CELEX: 51996PC0324
Language: en
Date: 1996-07-05
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) providing for the reduction of the tariff rate applicable to imports under the WTO tariff quota for certain live bovine animals

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
       •Ix      -h
      •a         A
                                                           Brussels, 05.07.1996
                                                           COM(96) 324 final
                                                           96/0171 (ACC)
                                            Proposal for a
                              COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
p r o v i d i n g f o r t h e r e d u c t i o n of t h e t a r i f f r a t e a p p l i c a b l e t o
i m p o r t s u n d e r t h e WTO t a r i f f       quota for c e r t a i n l i v e bovine
                                              animals
                                (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                      Explanatory Memorandum
In the Uruguay Round the Communities undertook to open an annual
tariff quota for 169 000 head of live bovine animals at an in-
quo ta rate of 16 % + 582 ECU/t. In general, imports under this
quota are made from CEEC countries and in the framework of the
transitional measures adopted by the Council for preferential
imports in the framework of the Europe Agreements (Regulation
(EC) No 3066/95) , it is provided that the Commission may reduce
the specific amount of the in-quota rate to 399 ECU/t.
It would be inconsistent with the Community's MFN obligations
under the WTO, if the reduced rate were to be applied only to
live animals from the CEEC countries. The aim of this proposal
is, therefore, to apply the reduced rate to all imports,
irrespective of the origin of the live animals.
The proposal will have no financial effect.
                               I
 ---pagebreak---                             Proposal for a
                    COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
providing for the reduction of the tariff rate applicable to
imports under the WTO tariff quota for certain live bovine
animals
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
and in particular Article 113 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas the   Community has undertaken in the framework of the
World Trade  Organisation (WTO), to open an annual tariff quota
of 169.000   head of certain live bovine animals; whereas the
tariff rate   that is applicable for imports under this quota is
composed of  a 16% ad valorem   duty and of a specific amount of 582
ECU/tonne;
Whereas Council Regulation (EC) N* 2179/95 of 8 August 1995,
providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and transitional
measure, of certain agricultural concessions provided for in the
Europe Agreements and amending Regulation (EC) N° 33 79/94 opening
and administering certain Community tariff quotas in 1995 for
certain agricultural products and for beer, to take account of
the Agreement concluded during the Uruguay Round Multilateral
Trade Negotiations (1) , as well as Council Regulation (EC) N°
3066/95 of 22 December 1995, establishing certain concessions in
the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural
products and providing for the adjustment, as an autonomous and
transitional measure, of certain agricultural            concessions
provided in the Europe Agreements to take account of the
Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of
Multilateral Trade Négociations            (2), as last modified by
Regulation (EC) N° ..../96 (3), provide for the possibility to
reduce the specific amount that is payable upon import within the
tariff quota for 169.000 head of certain live bovine animals, to
3 99 ECU/tonne in respect of animals originating in the associated
countries of Central Europe; whereas the reduction has been
implemented as regards these countries as from 1 July 1995;
whereas a similar treatment is granted to imports originating
from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania [as from 1 July 1996] by
virtue of Council Regulation (EC) N°              (4);
Whereas it is necessary, in view of the international obligations
of the Community under the WTO, to ensure that imports from all
countries benefit from the reduced in-quota tariff rate whenever
a reduction has been or will be implemented as regards imports
from the associated countries in Central Europe and the Baltic
 ---pagebreak--- States; whereas therefore provision should be made for the
extension of such reduction to imports of live bovine animals
from all countries,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                            Article 1
Any reduction of the import duty which is payable under the
Community tariff quota for 169.000 head of certain live bovine
animals for animals originating in Poland, Hungary, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria and in Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania shall be extended to all imports under that tariff
quota, irrespective of the origin of the animals.
                            Article 2
Detailed rules for the application of this Regulation shall be
adopted by the Commission in accordance with the procedure
provided for in Article 27 of Council Regulation (EEC) N° 805/68
on the common market organization of the market in beef and veal
(5) .
                            Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication    in the Official     Journal  of   the  European
Communities. It shall apply with effect from 1 July 1995.
This Regulation shall be binding    in its entirety   and directly
applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels,
                                          For the Council
                                          the  President
 (1)  OJ N" L 223 of 20.09.1995, p . 29
 (2)  OJ N° L 328 of 30.12.1995, p . 31
 (3)  OJ N* L
 (4)  OJ N* L
 (5)  OJ N" L 148 of 28.6.1968, p . 24 (as last modified        by
      regulation (EC) N '     /96, OJ N* L ... of ....)
                               ^
 ---pagebreak---                                                                       324 final
                                                                         02  11
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-329-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-78-05996-X
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
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