Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Committee on Trade in Goods set up by the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the rules on TRQ administration
Date: 2014-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: South Korea, free movement of goods, free-trade agreement, tariff quota













EUR-Lex - 52014PC0744 - EN











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52014PC0744

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Committee on Trade in Goods set up by the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the rules on TRQ administration /* COM/2014/0744 final - 2014/0355 (NLE) */









EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
During the Committee on Trade in Goods on
12 September 2013, both sides discussed the Tariff Rate Quota [the
"TRQ"] administration rules to be applied by Korea, based on the principles set out in Appendix 2-A-1 of the EU-Korea Free Trade
Agreement. The final agreement should be taken by a Decision of the EU - Korea
Committee on Trade in Goods as provided for in Appendix 2-A-1. On the EU side,
this requires a Council Decision to authorise the position to be taken on
behalf of the EU. On the Korean side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
has to consult the Ministry for Government Legislation which may decide to
consult the National Assembly. The joint decision will be taken by an exchange
of notes between the EU and Korea.
2.           BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 
None
3.       OPTIONAL ELEMENTS None
2014/0355 (NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL DECISION
on the position to be taken on behalf of
the European Union within the Committee on Trade in Goods set up by the Free
Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one
part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of
the rules on TRQ administration
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article
207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)       The Free Trade Agreement
between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of   Korea, of the other part[1]
("the Agreement") was signed on 6 October 2010.
(2)       Pursuant to its Article
15.10.5, the Agreement has been provisionally applied since 1 July 2011 pending
the completion of the procedures for its conclusion. 
(3)       Article 15.1 of the
Agreement establishes a Trade Committee, which, inter alia, has the task of
ensuring that the Agreement operates properly and of supervising the work of
all specialised committees. 
(4)       In accordance with Article
15.2 of the Agreement, specialised committees were established under the
auspices of the Trade Committee. The Committee on Trade in Goods, in accordance
with Article 2.16 of the Agreement, is one of those specialised committees.
(5)       Pursuant to point 2 of
Appendix 2-A-1 of the Agreement, Korea may use an auction system to administer
and implement Tariff Rate Quotas ("TRQs") applied by Korea to milk
and cream, butter, honey and oranges originating in the Union on the basis of the
Agreement. The terms of the auction system have to be established by the
Parties to the Agreement by mutual agreement by decision of the Committee on
Trade in Goods. 
(6)       Pursuant to point 3 of Appendix
2-A-1 of the Agreement, Korea may use a licensing system to administer and
implement certain TRQs. The Parties are to agree in the Committee on Trade in
Goods on the policies and procedures for the licensing system, including
eligibility to receive TRQ quantities, and any changes or amendments to them.
(7)       It is necessary to
establish the position to be taken on the Union's behalf in the Committee on
Trade in Goods as regards the rules on TRQ administration.
(8)       The joint decision will be
taken by an exchange of notes between the EU and Korea, to be signed by a Commission
representative on behalf of the EU. 
(9)       The position of the Union within the Committee on Trade in Goods should therefore be based on the attached
draft Decision,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1
The position to be taken on the Union's
behalf within the Committee on Trade in Goods set up by the Free Trade
Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part,
and the Republic of Korea, of the other part, as regards the adoption of the
rules on TRQ administration, shall be based on the draft Decision of the
Committee attached to this Decision. 
Minor changes to the draft Decision may be
agreed to by the representatives of the Union within the Committee without the
need for a new Council Decision.
Article 2
After its adoption, the Decision of the
Committee on Trade in Goods shall be published in the Official Journal of
the European Union.
Article 3
This Decision
shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
Done at Brussels,
                                                                       For
the Council
                                                                       The
President
[1]               OJ L 127, 14.5.2011, p. 6.
ANNEX

DRAFT 
DECISION No 1 OF THE EU-KOREA
COMMITTEE ON TRADE IN GOODS 
of …
on the adoption of the rules for
Tariff Rate Quota administration and implementation
THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE IN GOODS,
Having regard to the Free Trade Agreement
between the Republic of Korea (‘Korea’), of the one part, and the European
Union and its Member States, of the other part, (‘the Parties’ and ‘the
Agreement’), and in particular Articles 2.16, 15.2.1 and points 2 and 3 of
Appendix 2-A-1 thereof, 
Whereas:
(1)              
Article 15.1 of the Agreement establishes a
Trade Committee, which shall, inter alia, ensure that the Agreement
operates properly and supervise the work of all specialised committees. 
(2)              
In accordance with Article 15.2 of the
Agreement, specialised committees were established under the auspices of the Trade Committee. The
Committee on Trade in Goods, in accordance with Article 2.16 of the Agreement,
is one of these specialised committees.
(3)              
Pursuant to point 2 of Appendix 2-A-1 of the Agreement, Korea may use an
auction system to administer and implement the tariff-rate quotas (‘TRQs’)
applied by Korea to certain originating goods of the European Union on the
basis of the Agreement. The terms of the auction system have to be established
by mutual agreement of the Parties by decision of the Committee on Trade in
Goods. 
(4)              
Pursuant to point 3 of Appendix
2-A-1 of the Agreement, Korea
may use a licensing system to administer and implement certain TRQs. The
Parties shall agree in the Committee on Trade in Goods on the policies and procedures
for the licensing system, including eligibility to receive TRQ quantities, and
any changes or amendments to them,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
1.                      
Korea will administer and implement the
tariff-rate quotas applied by Korea to certain originating goods of the
European Union on the basis of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of
Korea, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the
other part, in accordance with the rules set out in the Annex to this Decision.

2.                      
This Decision shall enter into force on…
Done at, ….............., ..................
For
the Committee on Trade in Goods
Mauro PETRICCIONE                                              Hak-Do
KIM                          
Director                                                                       Director
General for FTA Policy
Directorate-General for Trade                                    Ministry
for Trade, Industry and Energy
of the European Commission                                      of
the Republic of Korea
                                                
   ||   
Annex
RULES
FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TARIFF RATE QUOTAS 
Article 1
Timing of auctions and license application
(1)                   
Auctions for skim milk powder, whole milk powder,
condensed milk and natural honey shall precede the import period, i.e. in June
for quotas opening in July.
(2)                   
The specific guidelines by the Korea
Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation will provide that the public
notices for the auctions will be made eight calendar days prior to the deadline
of the application for participating in the auctions. 
(3)                   
For product items whose timeline of quota
license application is not fixed in the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement, the
specific guidelines of the agencies designated to manage Tariff Rate Quotas
(TRQs) (hereinafter referred to as “Recommending Agencies”) will provide for a
license application period of at least seven calendar days from the first
working day of the execution year referred to in Annex 2-A, point 5 of the
Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement. 
Article 2
Deposit and fees
(1)                   
There will be no administrative cost or fees
charged other than the deposit – the amount paid by bidders applying for
auction - for services related to an application for a TRQ allocation through
auction.
(2)                   
The general instructions to bidders for each
auction will prescribe that the deposit is to be returned to bidders as soon as
allowed by normal administration procedures after the auction is completed.
(3)                   
No guarantee or deposit will be required for
license applicants.
Article 3
Issuance and validity of a recommendation
(1)                   
Recommending Agencies will issue a Korea-EU FTA
TRQs Import Recommendation (hereinafter referred to as “Recommendation”)
following an auction or a licence application.
(2)                   
Recommendations to the applicants shall be
issued within two calendar days provided the submitted TRQs Recommendation
application meets the Recommendation requirements. 
(3)                   
A Recommendation for TRQs import will be valid
for 90 days. The validity period may be extended for another 30 days, but
cannot exceed the last day of the execution year referred to in Annex 2-A,
point 5 of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement.
Article 4
Publishing information on TRQ administration
(1)                   
The guidelines of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs of Korea (hereinafter referred to as "MAFRA") and
specific guidelines of Recommending Agencies will be published on their
respective websites. 
(2)                   
The Recommending Agencies will publish on a
regular basis on their websites information that includes public notice for
licence applications and auctions, license allocation and auction periods,
allocated quantities, remaining quantities available for each TRQ and the
planned date of the next auction/licensing period.
(3)                   
The basic criteria for auctions including
eligibility, payment and return of deposit, auction dates, auction code and
information will be contained in the specific guidelines by the Korea
Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation or in the general instructions to
bidders for each auction.
Article 5
TRQ allocation rules
The MAFRA guidelines allow the distribution
of the annual TRQ volume throughout the year by dividing the annual TRQ volume
into several sub-volumes, the sum of which equals the annual TRQ volume. The
total TRQ volume for each execution year as set forth in the Korea-EU Free
Trade Agreement shall not be reduced.
Tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) administration:
Glossary
Recommending agencies        Korean agencies
designated to manage TRQs: Korea Dairy Industries Association, Korea
Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, Korea Feed Ingredients Association
and the Korea Feed Milk Replacer Association
                                                Websites:
Korea Dairy Industries Association (only
the Korean language version available): 
http://www.koreadia.or.kr/
Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade
Corporation:
http://www.at.or.kr/home/apen000000/index.action
                                                Korea
Feed Ingredients Association (only the Korean language version available):
http://www.kfeedia.org/main.html
                                                Korea
Feed Milk Replacer Association (only the Korean language version available):
http://milkreplacer.or.kr/
Deposit                                    Amount paid
by tenderers applying for an auction. The deposit is returned to every tenderer
immediately after the quota recommendation. 
Recommendation                    Issue of an import
TRQ following an auction or licence application.            
Validity period                        Period during
which a recommendation for an import TRQ is valid.
Execution year                        Period of 12
months between consecutive FTA anniversaries (July 1st) for which an
annual TRQ volume is laid down in the Korea-EU FTA.