CELEX: 51987PC0693
Language: en
Date: 1987-12-18
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (submitted by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (87) 693
Vol. 1987/0316
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                               COM(87 ) 693 final
                                               Brussels , 18 December 1987
                                   Proposal for a
                              COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC )
      amending Regulation ( EEC ) No 2658 / 87 on the tariff and statistical
                  nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff
                           ( submitted by the Commission)
                                                09 Jo 77?
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 C0M(87 ) 693 final
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 ---pagebreak---                                                                &vW 6 ? $
                                   RESUME
The objective of this regulation is to amend the common customs tariff of
the Community by increasing the conventional duty on          cathode-ray
oscilloscopes and cathode-ray oscillographs from 11% to 13% .
 ---pagebreak---                                            >
                               EXPLANATORY HFMORANDUM
1 . The Community is a Contracting Party to the International Convention on
    the Harmonized Commodity description and Coding System , known as the
    " Harmonized System" which is due to enter into force on 1 January 1988 .
    In preparation for the introduction of the Convention the Comnunity has
    undertaken negotiations pursuant to Article XXVIII of the GATT with aa
    view to adapting the schedules of tariff concessions of the various
    Contracting Parties to the Harmonized System .
2 . Negotiations have taken place with the United States . These negotiations
    ended in May 1987 without agreement because the Community was of the
    opinion that the proposed US tariff schedule had not been transposed to
    the Harmonized System in a neutral manner and contained duties increases
    on certain items which , if implemented , would seriously impair previous
    GATT committments negotiated with the Community . However , at that stage
    the US authorities had to submit the proposed tariff schedule to
    Congress for approval and the negotiations were brought to an end . Both
    sides therefore undertook to implement their respective tariff schedules
    unilaterally from 1 January 1988 whilst at the same time reserving their
    GATT rights .
3 . The Community intends to implement its new tariff schedule based on the
    Harmonized System on 1 January 1988 . However , in the absence of an
    agreement with the United States , the Community is entitled under GATT
    Article XXVIII ( 3 ) to withdraw substantially equivalent concessions from
    its own schedule on items of interest to the United States . Having
    examined the situation carefully the Commission is of the opinion that
    an increase in duty on certain items of Chapter 90 is justified . This is
    one of the Chapters in the Community tariff in which the US has a
    specific interest but on which no agreement was reached in the
    negotiations because the Community has linked concessions on this
    chapter to improvements in the proposed US tariff which the US
    authorities refused to consider .
4 . The Commission hereby submits a proposal to amend the Common Customs
    Tariff by increasing the bound duty on certain oscilloscopes and
    oscillographs falling within Harmonized System heading 90.30.20 from 11 *
    to 13*. This new duty rate will be applied as soon as it is clear that
    the United States will be implementing its new duties , on or after 1
    January 1988 . It is estimated that such an increase will neither unduly
    penalize importers in the Community nor unravel the large measure of
    agreement already reached with the US authorities on other chapters of
    the new tariff schedules . The increase in duty receipts in the Community
    resulting from the proposed increase will be roughly equivalent to the
    estimated increase in duty receipts resulting from duty increases in the
    US tariff of items where the Community 's GATT interest will be seriously
    impaired .
 ---pagebreak---                                             ч
                          Prooosal for an Council Régulation
                         amending Regulation ( EEC ) No 2658/87
                    on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and
                             on the Common Customs Tariff
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,
Whereas the Community has entered into negotiations pursuant to Article
XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( GATT ) with a view to
adapting the schedules of tariff concessions to the Harmonized Commodity
Description and Coding System known as the " Harmonized System";
Whereas it has not been possible to reach agreement with the United States
on the transposition of its tariff schedule to the Harmonized System ;
Whereas this transposition has been carried out in a manner which impairs
the GATT rights of the Community ;
Whereas in the absence of agreement the Community is entitled under Article
XXVIII ( 3 ) ( a ) of the GATT to withdraw substantially equivalent concessions
which have initially been negotiated with the United States ;
Whereas the tariff concession on cathode-ray oscilloscopes and cathode-ray
oscillographs other than those for use in civil aircraft falling within
Harmonized System Code 90.3U.20 should be modified by increasing the bound
customs duty from 11% to 13% ;
Whereas this increase has already been the subject of a favourable opinion
in the Article 113 Committee ;
Whereas    this    amendment  should  therefore  be   made  to  the Common  Customs
Tariff annexed to Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2658 /87 ( 1 ).
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
                                       Article 1
The Common Customs Tariff annexed to Regulation ( EEC ) No 2658/87 is hereby
amended as indicated in the Annex hereto .
                                       Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force one week after its publication in
the Official Journal .
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in
all Member States .
                                                                For the Council
( 1 ) L 256 of 7.9.1987 , p.l .                                 The President
 ---pagebreak---                                             f
                                            s
      ANNEX
CN                     Description                      Kate of Duty  Suppiemen
Code                                              Autono-    Conven-  tary Unit
                                                  mous       tional
 1                           2                          3         4       3
90 . 3u     Uscilloscopes , spectrum analysers
            and other instruments and apparatus
            for measuring or checking
            electrical quantities , excluding
            meters of heading 9U.2U ,
            instruments and apparatus for
            measuring or detecting alpha , beta ,
            gamma , X-ray , cosmic or other
            ionizing radiators .
9U.3U.1Ü    ( unchanged )
9Ü.3U.2U    - Cathode-ray oscilloscopes and
            cathode-ray oscillographs :
9U.3U.2U.1U – for use in civil aircraft ( a )          16       F ree
9U.3U.2U.9U – Other                                    16       13
            ( a ) Entry under this subheading is
            subject to conditions laid down in
            the relevant Community provisions .
            See also Section II , para B , of the
            preliminary provisions ( C.N. ).
 ---pagebreak---                                      c
               COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
  I. What is the main reason for introducing the measure ?
      following the breakdown of GATT Article XXVIII negotiations between
      the Community and the United States on the transposition of their
      respective tariff schedule to the Harmonized System , The Community
      intends to exercise its right under Article XXVIII ( 3 ) to increase
      duties in the Common Customs Tariff to compensate for an impairment
      of its GATT rights as a result of the conversion of the US tariff to
      the HS .
 II . features of the businesses in guestion
      The only entities likely to be affected by the measure are firms and
      other specialized institutions involved in high-tech production or
      research .
III . Which obligation does this measure impose directly on business ? '
      None .
 IV . What indirect obligations are national , regional or local authorities
      likely to impose on business ?
      None .
  V. Are there any special measures in respect of SME 's ?
      No .
 VI . What is the likely effect on the competitiveness of business on
      employment ?
      The measure is unlikely to         have   any  significant  impact  on
      competitiveness or employment .
VII . Have the relevant representative organization been consulted ?
      No .