Proposal for a Council Decision on a Community Position concerning a Decision of the EC – the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Council amending Protocol 2 (on steel products) to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement
Date: 2007-10-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Association Agreement, North Macedonia, import, iron and steel product, originating product

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 17.10.2007 
COM(2007) 437 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on a Community Position concerning a Decision of the EC – the former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Council amending Protocol 2 (on 
steel products) to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  between  the  European  Communities  and  their 
Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other 
part, entered into force on 1 April 2004. 

The Stabilisation and Association Council established by Article 108 of the said Agreement 
surpervises  the  implementation  of  that  Agreement  and  examines  any  major  issues  arising 
within  the  framework  of  the  Agreement  and  any  other  bilateral  or  international  issues  of 
mutual interest. 

As provided for in Article 7(1) and (2) of Protocol 2 on steel products to the said Agreement, 
both sides have established a rapid information system on trade in steel products, in the form 
of a double-checking system, without quantitative limits, for the import into the Community 
of  steel  products  originating  in  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia.  Given  the 
progress made  in the  restructuring of the steel industry of the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia, it is appropriate to abolish the double-checking system. As provided for in Article 
7(3)  of  the  same  Protocol,  the  double-checking  system  may  be  abolished  by  means  of  a 
Decision of the Stabilisation and Association Council. 

The  draft  decision  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Council  abolishing  this  system  has 
been agreed in technical consultations and confirmed by exchange of letters with the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia dated respectively 27 July 2007 and 23 August 2007. 

As laid down by Article 2(1) of Council and Commission Decision 2004/239/EC, Euratom of 
23  February  2004  on  the  conclusion  of  the  said  Agreement,  the  Community  position  in  the 
Stabilisation and Association Council is to be established by decision of the Council, acting 
on a proposal from the Commission. 

The Council is therefore invited to approve the attached proposal for the Community position. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on a Community Position concerning a Decision of the EC – the former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Council amending Protocol 2 (on 
steel products) to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular  the 
second subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof, 

Having regard to Council and  Commission  Decision  2004/239/EC,  Euratom  of  23  February 
2004 concerning the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  former  Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia, of the other part1, and in particular Article 2(1) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission2, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Article  7  of  Protocol  2  to  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  establishes  a 
double-checking  system,  without  quantitative  limits,  for  the  import  into  the 
Community  of  steel  products  originating  in  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of 
Macedonia.  

Annex  I  to  Protocol  2  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  contains  the 
methodology of this double-checking system. 

Article 7(3)  of Protocol 2  of the  Stabilisation  and  Association Agreement lays down 
that  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Council  may  decide  to  amend  Annex  I  to 
Protocol 2 or abolish the double-checking system, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Sole Article 

The  position  to  be  adopted  by  the  Community  within  the  Stabilisation  and  Association 
Council  established  by  Article  108  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav 
Republic  of  Macedonia,  of  the  other  part,  in  relation  to  Article  7  of  Protocol  2  to  the  said 

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OJ L 84, 20.3.2004, p. 1. 
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 

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Agreement  and  Annex  I  to  that  Protocol  shall  be  based  on  the  draft  Decision  of  the 
Stabilisation and Association Council annexed to this Decision. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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ANNEX  

Draft 

DECISION OF THE EC - THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF 
MACEDONIA STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 

amending Protocol 2 (on steel products) of the EC – the former Yugoslav  
Republic of Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Agreement 

THE STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION COUNCIL, 

Having  regard  to  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  between  the  European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia, of the other part, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Article 7 of Protocol 2 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement establishes a 
double-checking  system,  without  quantitative  limits,  for  the  import  into  the 
Community  of  steel  products  originating  in  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of 
Macedonia.  

Important  progress  has  been  made  in  the  necessary  restructuring  and  conversion 
programme for the steel industry in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 

The  need  for an administrative procedure for the rapid provision of information on 
the  trend  in  trade  flows  in  order  to  increase  transparency  and  to  avoid  possible 
diversion of trade has disappeared. 

Consequently,  there  is  no  longer  a  need  for  a  double-checking  system,  without 
quantitative limits, for the import into the Community of steel products originating in 
the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia.  Protocol  2  should  therefore  be 
amended accordingly, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

Sole Article 

Article 7 of Protocol 2 to the EC – the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Stabilisation 
and  Association  Agreement,  and  Annex  I  to  this  Protocol,  referring  to  the  aforementioned 
Article 7, shall be deleted from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. 

This Decision shall enter into force on [1 January 2008].  

Done at Brussels, […] 

For the Stabilisation and Association Council 

The President 

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