Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL implementing the safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention mechanism providing for the temporary suspension of tariff preferences of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part.
Date: 2015-04-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EAEC, Moldova, abolition of customs duties, association agreement (EU), protective clause, tariff preference













EUR-Lex - 52015PC0154 - EN











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52015PC0154

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL implementing the safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention mechanism providing for the temporary suspension of tariff preferences of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part. /* COM/2015/0154 final - 2015/0079 (COD) */









EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
Grounds for and objectives of the
proposal
This proposal concerns the incorporation in
the European Union law of the safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention
mechanism foreseen in the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.
General context
The Association Agreement with Moldova,
like the majority of our trade Agreements, includes a bilateral safeguard
clause. By this instrument preferences can be temporarily suspended in case
their application would result in an unexpected and significant increase of
imports causing economic damage to the domestic industry of the importing party
(i.e. it is possible to either suspend the further tariff liberalization or
reintroduce the MFN customs duty rate). Furthermore, this Agreement also
includes a so-called anti-circumvention mechanism, which provides for the
possibility to reintroduce the MFN customs duty rate when imports of certain
agricultural goods from Moldova exceed a given threshold without due
justification of their exact origin. 
An implementing regulation of the European
Parliament and of the Council is necessary to put in place in the EU’s internal
legislation the necessary instrument to be able to apply the bilateral
safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention mechanism.
The attached proposal for a Regulation of
the European Parliament and of the Council is largely based on comparable
implementing regulation which were discussed and agreed among the three
institutions for each of the recent FTAs currently in force: Korea (regulation
published in 2011), Central America (regulation published in 2013) and Colombia
and Peru (regulation published in 2013).
2.           RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS
WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
This proposal for an implementing
Regulation is directly derived from the text of the Agreement negotiated with
the Republic of Moldova. Consequently, neither a separate consultation with
interested parties nor any impact assessment is necessary.
3.           LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE
PROPOSAL
Summary of the proposed action
The attached proposal for a Regulation of
the European Parliament and of the Council constitutes the legal instrument for
the implementation of the safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention mechanism
of the Agreement already concluded with the Republic of Moldova.
Legal basis
Article 207(2) of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union.
2015/0079 (COD)
Proposal for a
REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
AND OF THE COUNCIL
implementing the safeguard clause and the
anti-circumvention mechanism providing for the temporary suspension of tariff
preferences of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the
European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and
the Republic of Moldova, of the other part.
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(2) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission, 
After transmission of the draft legislative
act to the national parliaments, 
Acting in accordance with the ordinary
legislative procedure[1],

Whereas:
(1)       On 15 June 2009 the
Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the Republic of
Moldova for the conclusion of a new agreement between the Union and the
Republic of Moldova. 
(2)       Those negotiations have
been concluded and the Association Agreement between the European Union and the
European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and
the Republic of Moldova, of the other part[2]
(‘the Agreement’) was signed on 24 June 2014 and has been provisionally applied
from 1 September 2014. 
(3)       It is necessary to lay
down the procedures to guarantee the effective application of the safeguard
clause that has been agreed with the Republic of Moldova.
(4)       The Agreement includes
also an anti-circumvention mechanism for the temporary suspension of tariff
preferences on specific products. It is also necessary to lay down the
procedures for the application of this mechanism.  
(5)       Safeguard measures may be
considered only if the product in question is imported into the Union in such
increased quantities, in absolute terms or relative to Union production, and
under such conditions as to cause, or threaten to cause, serious injury to
Union producers of like or directly competing products as laid down in Article
165(1) of the Agreement. 
(6)       Certain terms such as
‘serious injury’, ‘threat of serious injury’ and ‘transitional period’ as
referred to in Article 169 of the Agreement should be defined. 
(7)       The tasks of following up
and reviewing the Agreement, carrying out investigations and, if necessary,
imposing safeguard measures should be carried out in the most transparent
manner possible. 
(8)       The Commission should
receive information including available evidence from the Member States of any
trends in imports which might call for the application of safeguard measures. 
(9)       The reliability of
statistics on all imports from the Republic of Moldova to the Union is
therefore crucial to determining whether the conditions to apply safeguard
measures are met. 
(10)     If there is sufficient prima
facie evidence to justify the initiation of proceedings, the Commission
should publish a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union. 
(11)     There should be detailed
provisions on the initiation of investigations, access to and inspections by
interested parties of the information gathered, hearings for the interested
parties involved and the opportunities for those parties to submit their views.
(12)     The Commission should
notify the Republic of Moldova in writing of the initiation of an investigation
and consult the Republic of Moldova as provided for in Article 166(1) of the
Agreement. 
(13)     It is also necessary to set
time limits for the initiation of an investigation and for determinations as to
whether or not safeguard measures are appropriate, with a view to ensuring that
such determinations are made quickly, in order to increase legal certainty for
the economic operators concerned. 
(14)     An investigation should
precede the application of any safeguard measure, subject to the Commission
being allowed to apply provisional safeguard measures in critical circumstances
as referred to in Article 167 of the Agreement. 
(15)     Safeguard measures should
be applied only to the extent, and for such time, as may be necessary to
prevent serious injury and to facilitate adjustment. The maximum duration of
safeguard measures should be determined and specific provisions regarding
extension and review of such measures should be laid down. 
(16)     There should be a
possibility to suspend the preferential customs duties for a maximum period of
six months when the imports of certain agricultural products and processed
agricultural products reach the annual import volumes defined in the Annexes
(XV-C) to the Association Agreement.
(17)     For reasons of
transparency, the Commission should submit an annual report to the European
Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of the Agreement and the
application of the safeguard measures and the anti-circumvention mechanism. 
(18)     In order to ensure uniform
conditions for the adoption of provisional and definitive safeguard measures,
for the imposition of prior surveillance measures and for the termination of an
investigation without measures provided for in the Agreement, implementing
powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised
in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and
of the Council[3].

(19)     The advisory procedure
should be used for the adoption of surveillance and provisional safeguard
measures given the effects of those measures and their sequential logic in
relation to the adoption of definitive safeguard measures. The advisory
procedure should be used for the adoption of implementing acts given that those
acts have to be implemented quickly once the relevant threshold has been met
and have only a very limited period of application. 
(20)     The examination procedure
should be used for the adoption of definitive safeguard measures and for the
reviews of such measures. 
(21)     The Commission should adopt
immediately applicable implementing acts where, in duly justified cases a delay
in the imposition of provisional safeguard measures would cause damage which
would be difficult to repair or in order to prevent a negative impact on the
Union market as a result of an increase in imports. Where such immediately
applicable implementing acts are applied, the advisory procedure should be
used,
HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
CHAPTER I -
SAFEGUARD PROVISIONS
Article 1
Subject matter and scope
1.           This Regulation lays down
provisions for implementing the safeguard clause and the anti-circumvention
mechanism providing for the temporary suspension of tariff preferences
contained in the Association Agreement between the European Union and the
European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and
the Republic of Moldova, of the other part. 
2.           This Regulation applies to
products originating in the Republic of Moldova.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Regulation:
(a)                   
‘product’ means a good originating in the Union
or in the Republic of Moldova; a product subject to an investigation may cover
one or several tariff lines or a sub- segment thereof depending on the specific
market circumstances, or any product segmentation commonly applied in the Union
industry;  
(b)                   
‘interested parties’ means parties affected by
the imports of the product in question; 
(c)                   
‘Union industry’ means the Union producers as a
whole of the like or directly competitive products, operating within the
territory of the Union, or Union producers whose collective output of the like
or directly competitive products constitutes a major proportion of the total
Union production of those products, or, where a like or a directly competitive
product is only one of several products that are made by the Union producers,
the Union industry shall be defined in relation to the specific operations that
are involved in the production of the like or directly competitive product; 
(d)                  
‘serious injury’ means a significant overall
impairment to the position of Union industry; 
(e)                   
‘threat of serious injury’ to the position of
Union industry means serious injury that is clearly imminent; 
(f)                    
‘transitional period’ means a period of 10 years
from the entry into force of the Agreement;
Article 3
Principles
1.           A safeguard measure may be
imposed in accordance with this Regulation where a product originating in the
Republic of Moldova is, as a result of the reduction or the elimination of the
customs duties on that product, imported into the Union in such increased
quantities, in absolute terms or relative to Union production, and under such
conditions as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the Union
industry. 
2.           A safeguard measure may
take one of the following forms:
(a)         
a suspension of a further reduction of the rate
of customs duty on the product concerned provided for in the Tariff Elimination
Schedule of the Agreement with the Republic of Moldova; 
(b)         
an increase in the rate of customs duty on the
product concerned to a level which does not exceed the lesser of:
–              
the most-favoured-nation ("MFN")
applied rate of customs duty on the product concerned in effect at the time the
measure is taken; or
–              
the base rate of customs duty as specified in
the Schedules included in Annex XV pursuant to Article 147 of the Agreement.
Article 4
Initiation of proceedings
1.           A proceeding shall be
initiated upon request by a Member State, by any legal person or any
association not having legal personality acting on behalf of the Union
industry, or on the Commission's own initiative if it is apparent to the
Commission that there is sufficient prima facie evidence, as determined
on the basis of factors referred to in Article 5(5) of this Regulation, to
justify such initiation. 
2.           The request shall
generally contain the following information: the rate and amount of the
increase in imports of the product concerned in absolute and relative terms,
the share of the domestic market taken by increased imports and changes in the
level of sales, production, productivity, capacity utilisation, profits and
losses, and employment regarding the Union industry. 
3.           A proceeding may also be
initiated in the event that there is a surge of imports concentrated in one or
several Member States, provided that there is sufficient prima facie
evidence, as determined on the basis of factors referred to in Article 5(5) of
this Regulation, to justify such initiation.
4.           A Member State shall
inform the Commission if trends in imports from the Republic of Moldova appear
to call for safeguard measures. That information shall include the evidence
mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2. 
5.           The Commission shall
inform the Member States when it receives a request to initiate a proceeding or
when it considers initiation of a proceeding to be appropriate on its own
initiative pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article.
6.           Where it is apparent that
there is sufficient prima facie evidence to justify the initiation of a
proceeding, the Commission shall initiate the proceeding and shall publish a
notice thereof in the Official Journal of the European Union. Initiation
shall take place within one month of receipt by the Commission of the request
pursuant to paragraph 1. 
7.           The notice referred to in
paragraph 6 shall: 
(a)         
contain a summary of the information received
and require that all relevant information be communicated to the Commission; 
(b)         
state the period within which interested parties
may make known their views in writing and submit information to the Commission,
if such views and information are to be taken into account during the
proceeding; 
(c)         
state the period within which interested parties
may apply to be heard orally by the Commission in accordance with Article 5(9).

Article 5
Investigations
1.           Following the initiation
of a proceeding, the Commission shall commence an investigation. The period as
set out in paragraph 3 of this Article shall start on the day the decision to
initiate the investigation is published in the Official Journal of the
European Union.
2.           The Commission may request
Member States to supply information and Member States shall take whatever steps
are necessary in order to give effect to any such request. If that information
is of general interest and is not confidential within the meaning of Article 11
of this Regulation, it shall be added to the non-confidential file as provided
for in paragraph 8 of this Article. 
3.           The investigation shall,
where possible, be concluded within six months of its initiation. That time
limit may be extended by a further period of three months in exceptional
circumstances such as the involvement of an unusually high number of interested
parties or complex market situations. The Commission shall notify all
interested parties of any such extension and explain the reasons therefor. 
4.           The Commission shall seek
all information it considers necessary to make a determination with regard to
the conditions set out in Article 3(1) of this Regulation, and, shall, where
appropriate, endeavour to verify that information. 
5.           The Commission shall
evaluate all relevant factors of an objective and quantifiable nature having a
bearing on the situation of the Union industry, in particular, the rate and
amount of the increase in imports of the product concerned in absolute and
relative terms, the share of the domestic market taken by increased imports and
changes in the level of sales, production, productivity, capacity utilisation,
profits and losses, and employment. This list is not exhaustive and other
relevant factors may also be taken into consideration by the Commission for its
determination of the existence of serious injury or threat of serious injury,
such as stocks, prices, return on capital employed, cash flow, and other
factors which are causing or may have caused serious injury, or threaten to
cause serious injury to the Union industry. 
6.           Interested parties who
have submitted information pursuant to point (b) of Article 4(7) of this
Regulation and representatives of the Republic of Moldova may, upon written
request, inspect all information made available to the Commission in connection
with the investigation, other than internal documents prepared by the Union
authorities or those of the Member States, provided that that information is
relevant to the presentation of their case and not confidential within the
meaning of Article 11 of this Regulation and that it is used by the Commission
in the investigation. Interested parties may communicate their views on the
information made available to the Commission. Where there is sufficient prima
facie evidence in support of those views, the Commission shall take them
into consideration. 
7.           The Commission shall
ensure that all data and statistics which are used for the investigation are
representative, available, comprehensible, transparent and verifiable. 
8.           The Commission shall, as
soon as the necessary technical framework is in place, ensure
password-protected online access to the non-confidential file (the online
platform), which it shall manage and through which all information which is
relevant and is not confidential within the meaning of Article 11 of this
Regulation shall be disseminated. Interested parties, Member States and the
European Parliament shall be granted access to that platform.
9.           The Commission shall hear
interested parties, in particular where they have made a written application
within the period laid down in the notice published in the Official Journal
of the European Union, showing that they are likely to be affected by the
outcome of the investigation and that there are special reasons for them to be
heard orally. The Commission shall hear interested parties on further occasions
if there are special reasons therefor. 
10.         Where information is not
supplied within the time limits set by the Commission, or where the
investigation is significantly impeded, the Commission may make findings on the
basis of the facts available. Where the Commission finds that any interested
party or any third party has supplied it with false or misleading information,
it shall disregard that information and may make use of the facts available. 
11.         The Commission shall notify
the Republic of Moldova in writing of the initiation of an investigation.
Article 6
Prior surveillance measures
1.           The Commission may adopt
prior surveillance measures in regard to imports from the Republic of Moldova
where the trend in imports of a product is such that it could lead to one of
the situations referred to in Articles 3 and 4 of this Regulation. Those
implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure
referred to in Article 14(3) of this Regulation.
2.           Prior surveillance
measures shall have a limited period of validity. Unless otherwise provided,
they shall cease to be valid at the end of the second six-month period
following the first six months after their introduction.
Article 7
Imposition of provisional safeguard
measures 
1.           The Commission shall adopt
provisional safeguard measures in critical circumstances where a delay would
cause damage which would be difficult to repair, pursuant to a preliminary
determination on the basis of the factors referred to in Article 5(5) that
there is sufficient prima facie evidence that imports of a product
originating in the Republic of Moldova have increased as a result of the
reduction or elimination of a customs duty in accordance with the, Schedules
included in Annex XV pursuant to Article 147 of the Agreement and such imports
cause serious injury, or threat thereof, to the Union industry. Those
implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure
referred to in Article 14(3) of this Regulation.
2.           On duly justified
imperative grounds of urgency, including the case referred to in paragraph 3 of
this Article, the Commission shall adopt immediately applicable provisional
safeguard measures. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with
the procedure referred to in Article 14(5) of this Regulation. 
3.           Where a Member State
requests immediate intervention by the Commission and where the conditions set
out in paragraph 1 are met, the Commission shall take a decision within five
working days of receiving the request. 
4.           Provisional safeguard
measures shall not apply for more than 200 calendar days. 
5.           Should the provisional
safeguard measures be repealed because the investigation shows that the
conditions set out in Article 3(1) of this Regulation are not met, any customs
duty collected as a result of those provisional safeguard measures shall be
refunded automatically. 
6.           Provisional safeguard
measures shall apply to every product which is put into free circulation after
the date of entry into force of those measures. However, such measures shall
not prevent the release for free circulation of products already on their way
to the Union where the destination of such products cannot be changed.
Article 8
Termination of investigations and
proceedings without measures 
1.           Where the facts as finally
established show that the conditions set out in Article 3(1) of this Regulation
are not met, the Commission shall adopt and publish in the Official Journal
of the European Union a decision terminating the investigation and
proceeding. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination
procedure referred to in Article 14(4) of this Regulation.
2.           The Commission shall make
public, with due regard to the protection of confidential information within
the meaning of Article 11 of this Regulation, a report setting out its findings
and reasoned conclusions reached on all pertinent issues of fact and law.
Article 9
Imposition of definitive safeguard
measures 
1.           Where the facts as finally
established show that the conditions set out in Article 3(1) of this Regulation
are met, the Commission may adopt definitive safeguard measures. Those
implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure
referred to in Article 14(4) of this Regulation.
2.           The Commission shall make
public, with due regard to the protection of confidential information within
the meaning of Article 11 of this Regulation, a report containing a summary of
the material facts and considerations relevant to the determination.
Article 10 
Duration and review of safeguard
measures 
1.           A safeguard measure shall
remain in force only for such period of time as may be necessary to prevent or
remedy the serious injury to Union industry and to facilitate adjustment. That
period shall not exceed two years, unless it is extended under paragraph 3 of
this Article. 
2.           A safeguard measure shall
remain in force, pending the outcome of the review under paragraph 3. 
3.           The initial period of
duration of a safeguard measure may be extended by up to two years provided
that the safeguard measure continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy
serious injury to Union industry and that there is evidence that the Union
industry is adjusting. 
4.           Any extension pursuant to
paragraph 3 of this Article shall be preceded by an investigation upon a
request by a Member State, by any legal person or any association not having
legal personality acting on behalf of the Union industry, or on the
Commission's own initiative if there is sufficient prima facie evidence
that the conditions laid down in paragraph 3 of this Article are met, on the
basis of factors referred to in Article 5(5) of this Regulation. 
5.           The initiation of an
investigation shall be published in the Official Journal of the European
Union in accordance with Article 4(6) and (7) of this Regulation. The
investigation and any decision regarding an extension pursuant to paragraph 3
of this Article shall be made in accordance with Articles 5, 8 and 9 of this
Regulation. 
6.           The total duration of a
safeguard measure shall not exceed four years, including the period of application
of any provisional safeguard measure, the initial period of application and
prorogation thereof. 
7.           A safeguard measure shall
not be applied beyond the expiry of the transitional period, except with the
consent of the Republic of Moldova.
Article 11 
Confidentiality 
1.           Information received
pursuant to this Regulation shall be used only for the purpose for which it was
requested. 
2.           Neither information of a
confidential nature nor any information provided on a confidential basis
received pursuant to this Regulation shall be disclosed without the express
consent of the supplier of such information. 
3.           Each request for
confidentiality shall state the reasons why the information is confidential.
However, if the supplier of the information requests that the information is
not made public or disclosed, in full or in summary form, and if that request
is unjustified, the information concerned may be disregarded. 
4.           Information shall in any
case be considered to be confidential if its disclosure is likely to have a
significantly adverse effect upon the supplier or the source of such
information. 
5.           Paragraphs 1 to 4 of this
Article shall not preclude reference by the Union authorities to general
information and in particular to reasons on which decisions taken pursuant to
this Regulation are based. Those authorities shall, however, take into account
the legitimate interest of natural and legal persons concerned that their
business secrets should not be divulged.
Article 12 
Report 
1.           The Commission shall submit
an annual report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the
application, implementation and fulfilment of obligations of Title V of the
Agreement and of this Regulation.
2.           The report shall include
information about the application of provisional and definitive measures, prior
surveillance measures, regional surveillance and safeguard measures and the
termination of investigations and proceedings without measures. 
3.           The report shall set out a
summary of the statistics and the evolution of trade with the Republic of
Moldova. 
4.           The European Parliament
may, within one month of submission of the Commission's report, invite the
Commission to an ad hoc meeting of its responsible committee to present and
explain any issues related to the implementation of this Regulation. 
5.           No later than three months
after submitting its report to the European Parliament and to the Council, the
Commission shall make it public.
CHAPTER II –
ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION MECHANISM FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND PROCESSED
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Article 13
1.           An average annual import
volume is set for imports of products listed in Annex XV-C to the Agreement,
which are subject to the anti-circumvention mechanism set out in Article 148 of
the Agreement. On duly justified imperative grounds of urgency, once the import
volume of one or more categories of products reach the
volume indicated in Annex XV-C to the Agreement in any given year starting on 1
January, unless it has received a sound justification from the Republic of Moldova,
the Commission shall adopt an immediately applicable
implementing act in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 14(5)
of this Regulation. The Commission may either decide to temporarily suspend the
preferential duty applied to the product(s) concerned or that such suspension
is not appropriate. 
2.           The temporary suspension
of the preferential duty shall be applicable for a maximum period of six months
from the date of publication of the decision to suspend the preferential duty.
Before the expiry of that six month period and on duly justified imperative
grounds of urgency relating to the suspension of the preferential duties, the
Commission may adopt an immediately applicable implementing act in accordance
with the procedure referred to in Article 14(5) of this Regulation in order to
lift the temporary suspension of the preferential duty if it is satisfied that
the volume of the relevant category of products imported in excess of the
volume referred to in Annex XV-C of the Agreement results from a change in the
level of production and export capacity of the Republic of Moldova for the
product(s) concerned.
3.           The application of the
mechanism set out in this Chapter is without prejudice to the application of
any measures defined in Chapter I. Measures taken pursuant  to the provisions
of both chapters shall not, however, be applied simultaneously to the same
product(s).
 CHAPTER III – COMMITTEE PROCEDURE
Article 14
1.           The Commission shall be
assisted by the Committee established by Article 4(1) of Council Regulation
(EC) No 260/2009[4]
(‘the Committee’). The Committee shall be a committee within the meaning of
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
2.           For the purpose of Article
13, the Commission shall be assisted by the Committee by the Committee for the
Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets, established by Article 229(1)
of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013,  and, as regards processed agricultural products, the Commission shall be assisted by the Management Committee on
horizontal questions concerning trade in processed agricultural products not
listed in Annex I, established by Article 44(1) of Regulation (EU) No 510/2014[5].These Committees shall
be committees within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
3.           Where reference is made to
this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply. 
4.           Where reference is made to
this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply. 
5.           Where reference is made to
this paragraph, Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, in conjunction with
Article 4 thereof, shall apply. 
6.           Pursuant to Article 3(5)
of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, where recourse is made to the written procedure
for adopting measures pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article such procedure
shall be terminated without result where, within the time-limit set down by the
chair, the chair so decides or a majority of committee members as defined in
Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 so request.
CHAPTER IV - FINAL
PROVISIONS
Article 15
Entry into force 
This Regulation shall enter into force on
the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union. 
It shall apply to imports from the Republic
of Moldova from the date of application of the Agreement.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and
directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels,
For the European Parliament                        For
the Council
The President                                                 The
President 
[1]               
[2]               Council Decision 2014/492/EU of 16 June 2014 on the
signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the
Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy
Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of
Moldova, of the other part (OJ L 260, 30.8.2014, p. 1).
[3]               Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and
general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the
Commission's exercise of implementing powers (OJ L
55, 28.2.2011, p. 13).
[4]               Council Regulation (EC) No
260/2009 of 26 February 2009 on the common rules for imports (OJ L 84,
31.3.2009, p.1).
[5]               Regulation (EU) No 510/2014 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 laying down the trade
arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of
agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 1216/2009 and
(EC) No 614/2009 (OJ L 150, 20.5.2014, p. 1).