CELEX: 51984PC0374
Language: en
Date: 1984-07-03
Title: Draft DECISION OF THE ACP-EEC CUSTOMS COOPERATION COMMITTEE derogating from the definition of the concept of originating products to take account of the special situation of Mauritius with regard to its production of canned tuna

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (84) 374
Vol. 1984/0161
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
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file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                                     COM( 8 4 )    374 f i n a l
                                                                     B ru s s e ls ,  3   J u ly   1984
                                                D ra ft
           D E C IS IO N O F T H E A C P E E C C U S T O M S C O O P E R A T I O N CO M M I TTEE
     d e ro g a tin g   fro m   th e d e fin itio n   of    th e    concept       of   o rig in a tin g
    p ro d u c ts   to   ta k e  account    of   th e  s p e c ia l    s itu a tio n    of   Maur i t i u s
                   w ith    regard   to   its   p ro d u c tio n    of    canned     tu n a
  COM(84) 374 final
 ---pagebreak---                                            EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
                                                                                                Ù 0 H              3 it   %
S in c e     th e    end       of    1977,       M a u ritiu s      has     been       g ra n te d     a   s e rie s    of    d e ro g a tio n s
fro m      th e    o rig in        ru le s     in   o rd e r    to    a llo w      its      canned       tu n a ,    processed          fro m     non­
o rig in a tin g          fis h ,      to    come      in   under       th e     p re fe re n tia l        a rra n g e m e n ts      la id   down
under        th e    Lomé        C o n v e n tio n .      T h is    s p e c ia l     c o n c e s s io n    has     fro m     th e   o u ts e t   been
seen       as   a     response           to    th e   c o n s id e ra b le       d iffic u ltie s          e x p e rie n c e d     by   th e    is la n d 's
s o le     cannery           in    o b ta in in g     s u p p lie s     of    fis h       w ith    o rig in a tin g        s ta tu s .
M a u ritiu s         has      been      m a k in g   g re a t    e ffo rts        to     put    an    end      to   th is     s itu a tio n ,     and
in    1979      th e      o p e ra to r      a c q u ire d    a   vessel         w h ic h     was    to    s u p p ly    m ost     of   th e
c a n n e ry 's       re q u ire m e n ts .         But     th e    u n c e rta in ty         re g a rd in g      fis h in g     rig h ts     in
th is      p a rt    of      th e    In d ia n    Ocean,        and     th e     lim ite d       p o te n tia l,       in    th e s e   c irc u m ­
s ta n c e s ,     of     a    s in g le     b o a t,    have     meant        th a t     so    fa r   th e     vessel       has    managed         to
p ro v id e     o n ly       ju s t    over      h a lf   of    th e    of    th e      c a n n e ry 's    o u tp u t.       M a u ritiu s      has
been       im p o rtin g         th e    re m a in d e r    of    th e     fis h     fo r     p ro c e s s in g    on    th e    s tre n g th     of
th e    d e ro g a tio n .
                                                                                                                                                             'i
                                                                                                                                                              .j
The     la s t     d e ro g a tio n        in    fa v o u r   of    th e     is la n d      ran    fo r    tw o     years,       and    re la te d
to    1    000     to n n e s      of    canned       tu n a    a   year,        m a n u fa c tu re d      fro m     fis h     o rig in a tin g
in   th e      M a ld iv e s .         It    e x p ire s    on    31     J u ly .
                                                                                                                                                               i
By    le tte r         No.     A C P /6 4 /7       (V o l.    1)    84    of     11    A p ril th is       year      th e    A CP S t a t e s                   ;
s u b m itte d         a    re q u e st    on     b e h a lf    of   th e     M a u r itia n G overnm ent f o r               a   fu rth e r                    ;
d e ro g a tio n         in    respect         of    th e   same      q u a n titie s ,         to   ru n    fro m     1    August       1984                 ^
u n til      th e     e n try      in to     fo rc e     of   th e    new      C o n v e n tio n ,     fo llo w in g        on    th e   e x p iry              i
of   Lomé        I I .       The     te rm s      s u g g e ste d     in    th e     l e t t e r w o u ld    a ls o e n a b le      M a u ritiu s                j
to   o b ta in         s u p p lie s      fro m    sources         o th e r     th a n    th e    M a ld iv e s .                                               j
                                                                                                                                                               j
The     request            is    based       on    th e   fo llo w in g        c o n s id e ra tio n s        :                                                 j
        th e     ca tc h e s       of    th e    M a u ritia n      vessel          (th e     "Lady      Sushi l" )         d id    not    exceed                j
3   000      to n n e s      in    1983.         To    re m a in    v ia b le      th e     cannery        needs       a    m in im u m    of    4   500         j
to n n e s     of     fre s h      tu n a ;:
         ■
 ---pagebreak---                                                                          - 2 -
         d e s p ite      re p e a te d    a tte m p ts ,      th e    M a u ritia n       o p e ra to r      has     been       u n a b le     to    fin d
         fre s h     sources         of    s u p p ly     in   o th e r    ACP      S ta te s ;
         c a tc h e s    o ff    th e    M a ld iv e s      have     dropped         s h a rp ly .       The      consequences                 fo r   th e
        M a u ritia n        cannery          have      been     q u ite     s e rio u s ;     it    has      tw ic e     been        shut      down      fo r
        about        a   week;
         in    o rd e r    to    re m a in      fin a n c ia lly       sound       and     be    a b le     to    pay     fo r      a  second         boat
         la te r    on,      th e    M a u ritia n       o p e ra to r     has    to     be   a b le     to     count       on     p re fe re n tia l
        access         to    th e    C o m m u n ity     m arket       fo r    a ll    its    e x p o rts ;
        th e     S e y c h e lle s     have       re c e n tly     accorded          fis h in g      rig h ts       in    th e ir      e x c lu s iv e
        e c o n o m ic     zone      to    12    C o m m u n ity     v e s s e ls .      H ow ever,         th e    c o m m e rc ia l      c h a n n e ls
        used      by    th e    fle e t      do    not     seem      to    a llo w     fo r   re g u la r      d e liv e rie s         at     q u a n titie s
        a d a p te d    to    th e     s to ra g e     c a p a c ity     of   th e    M a u ritia n         fa c to ry ;
        in    a d d itio n ,      even       in    th e    co n te x t    of    a    E .D .F .     re g io n a l      p ro je c t,       fo u r     In d ia n
       Ocean        c o u n trie s ,      in c lu d in g       M a u ritiu s ,       are    g e ttin g        re a d y    to     in tro d u c e      c o n c e rte d
       program m es           fo r    th e     d e v e lo p m e n t   of    tu n a    fis h in g       in    th e     are a ,      w h ic h     w ill     re s u lt
       in     th e    s u p p ly     of   th e     necessary          q u a n titie s       of     "o rig in a tin g "          ca tc h e s       to   th e
       fa c to ry       in    th e    te rm s      re q u ire d .
 In    c o n n e c tio n      w ith     th e     cu rre n t     C o n v e n tio n     renew al        n e g o tia tio n s ,          th e     ACP    S ta te s
 are      a g a in    p re s s in g     fo r     m ore     fle x ib le      o rig in      ru le s     fo r     fis h e ry       p ro d u c ts .        The
 C o m m u n ity 's       lin e     has     been      th a t    th e    proce d u re        fo r    d e ro g a tio n s        fro m     th o s e     ru le s
 has     a lw a y s     made      it    p o s s ib le     to    s o lv e    p a rtic u la r       p ro b le m s      on    th e ir      m e rits .       I f   th e
 C o m m u n ity      re fu s e s     to    a llo w     th e    d e ro g a tio n      here      a p p lie d      fo r,     it     c o u ld     upset       th is
 w h o le    n e g o tia tin g        lin e .
In    v ie w     of    th e    fo re g o in g       and     in    c o n fo rm ity       w ith     th e    p ro v is io n s        of    P ro to c o l      No.    1,
in    p a rtic u la r        A rtic le        30    th e re o f,     th e    C o m m is s io n      proposes           th a t     a   d e ro g a tio n       fro m
th e    o rig in       ru le s     be    g ra n te d      in   re sp e ct      of    600     to n n e s     of    canned          tu n a    -    e q u iv a le n t,
fo r    th e     p e rio d     under       c o n s id e ra tio n ,       to    1   000     to n n e s     a   year      -    to     run     fro m     1   August
1984       to    28    F e b ru a ry       1985,        when     th e    second        Lomé      C o n v e n tio n      e x p ire s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                      DRAFT      D E C IS IO N
                              of    th e    ACP-EEC        C ustom s       C o o p e ra tio n      C o m m itte e
d e ro g a tin g     fro m    th e    d e fin itio n       of   th e     concept         of      o rig in a tin g         p ro d u c ts
to   ta k e    account        of    th e ' s p e c ia l    s itu a tio n       of    M a u ritiu s       w ith      regard       to     its
p ro d u c tio n    of     canned       tu n a
THE     CUSTOMS        COOPERATION             COMMITTEE,
H a v in g   regard       to    th e    Second       ACP-EEC         C o n v e n tio n     s ig n e d    at     Lomé      on    31    O c to b e r    1979,
h e re in a fte r      re fe rre d      to     as   'th e    C o n v e n tio n ',
W hereas       A rtic le      30    of    P ro to c o l    No.     1   to    th e    C o n v e n tio n      c o n c e rn in g     th e    d e fin itio n
of   th e    concept        of      o rig in a tin g       p ro d u c ts       and     m ethods        of     a d m in is tra tiv e          c o o p e ra tio n
makes      p ro v is io n     fo r    d e ro g a tio n s     to   be     made      fro m     th e    ru le s      of    o rig in      by    th e    C ustom s
C o o p e ra tio n    C o m m itte e ,       in   p a rtic u la r      to    fa c ilita te         th e     d e v e lo p m e n t    of    e x is tin g
in d u s trie s     or    th e    c re a tio n      of   new     in d u s trie s ;
W hereas       th e   A fric a n ,      C a rib b e a n    and     P a c ific       (A C P )   S ta te s      have      s u b m itte d       a   re q u e st
fro m    th e    G overnm ent         of    M a u ritiu s      fo r    a   d e ro g a tio n      fro m      th e    d e fin itio n        set     out     in
P ro to c o l    No     1   in    respect         of    canned       tu n a    p roduced         by    M a u ritiu s ;
W hereas       in   order       to    m a in ta in      its    e x is tin g      fis h e ry      in d u s try       and     to    ta k e     th e
m easures        necessary          fo r     its    fin is h e d     p ro d u c ts     to    o b ta in      o rig in a tin g        s ta tu s      th e re
M a u ritiu s      fro m    1       August        1982     to    31    J u ly    1984      b e n e fite d       fro m     a   d e ro g a tio n       fro m
th e   d e fin itio n       set     out      in   P ro to c o l    No      1   fo r    canned         tu n a    ;
W hereas       M a u ritiu s       has     a lre a d y   purchased           a   vessel        w ith      a   v ie w    to    s u p p ly in g      its
c a n n e rie s    w ith     fis h     fo r    th e   p ro d u c tio n     of    canned        tu n a ;
W hereas       th is     v e s s e l,   w h ile     in c re a s in g      its     c a tch e s     s te a d ily ,       is    not    in     a
p o s itio n     to    s u p p ly    s u ffic ie n t      q u a n titie s      of     tu n a   fis h      fo r     th e    c a n n e rie s ;
w hereas       th e    com pany        must      s ta b iliz e     its     fin a n c ia l       s itu a tio n        in    o rd e r    to     be   a b le
to    buy    a   second        s h ip    s h o u ld   it    prove       im p o s s ib le      to    g u a ra n te e      fre s h     sources         of
o rig in a tin g       fis h ;
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                      - 2 -
W hereas      M a u ritiu s       has     been      u n a b le    to    o b ta in    s u ffic ie n t       s u p p lie s    o f   fis h
o rig in a tin g       in   o th e r    A CP    S ta te s     or    in    th e    C o m m u n ity ;    w hereas        th is    d e fic ie n c y
may    n e v e rth e le s s     s h o rtly      be    re m e d ie d     by    fis h e ry     d e v e lo p m e n ts     in   th is    p a rt   of
th e   In d ia n     Ocean;       w hereas        u n til     th a t    tim e ,    th e    M a u ritia n       c a n n in g   in d u s try
m ust    be   a b le     to   use     s u p p lie s     of    tu n a    fro m     th ird     c o u n trie s      to    keep     up    its
e x p o rts   to     th e   C o m m u n ity ;
W hereas      M a u ritiu s       can     o b ta in     some     of     th e    tu n a   i t   re q u ire s      fo r    its    c a n n e rie s
fro m    o th e r    d e v e lo p in g    c o u n trie s ;      w hereas        p ursuant          to    A rtic le       30(5)      of   P ro to c o l
No.    1   th e    e x a m in a tio n     of    a   request         fo r    a   d e ro g a tio n     s h o u ld    ta k e   p a rtic u la r
account       o f    such     a   p o s s ib ility ;
W hereas       in    th e s e   c irc u m s ta n c e s      a   te m p o ra ry     d e ro g a tio n      fro m     th e    d e fin itio n     of
th e   concept         of   o rig in a tin g        p ro d u c ts     s h o u ld    be   accorded          to    M a u ritiu s ,      to
run    u n til     th e   e x p iry     of    th e    second       ACP-E EC         C o n v e n tio n ,
HAS    DECIDED         AS    FOLLOWS        :
A rtic le      1
By    way   of     d e ro g a tio n     fro m     th e    s p e c ia l    p ro v is io n s     of    L is t    A   in    Annex      II    to
P ro to c o l    No.     1,   canned        tu n a    m a n u fa c tu re d      in   M a u ritiu s       fro m     n o n -o rig in a tin g
tu n a   and     fa llin g      w ith in      h e a d in g    No.    ex     1 6 .0 4   of    th e    Common        C ustom s      T a r iff
s h a ll   be    c o n s id e re d   as    o rig in a tin g        in     M a u ritiu s      on    th e    fo llo w in g      c o n d itio n s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                         3
A rtic le      2
The     d e ro g a tio n     p ro v id e d    fo r    in    A rtic le     1  s h a ll   re la te     to   600      to n n e s  of    canned
tu n a    fa llin g      w ith in     h e a d in g   No     .  ex   1 6 .0 4   of   th e    Common       C ustom s      T a riff     and    e x p o rte d
fro m     M a u ritiu s      b e tw e e n   1       August       1984     and    28    F ebruary       1985.
A rt i c le    3
The     co m p e te n t   a u th o ritie s       of     M a u ritiu s     s h a ll  ta k e   th e    necessary           ste p s   to   ensure
th a t    a  q u a n tita tiv e       check       is    kept     on   e x p o rts   of    th e   p ro d u c ts     re fe rre d     to   in
A rtic le      2.      To    th is    end     th e y    s h a ll  fo rw a rd     to   th e    C o m m is s io n    every      th re e   m onths      a
s ta te m e n t    of    th e    q u a n titie s      in    respect       of   w h ic h   movement         c e rtific a te s       EUR.1
have      been     is s u e d    on   th e    b a s is    o f  th is    D e c is io n ,   in d ic a tin g     th e    p re c is e   o rig in
o f   th e   tu n a    used.
A rtic le      4
The     A CP   S ta te s ,     th e   Member        S ta te s    and    th e   C o m m u n ity   s h a ll    be    bound,      each     to    th e
e x te n t   to    w h ic h    it   is    con ce rn e d ,      to   ta ke    th e   m easures        necessary           to   im p le m e n t
th is     D e c is io n .
A rtic le      5
T h is    D e c is io n    s h a ll   e n te r    in to     fo rc e   on    th e   day    of    its    a d o p tio n .
It    s h a ll   a p p ly    fro m     1      August        1984    u n til     28   F ebruary        1985.
Done      at                                                                               For    th e   ACP-EEC          C ustom s
                                                                                            C o o p e ra tio n      C o m m itte e
                                                                                                J o in t    C h a irm a n