CELEX: 
Language: en
Date: 2006-06-07 00:00:00
Title: 2004/859/: 2004/859/EC:#Council Decision of 25 October 2004 concerning the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway on Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of NorwayText with EEA relevance#Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway

17.12.2004   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               L 370/70
            
         
      COUNCIL DECISION
   
   of 25 October 2004
   concerning the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway on Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway
   (Text with EEA relevance)
   (2004/859/EC)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
   Whereas:
   
               (1)
            
            
               Protocol 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (1), of the one hand, and Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement, as amended by Decision No 140/2001 of the EEA Joint Committee (2), of the other hand, determine the trade arrangements for certain agricultural and processed agricultural products between the Contracting Parties.
            
         
               (2)
            
            
               At the time of the adoption of Decision No 140/2001, the EC and Norway stated in a joint declaration that the non-agricultural component of customs duties on products in Table I of Protocol 3 must be eliminated. On this basis, discussions between Commission and Norwegian officials were concluded on 11 March 2004. The new tariff concessions shall be implemented by an EEA Joint Committee Decision amending Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement.
            
         
               (3)
            
            
               An agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway on Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway, has also been negotiated in order to take into account the results of these discussions.
            
         
               (4)
            
            
               The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EEC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (3).
            
         
               (5)
            
            
               The Agreement should be approved,
            
         HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
   Article 1
   The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.
   The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.
   Article 2
   The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.
   Article 3
   The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 4(2).
   Article 4
   1.   The Commission shall be assisted by the management committee on horizontal questions concerning trade in processed agricultural products referred to in Article 16 of Council Regulation (EC) No 3448/93 (4), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’.
   2.   Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.
   The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.
   3.   The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.
   
      Done at Luxembourg, 25 October 2004
      
         
            For the Council
         
         
            The President
         
         R. VERDONK
         
      
   
   
      (1)  OJ L 171, 27.6.1973, p. 2.
   
      (2)  OJ L 22, 24.1.2002, p. 34.
   
      (3)  OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
   
      (4)  OJ L 318, 20.12.1993, p. 18. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2580/2000 (OJ L 298, 25.11.2000, p. 5).
   
      
         AGREEMENT
      
      in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway
      Sir,
      I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the ‘Agreed minutes’ attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
      I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in agreement with the content of this letter.
      Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
      Hecho en Bruselas, el
      V Bruselu dne
      Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den
      Geschehen zu Brüssel am
      Brüssel,
      Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις
      Done at Brussels,
      Fait à Bruxelles, le
      Fatto a Bruxelles, addí
      Briselÿ,
      Priimta Briuselyje,
      Kelt Brüsszelben,
      Magÿmula fi Brussel,
      Gedaan te Brussel,
      Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia
      Feito em Bruxelas,
      V Bruseli,
      V Bruslju,
      Tehty Brysselissä
      Utfärdat i Bryssel den
      Întocmit la Bruxelles
      
         
      
         Por la Comunidad Europea
         
            Za Evropské společenství
         
         For Det Europæiske Fællesskab
         Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft
         Euroopa Ühenduse nimel
         Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα
         For the European Community
         Pour la Communauté européenne
         Per la Comunità europea
         Eiropas Kopienas vārdā
         Europos bendrijos vardu
         az Európai Közösség részéről
         Għall-Komunità Ewropea
         Voor de Europese Gemeenschap
         W imieniu Wspólnoty Europejskiej
         Pela Comunidade Europeia
         Za Európske spoločenstvo
         za Evropsko skupnost
         Euroopan yhteisön puolesta
         På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar
         
            
      
      
         
            AGREED MINUTES
         
         I.   Introduction
         On 11 March 2004, and after several meetings between Norway and Commission officials, a compromise was reached on tariff reductions or abolition on a number of processed agricultural products covered by Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement (1) or by Protocol No 2 to the 1973 free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (2).
         These concessions should lead to the improvement of market access for Norway and the Community and would require the modification of Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement as well as Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement. Therefore, the two parties agreed to submit for approval to their respective authorities some changes to the import arrangements applied by the parties to certain processed agricultural products. The changes will be implemented in the form of a Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement and of the present Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
         The changes in Protocol No 2 will enter into force on 1 January 2005.
         The two parties agree that the respective import arrangements below will replace the agreement in the form of an exchange of letters of 27 November 2002.
         II.   Norwegian import arrangements
         From 1 January 2005, Norway will open the following annual tariff quotas for the Community:
         
                     Norwegian tariff codes
                  
                  
                     Description
                  
                  
                     Volume
                  
                  
                     Applicable rate of duty
                  
               
                     1506.0021
                  
                  
                     Bonefat, bone oil and neat's foot oil
                  
                  
                     2 360 tonnes
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               
                     1518.0041
                  
                  
                     Linseed oil
                  
                  
                     100 tonnes
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               III.   Community Import arrangements
         From 1 January 2005, the Community will open the following annual tariff quotas for Norway:
         
                     Order number
                  
                  
                     CN Code
                  
                  
                     Description
                  
                  
                     Volume
                  
                  
                     Applicable rate of duty
                  
               
                     09.0765
                  
                  
                     1517 10 90
                  
                  
                     Margarine, excluding liquid margarine, containing, by weight, not more than 10% of milk fats
                  
                  
                     2 470
                     tonnes
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               
                     09.0771
                  
                  
                     ex 2207 10 00
                     (TARIC Code 90)
                  
                  
                     Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcohol strength by volume of 80% vol. or higher, other than that obtained from agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EEC Treaty
                  
                  
                     164 000
                     hectolitres
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               
                     09.0772
                  
                  
                     ex 2207 20 00
                     (TARIC Code 90)
                  
                  
                     Ethyl alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any strength, other than that obtained from agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EEC Treaty
                  
                  
                     14 340
                     hectolitres
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               
                     09.0774
                  
                  
                     2403 10
                  
                  
                     Smoking tobacco, whether or not containing tobacco substitutes in any proportion
                  
                  
                     370
                     tonnes
                  
                  
                     Free
                  
               IV.   Community arrangements on certain soft drinks
         
                     —
                  
                  
                     From 1 January 2005, the present arrangements temporarily suspend the duty free regime applied under Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement to goods classified under CN codes 2202 10 00 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured) and ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)).
                  
               
                     —
                  
                  
                     The Community will open an annual duty free tariff quota from 1 January to 31 December for goods originating in Norway and classified under CN codes 2202 10 00 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured) and ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)), for the following quantity: 14,3 million litres in 2005. Outside the quota allocation, the import duty will be 0,047 €/litre. The import duty may be revised annually on the basis of the difference in sugar prices between Norway and the Community.
                  
               
                     —
                  
                  
                     On 31 October 2005, and on 31 October of each following year, if the tariff quota has been exhausted, the tariff quota applicable from 1 January of the following year will be increased by 10 %. If the quota has not been exhausted on that date, the products mentioned in paragraph 1 will be granted unlimited duty free access to the Community from 1 January to 31 December of the following year.
                  
               V.   The tariff quotas specified under II, III and IV shall be granted to originating products in accordance with the rules of origin laid down in Protocol No 3 to the 1973 Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
      
      Sir,
      I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today's date which reads as follows:
      
         ‘I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the “Agreed minutes” attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
         I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in agreement with the content of this letter.’
      
      I have the honour to confirm that my Government is in agreement with the content of your letter and the proposed date of entry into force of the amendments.
      Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
      Done at Brussels,
      Hecho en Bruselas, el
      V Bruselu dne
      Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den
      Geschehen zu Brüssel am
      Brüssel,
      Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις
      Fait à Bruxelles, le
      Fatto a Bruxelles, addí
      Briselÿ,
      Priimta Briuselyje,
      Kelt Brüsszelben,
      Magÿmula fi Brussel,
      Gedaan te Brussel,
      Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia
      Feito em Bruxelas,
      V Bruseli,
      V Bruslju,
      Tehty Brysselissä
      Utfärdat i Bryssel den
      Întocmit la Bruxelles
      
         
      
         For the Government of the Kingdom of Norway
         Por el Gobierno del Reino de Noruega
         Za vládu Norského království
         På vegne af Kongeriget Norges regering
         Im Namen des Königreichs Norwegen
         Norra Kuningriigi valitsuse nimel
         Για την Κυβέρνηση του Βασιλείου της Νορβηγίας
         Pour le gouvernement du Royaume de Norvège
         Per il Governo del Regno di Norvegia
         Norvēģijas Karalistes valdības vārdā
         Norvegijos Karalystės Vyriausybės vardu
         A Norvég Királyság Kormánya részéről
         Għall-Gvern tar-Renju tan-Norveġja
         Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk Noorwegen
         W imieniu Rządu Królestwa Norwegii
         Pelo Governo do Reino da Noruega
         Za vládu Nórskeho kráľovstva
         Za vlado Kraljevine Norveške
         Norjan kuningaskunnan hallituksen puolesta
         För Konungariket Norges regering
         
            
      
      
         (1)  OJ L 22, 24.1.2002, p. 34.
      
         (2)  OJ L 171, 27.6.1973, p. 2.