Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1421/2013 of 30 October 2013 amending Annexes I, II and IV to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences
Date: 2013-10-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: China, Croatia, Ecuador, Maldives, Myanmar/Burma, South Sudan, Thailand, generalised preferences, least-developed country, tariff preference




L_2013355EN.01000101.xml










31.12.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 355/1








            COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 1421/2013
of 30 October 2013
         
amending Annexes I, II and IV to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 (1), and in particular Articles 3(2), 5(3) and 17(2) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 provides that a list of eligible countries should be amended to take account of changes in the international status or classification of countries. The list of eligible countries is established in Annex I to that Regulation.












(2)


Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 establishes criteria for the granting of tariff preferences under the general arrangement of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). In accordance with such criteria, a country that has been classified by the World Bank as a high or an upper-middle income country for three consecutive years should not benefit from such preferences. The list of beneficiary countries of the general arrangement of the GSP is established in Annex II to that Regulation.












(3)


Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 provides that a country that is identified by the UN as a least-developed country should benefit from the tariff preferences under the special arrangement for the least-developed countries (EBA). The list of EBA beneficiary countries is established in Annex IV to that Regulation.












(4)


The Republic of Croatia (hereinafter Croatia) became a member of the European Union as of 1 July 2013. Therefore, Croatiashould be removed from Annex I.












(5)


The Republic of South Sudan (hereinafter South Sudan) has become an independent State. On 14 July 2011, the General Assembly of United Nations adopted Resolution A/RES/65/308 admitting South Sudan to membership in the United Nations. On 18 December 2012, the General Assembly of United Nations adopted Resolution A/RES/67/136 adding South Sudan to the list of Least Developed Countries. Therefore, South Sudan should be included in Annexes I, II and IV.












(6)


Regulation (EU) No 607/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 552/97 temporarily withdrawing access to generalised tariff preferences from Myanmar/Burma (2) repealed the temporary withdrawal of Myanmar/Burma’s access to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) tariff preferences. Therefore, Myanmar/Burma should be removed from the table in Annex I, which lists the ‘Eligible countries of the scheme referred to in Article 3 which have been temporarily withdrawn from the scheme, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries’, from the table in Annex II which lists the ‘Beneficiary countries of the general arrangement referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2) which have been temporarily withdrawn from that arrangement, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries’ and from the table in Annex IV, which lists the ‘Beneficiary countries of the special arrangement for the least-developed countries referred to in point (c) of Article 1(2) which have been temporarily withdrawn from that arrangement, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries’.












(7)


The People’s Republic of China (hereinafter China), the Republic of Ecuador (hereinafter Ecuador), the Republic of Maldives (hereinafter the Maldives) and the Kingdom of Thailand (hereinafter Thailand) have been classified by the World Bank as upper-middle income countries in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Accordingly, China, Ecuador, the Maldives and Thailandshould be removed from Annex II as from one year after the date of entry into force of this Regulation.












(8)


Commission Regulation (EU) No 1127/2010 (3) establishes a three-year transitional period for withdrawing the Maldives from the special arrangement for the least-developed countries (Everything But Arms (EBA)) and provides for the removal of the Maldivesfrom the list of EBA beneficiary countries as of 1 January 2014. Therefore, the Maldivesshould be removed from Annex IV.












(9)


Article 5(2) of the GSP Regulation provides a GSP beneficiary country and economic operators with time for orderly adaptation to the change in the country’s status under the scheme. This period should be indicated for each GSP beneficiary country concerned in the respective Annex to Regulation (EU) No 978/2012,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 is amended as follows:






(1)


Annex I is replaced by the text set out in Annex I to this Regulation;










(2)


Annex II is replaced by the text set out in Annex II to this Regulation;










(3)


Annex IV is replaced by the text set out in Annex III to this Regulation.






Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2014.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 October 2013.


For the Commission


The President

José Manuel BARROSO
            





(1)  
            OJ L 303, 31.10.2012, p. 1.

(2)  
            OJ L 181, 29.6.2013, p. 13.

(3)  Commission Regulation (EU) No 1127/2010 of 3 December 2010 establishing a transitional period for withdrawing the Republic of Maldives from the list of beneficiary countries of the special arrangement for least developed countries, as set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 732/2008 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences for the period from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2011 (OJ L 318, 4.12.2010, p. 15).




ANNEX I




                     ‘ANNEX I

Eligible countries
                            (1)
of the scheme referred to in Article 3








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B




AE


United Arab Emirates




AF


Afghanistan




AG


Antigua and Barbuda




AL


Albania




AM


Armenia




AO


Angola




AR


Argentina




AZ


Azerbaijan




BA


Bosnia and Herzegovina




BB


Barbados




BD


Bangladesh




BF


Burkina Faso




BH


Bahrain




BI


Burundi




BJ


Benin




BN


Brunei Darussalam




BO


Bolivia




BR


Brazil




BS


Bahamas




BT


Bhutan




BW


Botswana




BY


Belarus




BZ


Belize




CD


Congo, Democratic Republic of




CF


Central African Republic




CG


Congo




CI


Côte d'Ivoire




CK


Cook Islands




CL


Chile




CM


Cameroon




CN


China, People's Republic of




CO


Colombia




CR


Costa Rica




CU


Cuba




CV


Cape Verde




DJ


Djibouti




DM


Dominica




DO


Dominican Republic




DZ


Algeria




EC


Ecuador




EG


Egypt




ER


Eritrea




ET


Ethiopia




FJ


Fiji




FM


Micronesia, Federated States of




GA


Gabon




GD


Grenada




GE


Georgia




GH


Ghana




GM


Gambia




GN


Guinea




GQ


Equatorial Guinea




GT


Guatemala




GW


Guinea-Bissau




GY


Guyana




HK


Hong Kong




HN


Honduras




HT


Haiti




ID


Indonesia




IN


India




IQ


Iraq




IR


Iran




JM


Jamaica




JO


Jordan




KE


Kenya




KG


Kyrgyz Republic




KH


Cambodia




KI


Kiribati




KM


Comoros




KN


St Kitts and Nevis




KW


Kuwait




KZ


Kazakhstan




LA


Lao People's Democratic Republic




LB


Lebanon




LC


St Lucia




LK


Sri Lanka




LR


Liberia




LS


Lesotho




LY


Libyan Arab Jamahiriya




MA


Morocco




MD


Moldova, Republic of




ME


Montenegro




MG


Madagascar




MH


Marshall Islands




MK


Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia




ML


Mali




MM


Myanmar/Burma




MN


Mongolia




MO


Macao




MR


Mauritania




MU


Mauritius




MV


Maldives




MW


Malawi




MX


Mexico




MY


Malaysia




MZ


Mozambique




NA


Namibia




NE


Niger




NG


Nigeria




NI


Nicaragua




NP


Nepal




NR


Nauru




NU


Niue




OM


Oman




PA


Panama




PE


Peru




PG


Papua New Guinea




PH


Philippines




PK


Pakistan




PW


Palau




PY


Paraguay




QA


Qatar




RU


Russian Federation




RW


Rwanda




SA


Saudi Arabia




SB


Solomon Islands




SC


Seychelles




SD


Sudan




SL


Sierra Leone




SN


Senegal




SO


Somalia




SR


Suriname




SS


South Sudan




ST


São Tomé and Príncipe




SV


El Salvador




SY


Syrian Arab Republic




SZ


Swaziland




TD


Chad




TG


Togo




TH


Thailand




TJ


Tajikistan




TL


Timor-Leste




TM


Turkmenistan




TN


Tunisia




TO


Tonga




TT


Trinidad and Tobago




TV


Tuvalu




TZ


Tanzania




UA


Ukraine




UG


Uganda




UY


Uruguay




UZ


Uzbekistan




VC


St Vincent and the Grenadines




VE


Venezuela




VN


Vietnam




VU


Vanuatu




WS


Samoa




XK


Kosovo (2)





XS


Serbia




YE


Yemen




ZA


South Africa




ZM


Zambia




ZW


Zimbabwe





Eligible countries of the scheme referred to in Article 3 which have been temporarily withdrawn from the scheme, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B




BY


Belarus’









(1)  This list includes countries for which preferences may have been temporarily withdrawn or suspended. The Commission or the competent authorities of the country concerned will be able to provide an updated list.

(2)  This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo's declaration of independence.





ANNEX II




                     ‘ANNEX II

Beneficiary countries
                            (1)
of the general arrangement referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2)








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B




AF


Afghanistan




AM


Armenia




AO


Angola




BD


Bangladesh




BF


Burkina Faso




BI


Burundi




BJ


Benin




BO


Bolivia




BT


Bhutan




CD


Congo, Democratic Republic of




CF


Central African Republic




CG


Congo




CK


Cook Islands




CN


China, People's Republic of (*1)





CO


Colombia




CR


Costa Rica




CV


Cape Verde




DJ


Djibouti




EC


Ecuador (*1)





ER


Eritrea




ET


Ethiopia




FM


Micronesia, Federated States of




GE


Georgia




GM


Gambia




GN


Guinea




GQ


Equatorial Guinea




GT


Guatemala




GW


Guinea-Bissau




HN


Honduras




HT


Haiti




ID


Indonesia




IN


India




IQ


Iraq




KG


Kyrgyz Republic




KH


Cambodia




KI


Kiribati




KM


Comoros




LA


Lao People’s Democratic Republic




LK


Sri Lanka




LR


Liberia




LS


Lesotho




MG


Madagascar




MH


Marshall Islands




ML


Mali




MM


Myanmar/Burma




MN


Mongolia




MR


Mauritania




MV


Maldives (*1)





MW


Malawi




MZ


Mozambique




NE


Niger




NG


Nigeria




NI


Nicaragua




NP


Nepal




NR


Nauru




NU


Niue




PA


Panama




PE


Peru




PH


Philippines




PK


Pakistan




PY


Paraguay




RW


Rwanda




SB


Solomon Islands




SD


Sudan




SL


Sierra Leone




SN


Senegal




SO


Somalia




SS


South Sudan




ST


São Tomé and Príncipe




SV


El Salvador




SY


Syrian Arab Republic




TD


Chad




TG


Togo




TH


Thailand (*1)





TJ


Tajikistan




TL


Timor-Leste




TM


Turkmenistan




TO


Tonga




TV


Tuvalu




TZ


Tanzania




UA


Ukraine




UG


Uganda




UZ


Uzbekistan




VN


Vietnam




VU


Vanuatu




WS


Samoa




YE


Yemen




ZM


Zambia





Beneficiary countries of the general arrangement referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2) which have been temporarily withdrawn from that arrangement, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B’




 


 









(1)  This list includes countries for which preferences may have been temporarily withdrawn or suspended. The Commission or the competent authorities of the country concerned will be able to provide an updated list.

(*1)  This beneficiary country shall be removed from the list of GSP beneficiary countries one year after the date of entry into force of this Regulation.





ANNEX III




                     ‘ANNEX IV

Beneficiary countries
                            (1)
of the special arrangement for the least-developed countries referred to in point (c) of Article 1(2)








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B




AF


Afghanistan




AO


Angola




BD


Bangladesh




BF


Burkina Faso




BI


Burundi




BJ


Benin




BT


Bhutan




CD


The Congo (Democratic Republic of)




CF


Central African (Republic)




DJ


Djibouti




ER


Eritrea




ET


Ethiopia




GM


Gambia




GN


Guinea




GQ


Equatorial Guinea




GW


Guinea-Bissau




HT


Haiti




KH


Cambodia




KI


Kiribati




KM


Comoros Islands (Islands)




LA


Lao People's Democratic Republic




LR


Liberia




LS


Lesotho




MG


Madagascar




ML


Mali




MM


Myanmar/Burma




MR


Mauritania




MW


Malawi




MZ


Mozambique




NE


Niger




NP


Nepal




RW


Rwanda




SB


The Solomon Islands




SD


Sudan




SL


Sierra Leone




SN


Senegal




SO


Somalia




SS


South Sudan




ST


Sao Tome and Principle




TD


Chad




TG


Togo




TL


Timor-Leste




TV


Tuvalu




TZ


Tanzania (Republic of)




UG


Uganda




VU


Vanuatu




WS


Samoa




YE


Yemen




ZM


Zambia





Beneficiary countries of the general arrangement referred to in point (c) of Article 1(2) which have been temporarily withdrawn from that arrangement, in respect of all or of certain products originating in these countries








Column A


:


alphabetical code, in accordance with the nomenclature of countries and territories for the Union external trade statistics




Column B


:


name










A


B’




 


 









(1)  This list includes countries for which preferences may have been temporarily withdrawn or suspended. The Commission or the competent authorities of the country concerned will be able to provide an updated list.