Information notice pursuant to Article 18(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 — Initiation of an investigation pursuant to Article 17(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 with respect to the effective implementation of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in Bolivia
Date: 2012-03-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Bolivia, UN convention, narcotic, originating product, suspension of customs duties, tariff preference, withdrawal from an agreement








C_2012081EN.01000501.xml










20.3.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 81/5





Information notice pursuant to Article 18(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008
Initiation of an investigation pursuant to Article 17(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 with respect to the effective implementation of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in Bolivia
2012/C 81/05
On 19 March 2012, the Commission adopted the Implementing Decision providing for the initiation of an investigation pursuant to Article 17(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 with respect to the effective implementation of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in Bolivia (1). The investigation shall establish whether the denunciation of that Convention, which took effect for Bolivia on 1 January 2012, justifies a temporary withdrawal of the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance for products originating in Bolivia.
Article 15(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 of 22 July 2008 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences (2) provides for the temporary withdrawal of the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance, in particular if the national legislation of a beneficiary country no longer incorporates conventions referred to in Annex III which have been ratified in fulfilment of the requirements related to granting the special incentive arrangement or if that legislation is not effectively implemented.
Under Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 732/2008, when the Commission has received information and considers that there are sufficient grounds for an investigation that may justify temporary withdrawal, it may decide to initiate an investigation.
The Commission has received information that, on 29 June 2011, the Government of Bolivia deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations an instrument of denunciation of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The denunciation took effect for Bolivia on 1 January 2012.
The UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is listed in Annex III, Part B, point 24 of Regulation (EC) No 732/2008. The ratification and effective implementation of this Convention was therefore one of the criteria that Bolivia was required to meet before it was included in the list of beneficiaries of the special incentive arrangement for good governance and sustainable development.
The Commission found that it is necessary to analyse the legal effects of the denunciation of this Convention to determine whether they justify a temporary withdrawal of the special incentive arrangement.
Interested parties are invited to send any relevant information and comments within four months from the date of publication of this notice in the Official Journal of the European Union, to the following address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Trade




Office: 9/218




Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 170




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË






(1)  OJ L 80, 19.3.2012, p. 30.

(2)  OJ L 211, 6.8.2008, p. 1.