement will be approved by the Contracting Parties in accordance with their respective

procedures.

This Agreement shall enter into force on 1 January 2005. It shall expire on the entry into force of the
Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement on wines and spirits.

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

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

L 66/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.3.2006

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, addì
Briselē,

Priimta Briuselyje,

Kelt Brüsszelben,

Gedaan te Brussel,
Sporządzono w Brukseli, dnia

Feito em Bruxelas,

V Bruseli

V Bruslju,

Tehty Brysselissä

Utfärdat i Bryssel den
Съставено в Брюксел

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

Voor de Europese Gemeenschap

W imieniu Wspólnoty Europejskiej

Pela Comunidade Europeia
Za Európske spoločenstvo

za Evropsko skupnost

Euroopan yhteisön puolesta

På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar
За Европейската общност

8.3.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 66/27

Sir,

B. Letter from Bulgaria

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

‘I have the honour to refer to the Agreement of 20 March 2001 in the form of an Exchange of Letters
between the European Community and Bulgaria on the reciprocal establishment of tariff quotas for
certain wines and spirits, amending Agreement of 29 November 1993, and to the negotiations
concluded during 2004 between the European Community and Bulgaria covering trade concessions
on wine.

I hereby confirm that, following the negotiations and pending the procedure for the adoption and the
entry into force of an Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement covering wines and spirits and in
order to implement from 1 January 2005 the results of the negotiations on new bilateral trade
concessions for certain wines, the European Community and the Republic of Bulgaria have agreed
on the following which will replace the concessions on wine set out in the Exchange of Letters of
2001:

1. Imports into Bulgaria of the following products originating in the Community shall be subject to the

concessions set out below.

Bulgarian tariff code

Description

ex 2204 10
ex 2204 21
ex 2204 29

Sparkling wine, in containers holding not
more than 2 litres
Wine of fresh grapes

Annual quantity from
1.1.2005
(hl)

Applicable duty

73 100

free

2. Imports into the Community of the following products originating in Bulgaria shall be subject to the

concessions set out below.

CN code

Description

ex 2204 10

Sparkling wine,
holding not more than 2 litres

in

containers

ex 2204 21

Wine of fresh grapes

ex 2204 29

Wine of fresh grapes

Annual quantity
from 1.1.2005
(hl)

Yearly increase
from 1.1.2006
(hl)

Applicable duty

4 000

200

510 000

195 000

25 500

0

free

free

free

3. The rules of origin applicable under this Agreement shall be as set out in Protocol 4 of the Europe
Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States
of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria of the other part.

4. For the purposes of this Agreement wine is as defined in point 10 of Annex I to Council Regulation
(EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine and must be produced in
accordance with the rules governing the oenological practices and processes referred to in Title V
and Annexes IV and V of the said Regulation and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000
laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the
common market organisation in wine and establishing a Community code on oenological
practices and processes.

5. Imports of wine under the concessions provided for in this Agreement will be subject to the
presentation of a certificate issued by a mutually recognised official body appearing on a list to
be drawn up jointly, to the effect that the wine in question complies with point 4.

L 66/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.3.2006

6. The Contracting Parties shall ensure that the trade concessions granted reciprocally are not called

into question by other measures.

7. Consultations are to take place at the request of either Party on any problem relating to the way this

Agreement operates.

8. This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the
European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the
other hand, in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

9. This Agreement will be approved by the Contracting Parties in accordance with their respective

procedures.

This Agreement shall enter into force on 1 January 2005. It shall expire on the entry into force of the
Additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement on wines and spirits.

I should be obliged if you would confirm that your Government 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.

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

8.3.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 66/29

Съставено в Брюксел

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, addì
Briselē,
Priimta Briuselyje,
Kelt Brüsszelben,
Gedaan te Brussel,
Sporządzono w Brukseli, dnia
Feito em Bruxelas,
V Bruseli
V Bruslju,
Tehty Brysselissä
Utfärdat i Bryssel den

За правителството на Република България

Por el Gobierno de la República de Bulgaria
Za vládu Bulharské republiky
For regeringen for Republikken Bulgarien
Für die Regierung der Republik Bulgarien
Bulgaaria Vabariigi Valitsuse nimel
Για την Κυβέρνηση της Δημοκρατίας της Βουλγαρίας

For the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria
Pour le gouvernement de la République de Bulgarie
Per il Governo della Repubblica di Bulgaria
Bulgārijas Republikas valdības vārdā
Bulgarijos Vyriausybės vardu
a Bolgár Köztársaság kormánya részéről
Voor de regering van de Republiek Bulgarije
W imieniu Rzadu Republiki Bulgarii
Pelo Governo da República da Bulgária
Za vládu Bulharskej republiky
Za Vlado Republike Bolgarije
Bulgarian tasavallan hallituksen puolesta
På Republiken Bulgariens regerings vägnar