Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

**Council of the**
**European Union**

**Interinstitutional File:**

**2019/0273(COD)**

**INFORMATION NOTE**

From: General Secretariat of the Council

**Brussels, 20 January 2021**
**(OR. en)**

**5419/21**

**CODEC 65**
**COMER 4**
**WTO 5**
**PE 7**

To: Permanent Representatives Committee/Council

Subject: Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND
OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the
European Parliament and of the Council concerning the exercise of the
Union's rights for the application and enforcement of international trade
rules

          - Outcome of the European Parliament's first reading

(Brussels, 18 to 21 January 2021)

**I.** **INTRODUCTION**

In accordance with the provisions of Article 294 of the TFEU and the Joint declaration on practical

arrangements for the codecision procedure **[1]**, a number of informal contacts have taken place

between the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission with a view to reaching an

agreement on this file at first reading.

In this context, the rapporteur, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE (RE, FR), presented a compromise

amendment (amendment number 24) to the abovementioned proposal for a Regulation on behalf of

the International Trade Committee and two amendments containing joint declarations by the

Council, the European Parliament and the Commission (amendment number 25), and statements

and declarations by the Commission (amendment number 26). These amendments had been agreed

during the informal contacts referred to above.

**1** OJ C 145, 30.6.2007, p. 5.

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**II.** **VOTE**

When it voted on 19 January 2021, the plenary adopted the compromise amendment (amendment

number 24) and the two amendments containing declarations and statements (amendment numbers

25 and 26) to the abovementioned proposal for a Regulation. No other amendments were adopted.

The Commission's proposal as thus amended constitutes the Parliament's first-reading position

which is contained in its legislative resolution as set out in the Annex hereto **[2]** .

The Parliament's position reflects what had been previously agreed between the institutions. The

Council should therefore be in a position to approve the Parliament's position.

The act would then be adopted in the wording which corresponds to the Parliament's position.

**2** The version of the Parliament's position in the legislative resolution has been marked up to
indicate the changes made by the amendments to the Commission's proposal. Additions to the
Commission's text are highlighted in _**bold and italics.**_ The symbol " ▌" indicates deleted text.

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**ANNEX**

**(19.1.2021)**

## **P9_TA(2021)0004** **Exercise of the Union's rights for the application and enforcement of** **international trade rules ***I**

**European Parliament legislative resolution of 19 January 2021 on the proposal for a**
**regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No**
**654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the exercise of the**
**Union's rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules**
**(COM(2019)0623 – C9-0197/2019 – 2019/0273(COD))**

**(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)**

_The European Parliament_,

–
having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2019)0623),

–
having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament
(C9-0197/2019),

–
having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

– having regard to opinion 2/15 of the European Court of Justice [3],

–
having regard to its resolution on the Crisis of the WTO Appellate Body of 28 November
2019 [4],

–
having regard to the provisional agreement approved by the committee responsible under
Rule 74(4) of its Rules of Procedure and the undertaking given by the Council representative
by letter of 4 November 2020 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with
Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–
having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

–
having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0133/2020),

1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2. Approves the joint statements by Parliament, the Council and the Commission annexed to this
resolution;

3. Takes note of the statements by the Commission annexed to this resolution;

**3** ECLI:EU:C:2017:376.
**4** Texts adopted, P9_TA(2019)0083.

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4. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially
amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

5. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national
parliaments.

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**P9_TC1-COD(2019)0273**

**Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 19 January 2021 with a view**
**to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2021/… of the European Parliament and of the Council**
**amending Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 concerning the exercise of the Union's rights for the**
**application and enforcement of international trade rules**

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 [5],

**5** Position of the European Parliament of 19 January 2021.

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Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council [6] establishes

a common legislative framework for the exercise of the Union’s rights under international

trade agreements in certain specific situations. One of those situations relates to the dispute

settlement mechanisms set up by the Agreement establishing the World Trade

Organization (WTO) and by other international trade agreements, including regional or

bilateral agreements. Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 enables the Union to suspend

concessions or other obligations under international trade agreements after dispute

settlement proceedings are concluded.

(2) Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 does not deal with situations where the Union has a right of

action in response to a measure maintained by a third country but dispute settlement

through adjudication is blocked or otherwise not available for reasons of non-cooperation

of the third country which has adopted the measure.

**6** Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May
2014 concerning the exercise of the Union's rights for the application and enforcement of
international trade rules and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 laying down
Community procedures in the field of the common commercial policy in order to ensure
the exercise of the Community's rights under international trade rules, in particular those
established under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p.
50).

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(3) The WTO Dispute Settlement Body has been unable to fill the outstanding vacancies on

the WTO Appellate Body (the 'WTO Appellate Body'). The WTO Appellate Body is no

longer able to fulfil its function from the moment when there are fewer than three WTO

Appellate Body Members left. Until that situation is resolved and in order to preserve the

essential principles and features of the WTO dispute settlement system and the Union’s

procedural rights in ongoing and future disputes, the Union has sought to agree interim

arrangements for appeal arbitration pursuant to Article 25 of the WTO Understanding on

Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (the ‘WTO Dispute Settlement

Understanding’). That approach was endorsed by the Council on 27 May 2019, 15 July

2019 and 15 April 2020 and supported in the European Parliament resolution of 28

November 2019 on the crisis of the WTO Appellate Body. If a WTO Member refuses to

enter into such an arrangement, and files an appeal to a non-functioning WTO Appellate

Body, the resolution of the dispute is effectively blocked.

(4) A similar situation might arise under other international trade agreements, including

regional or bilateral agreements, where a third country does not cooperate in the manner

necessary for dispute settlement to function, for example by failing to appoint an arbitrator

and where there is no mechanism provided to secure the functioning of dispute settlement

in such a situation.

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(5) If dispute settlement is blocked, the Union is unable to enforce international trade

agreements. Therefore, it is appropriate to extend the scope of Regulation (EU) No

654/2014 to cover such situations.

(6) To that end, the Union should be able to expeditiously suspend concessions or other

obligations under international trade agreements, including regional or bilateral

agreements, if effective recourse to binding dispute settlement is not possible because the

third country does not cooperate in making such recourse possible.

(7) It is also appropriate to set out that where measures are taken to restrict trade with a third

country, such measures should not exceed the nullification or impairment of the Union’s

commercial interests caused by the measures of that third country, in line with the Union’s

obligations under international law.

_**(8)**_ _**Measures to be adopted pursuant to this Regulation relate specifically to international**_

_**trade in that they are essentially intended to govern such trade and have direct and**_

_**immediate effects on it and, therefore, fall within the scope of the Union’s exclusive**_

_**competence pursuant to Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European**_

_**Union**_ _**[7]**_ _**.**_

**7** Opinion 2/15 of the Court of Justice of 16 May 2017, ECLI:EU:C:2017:376, paragraph 36.

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_**(9)**_ _**Services and intellectual property rights account for a large and growing share of world**_

_**trade and are covered by international trade agreements, including regional or bilateral**_

**Union** _**agreements. Measures in the fields of trade in services and trade-related aspects**_

_**of intellectual property rights**_ _**should**_ _**therefore be included in the scope of the trade**_

_**policy measures available to the Union**_ _**to make Regulation (EU) No 654/2014**_ _**more**_

_**consistent and effective.**_

_**(10)**_ _**This Regulation should ensure the coherent application of the enforcement mechanism**_

_**in trade disputes relating to international trade agreements, including regional or**_

_**bilateral agreements. The enforcement mechanism of the Trade and Sustainable**_

_**Development chapters of the Union’s international trade agreements forms an integral**_

_**part of the Union’s trade policy and this Regulation would apply to the suspension of**_

_**concessions or other obligations and the adoption of measures in response to breaches**_

_**of those chapters, if and to the extent that such measures are permitted and are**_

_**warranted by the circumstances.**_

(11) The review clause of Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 should _**also**_ cover the application of

the amendments to that Regulation introduced by this Regulation.

(12) Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

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Article 1

Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 is amended as follows:

_**(1)**_ _**in Article 1, point (b) is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘(b) rebalancing concessions or other obligations in the trade relations with third**_

_**countries, when the treatment accorded to goods or services from the Union is**_

_**altered in a way that affects the Union's interests.’;**_

_**(2)**_ _**in Article 2, point (b) is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘(b)**_ _**“concessions or other obligations” means tariff concessions or other obligations or**_

_**benefits in the field of trade in goods or services, or concerning trade-related**_

_**aspects of intellectual property rights, that the Union has committed itself to**_

_**applying in its trade with third countries by virtue of international trade**_

_**agreements to which it is a party;’;**_

(3) Article 3 is amended as follows:

(a) the following point is inserted:

_**‘**_ (aa) following the circulation of a WTO panel report upholding, in whole or in part,

the claims brought by the Union, if an appeal under Article 17 of the WTO

Dispute Settlement Understanding cannot be completed and if the third country

has not agreed to interim appeal arbitration under Article 25 of the WTO

Dispute Settlement Understanding;’;

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(b) the following point is inserted:

_**‘**_ (ba) in trade disputes relating to other international trade agreements, including

regional or bilateral agreements, if adjudication is not possible because the

third country is not taking the steps that are necessary for a dispute settlement

procedure to function _**,**_ _**including unduly delaying the proceedings amounting**_

_**to non-cooperation in the process**_ ;’;

_**(c)**_ _**point (d) is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘(d)**_ _**in cases of modification of concessions or commitments by a WTO member**_

_**under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 or Article XXI of the**_ _**General**_

_**Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), where no compensatory**_

_**adjustments have been agreed**_ _**and, as regards services, compensatory**_

_**adjustments are not made in conformity with the findings of the arbitration**_

_**pursuant to Article XXI of the GATS.**_ ’;

(4) in Article 4, paragraph 2 is amended as follows:

(a) the following point is inserted:

_**‘**_ (ba) where measures are taken to restrict trade with a third country in situations

under point (aa) or (ba) of Article 3, _**the level of**_ such measures shall _**not**_

_**exceed**_ _▌_ the nullification or impairment of the Union’s commercial interests

caused by the measures of that third country;’;

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_**(b) point (d) is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘(d) where concessions or commitments are modified or withdrawn in the trade**_

_**with a third country in connection with Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994**_

_**and the related Understanding**_ _**[8]**_ _**, or with Article XXI of the GATS and the**_

_**related implementing procedures, they shall be substantially equivalent to the**_

_**concessions or commitments modified or withdrawn by that third country, in**_

_**accordance with the terms established in Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994**_

_**and the related Understanding or Article XXI of the GATS and the related**_

_**implementing procedures.**_ ’ _**;**_

_**(5)**_ _**Article 5 is amended as follows:**_

_**(a) in paragraph 1, the following points are inserted:**_

_**‘(ba)**_ _**the suspension of**_ _**obligations regarding trade in services and the imposition**_

_**of restrictions on trade in services**_ _;_

_**(bb)**_ _**the suspension of obligations with respect to trade-related aspects of**_

_**intellectual property rights granted by a Union institution or agency and**_

_**valid throughout the Union, and the imposition of restrictions on the**_

_**protection of such intellectual property rights or their commercial**_

_**exploitation, in relation to right-holders who are nationals of the third**_

_**country concerned;**_ ’ _**;**_

**8** Understanding ‘Interpretation and Application of Article XXVIII’.

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_**(b)**_ _**the following paragraphs are inserted:**_

_**‘1a.**_ _**When selecting measures to be adopted pursuant to point (ba) of**_

_**paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall always consider measures**_

_**according to the following hierarchy of steps:**_

_**(a)**_ _**measures relating to trade in services requiring an authorisation valid**_

_**throughout the Union and based on secondary legislation, or, where**_ _**no**_

_**such measures are available**_ **,**

_**(b)**_ _**measures relating to other services in areas where extensive Union**_

_**legislation exists, or, where no such measures are available,**_

_**(c)**_ _**measures which the information-gathering exercise conducted**_

_**pursuant to Article 9(1a), as provided for in point (a) of Article 5(1b),**_

_**has demonstrated would not impose a disproportionate burden on the**_

_**process of administration of relevant national regulations.**_

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_**1b.**_ _**Measures adopted pursuant to points (ba) and (bb) of paragraph 1 shall:**_

_**(a)**_ _**be subject to an information-gathering exercise pursuant to Article 9(1a);**_

_**(b)**_ _**be adjusted, if necessary, by means of an implementing act pursuant to**_

_**Article 4(1) where, after a review conducted pursuant to Article 9(1a), the**_

_**Commission concludes that the measures are of insufficient effectiveness or**_

_**impose an unreasonable burden on the process of administration of relevant**_

_**national regulations. Such review by the Commission shall be first conducted**_

_**six months after the date of application of the measures and at intervals of**_

_**twelve months thereafter;**_

_**(c)**_ _**be subject to an evaluation report, six months after their termination and**_

_**based inter alia on stakeholder input, which shall examine their effectiveness**_

_**and operation, and draw possible conclusions for future measures.**_ ’ _**;**_

_**(6)**_ _**in Article 6, the following paragraph is added:**_

_**‘3. Regarding trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, the term**_

_**“nationals” shall be understood in the same sense as it is used in paragraph 3 of**_

_**Article 1 of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property**_

_**Rights.**_ ’ _**;**_

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_**(7)**_ _**in Article 7, the first subparagraph of paragraph 2, point (c) is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘(c) in cases of the withdrawal or modification of concessions or commitments by a**_

_**WTO member under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 or Article XXI of the**_

_**GATS, when the third country concerned accords adequate and proportionate**_

_**compensation to the Union after the adoption of an implementing act under Article**_

_**4(1),**_ ’ _**;**_

_**(8)**_ _**Article 9 is amended as follows:**_

_**(a) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:**_

_**‘1.**_ _**The Commission shall seek information and views regarding the Union's**_

_**economic interests in specific goods or services sectors, or regarding specific trade-**_

_**related aspects of intellectual property rights, in the application of this Regulation,**_

_**through a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union or through other**_

_**suitable public communication means, indicating the period within which input is**_

_**to be submitted. The Commission shall take the input received into account.**_ ’ _**;**_

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_**(b)**_ _**the following paragraph is inserted:**_

_**‘**_
_**1a**_ **.** _**When the Commission envisages measures pursuant to point (ba) or (bb) of Article**_

_**5(1), it shall inform and conduct consultations with stakeholders, in particular**_

_**industry associations, affected by possible commercial policy measures and with**_

_**Member State public authorities involved in the formulation or implementation of**_

_**legislation regulating the affected fields. Without unduly delaying the adoption of**_

_**such measures, the Commission shall, in particular, seek information on:**_

_**(a)**_ _**the impact of such measures on third country service providers or right-**_
_**holders who are nationals of the third country concerned and on Union**_
_**competitors, users or consumers of such services or intellectual property**_
_**rights holders;**_

_**(b)**_ _**the interaction of such measures with relevant Member State regulations;**_

_**(c)**_ _**the administrative burden which may be occasioned by such measures.**_

_**The Commission shall take utmost account of the information gathered during such**_

_**consultations.**_

_**The Commission shall provide an analysis of the envisaged measures to Member States**_

_**when proposing the draft implementing act pursuant to Article 8.**_ ’ _**;**_

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(9) Article 10 is replaced by the following:

_**‘**_ Article 10

**Review**

_**1.**_ _**At the earliest possible opportunity after ... [the date of entry into force of this**_

_**amending Regulation], but no later than one year after that date,**_ the Commission

shall review the scope of this Regulation, taking into account in particular ▌the

commercial policy measures that may be adopted, as well as its implementation,

and shall report its findings to the European Parliament and the Council.

2. In acting pursuant to paragraph 1, the Commission shall undertake a review aimed

at envisaging under this Regulation additional commercial policy measures

suspending concessions or other obligations in the field of _**trade-related aspects of**_

’
_**intellectual property rights.**_ _._

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the […] day following that of its publication in the _Official_

_Journal of the European Union_ .

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_

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ANNEX TO THE LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

## **Joint Declaration of the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament** **on an instrument to deter and counteract coercive actions by third countries**

The Commission takes note of the concerns of the Parliament and Member States as to the practices

of certain third countries to seek to coerce the Union and/or its Member States to take or withdraw

particular policy measures. The Commission shares the view that such practices raise significant

concerns. The Commission confirms its intention to further examine a possible instrument, which

could be adopted in order to dissuade or offset coercive actions by third countries and which would

allow the expeditious adoption of countermeasures triggered by such actions. The Commission

intends to continue its assessment and on the basis of that assessment, taking into account all

relevant circumstances, adopt a legislative proposal providing for a mechanism allowing to dissuade

or offset such actions in a manner consistent with international law. As announced in the Letter of

Intent of the President of the Commission to the President of the Parliament and President in office

of the Council of 16 September 2020 the Commission shall adopt the proposal in any case no later

than the end of 2021, or earlier, should the need arise as a result of coercive action taken by a third

country.

The Council and the European Parliament take note of the intention of the Commission to submit a

proposal for an instrument to deter and counteract coercive actions by third countries. Both

institutions are committed to fulfil their institutional role as co-legislators and to consider the

proposal in a timely manner, taking into account the Union’s obligations under public international

law and WTO law as well as relevant developments in international trade.

## **Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission**

The Union remains committed to a multilateral approach to international dispute settlement, rules

based trade, and international cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the

United Nations. The Union will cooperate in all endeavours aiming to reform the WTO Dispute

Settlement Mechanism which can ensure the effective functioning of the WTO Appellate Body.

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## **Statements by the Commission**

**1.** **Commission declaration on compliance with international law**

When the Union brings a dispute under the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) against

another Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commission will make every

reasonable effort to obtain, as early as possible, the agreement of that Member to resort to

arbitration under Article 25 of the DSU as an interim appeal procedure, which preserves the

essential features of appeals before the Appellate Body (the “appeal arbitration procedure”), as long

as the Appellate Body is unable to fully resume its functions in accordance with Article 17 of the

DSU.

When adopting implementing acts pursuant to Article 3(aa) of the Regulation, the Commission will

act in accordance with the requirements of the international law on countermeasures, as codified in

the Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts adopted by the

International Law Commission.

In particular, before adopting implementing acts pursuant to Article 3(aa), the Commission will call

upon the WTO Member concerned to implement the WTO panel’s findings and recommendations,

notify that WTO Member of the Union’s intention to take countermeasures and reiterate its

openness to negotiate a mutually agreed solution in accordance with the requirements of the DSU.

When implementing acts have already been adopted pursuant to Article 3(aa), the Commission will

suspend their application if the Appellate Body resumes its functions in respect to the case

concerned in accordance with Article 17 of the DSU, or if an interim appeal procedure is initiated,

provided that such procedure is pursued in good faith.

**2.** **Statement by the Commission**

The Commission welcomes the adoption of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the

Council amending Regulation (EU) No 654/2014.

The Commission recalls the Statement which it made upon the adoption of the original regulation,

inter alia that the implementing acts which the Commission is empowered to adopt would be

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designed on the basis of objective criteria and subject to the control of the Member States. In

exercising that empowerment, the Commission intends to act in accordance with the statement

made upon the adoption of the original regulation as well as this Declaration.

When preparing draft implementing acts affecting trade in services or trade-related aspects of

intellectual property rights, the Commission recalls its obligations pursuant to Article 9(1a) and

confirms that it will undertake intensive prior consultations with a view to ensuring that all relevant

interests and implications can be brought to the Commission’s attention, shared with Member States

and are duly taken into account in the possible adoption of measures. In those consultations, the

Commission will seek and expects to receive input from private stakeholders affected by possible

commercial policy measures to be adopted by the Union in those areas. Similarly, the Commission

will seek and expects to receive input from public authorities that may be involved in or affected by

the implementation of possible commercial policy measures adopted by the Union.

In the case of measures in the fields of trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual

property rights, in particular the input from Member States’ public authorities involved in the

formulation or implementation of legislation regulating the affected fields will be duly taken into

account in the preparation of draft implementing acts, inter alia on how possible commercial policy

measures would interact with Union and national legislation. Likewise, other stakeholders affected

by such commercial policy measures will be given an opportunity to formulate their

recommendations and concerns with respect to the choice and design of measures to be adopted.

The observations will be shared with the Member States when measures are adopted pursuant to

Article 8 of the Regulation. The regular review of any such measures imposed during their

application or after their termination will likewise take into account the input from Member State

authorities and private stakeholders in relation to the operation of such measures, and allow for

adjustments to be made if problems have arisen.

Finally, the Commission reaffirms that it attaches great importance to ensuring that the Regulation

is an effective and efficient tool for the enforcement of the Union’s rights under international trade

agreements, including in the field of trade in services and trade-related aspects of intellectual

property rights. Therefore, the measures to be chosen in these fields must also ensure effective

enforcement in line with the rights of the Union, such that they induce compliance by the third

country concerned and are consistent with the applicable international rules on the type of

enforcement measures allowed.

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## **Declaration of the Commission**

Upon the adoption of the Regulation in 2014, the Commission committed to an effective

communication and exchange of views with the European Parliament and the Council on trade

disputes that may lead to the adoption of measures under the Regulation, and on enforcement

actions in general. Mindful of the overarching objective of effective and efficient enforcement of

Union’s rights under the Union’s international trade agreements, the Commission will continue to

promote and streamline its interactions with the European Parliament and the Council to the mutual

benefit.

In particular, the Commission undertakes to examine, as part of its enhanced enforcement system,

alleged violations of the Union’s international trade agreements when raised by the Parliament, its

Members, or its Committees, or by the Council on the understanding that such requests be

accompanied by supporting evidence. The Commission will keep the Parliament and the Council

informed of the output of its enhanced enforcement work.

In deploying the enhanced enforcement system, the Commission will pay equal attention to alleged

breaches of the trade and sustainable development provisions of EU trade agreements as to alleged

breaches of market access systems. The processing of alleged breaches of trade and sustainable

provisions will be fully integrated into the system. The Commission will prioritise those cases

which are particularly serious in terms of their effect on workers or the environment in a trade

context, which have systemic importance and which are legally sound.

The Commission will continue to fully engage in dedicated sessions with the responsible

Parliamentary committee to exchange views on trade disputes and enforcement actions, including

with regard to impacts on Union industries. In this context, the Commission will continue its

reporting practice by providing periodically a state of play on all pending disputes and instant

information for major developments in relation to disputes at the same time such information is

shared with Member States. This reporting and information sharing will take place through the

responsible committees in the Council and in the Parliament.

At the same time, the Commission will continue keeping the Parliament and the Council regularly

informed of international developments that may lead to situations requiring the adoption of

measures under the Regulation.

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Finally, the Commission reaffirms its commitments under Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the

European Parliament and of the Council to promptly transmit to the Parliament and to the Council

draft implementing acts that it submits to the committee of Member States as well as final draft

implementing acts following the delivery of opinions in the committee. This is managed via the

comitology register.

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