CELEX: 51978PC0054
Language: en
Date: 1978-02-14
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION amending the free trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Suiss Confederation by substituting for existing quotas a single zero-duty quota (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (78) 54
Vol. 1978/0020
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
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 ---pagebreak---           COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                             COM(78)54   final .
                                                             Brussels , 14 February 1978 .
                             PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION
               amending "the free trade Agreement between the European Economic
               Community and the Suiss Confederation by substituting for existing
                             quotas a single zero-duty quota
                       ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
COM ( 78 ) 54 final .
 ---pagebreak---                COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNCIL
 Subject i Amendment of Protocol No . 1 to the Agreement "between the EEC and.
             the Swiss Confederation
 1.         Under the transitional arrangements provided for in Protocol No . 1
     to the Agreement "between the Community and the SwisB Confederation , the
     United Kingdom ia authorized to open eaoh year in respect of Switzerland
     nine zero-duty tariff quotas for certain products falling within
     Chapter 48 ( Annex A).
             Switzerland has requested that those quotas "be replaced by a single -
     quota.
                     1
2.          Little use is made of some portions of the quotas in question ,
    while Swiss exporters show definite interest in other products covered by
    these quotas . In addition t total exports of the products concerned to
    the United Kingdom have fallen substantially since 1974 and are relatively
    low.
            Given the present structure of tariff quotas , Swiss exporters are not
    able to make appropriate use of the exemption from customs duties .
3*          The United Kingdom and Swiss authorities concluded from their
    technical discussions that Swiss exports of the products concerned falling
    within Chapter 48 could be covered by a . single tariff quota, which would
    be an amalgam of the levels of the present nine quotas . Since this situation
    does not apply to imports from the other EFTA countries , the Uhited Kingdom
    Government excluded the possibility of according similar treatment to other
    EFTA countries *
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 2 -
4*         In order to be able to incorporate these amendments into the text
   of the Agreement with Switzerland , there should be an exchange of letters
   between the Community and the Swiss Confederation.
5*         It is recommended that the Council approve the draft regulation and
    letters attached to this Communication and that it appoint the person
   empowered to sign this exchange of letters *   It is proposed that Mr. de
   Kergorlay , Deputy Director-General in the Commission 's Directorate-General
   for External Relations sign for the Community , in which case the Ambassador
 . of the Swiss Confederation could Bign on behalf of his Government .
6*         The Commission therefore requests to be authorized to negotiate
   with Switzerland the amendment to Protocol No* 1 to the Agreement between '
   the Community and the Swiss Confederation *
                                «
           In order to simplify this matter , which is of relatively limited
   significance , the Commission is submitting the concluding regulation at
   the Bame time *  The Swiss Mission* oaa state its agreement with the content
   of the exchange of letters *
 ---pagebreak---                         Proposal for a
              Council Regulation (EEC ) No. _ 76 of
       concluding an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters
       amending Annex A to Protocol Ho . 1 to the Agreement between
       the European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation
THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
 and in particular Article 113 thereof ,
Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission ,
Whereas it is necessary to amend Annex A to Protocol No . 1 to the Agreement
between the European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation and to
conclude the Agreement in the form pf an exchange of letters ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
                           Article 1
          The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters amending
Annex A to Protocol No . 1 to the Agreement between the European Economic
Community and the Swiss Confederation is hereby coucluded , approved and
confirmed on behalf of the Community .
          The text of the Agreement is annexed to this Regulation .
                           Artide 2
          The President of the Council is hereby authorized to appoint the
person empowered to sign the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters
referred to in Article 1 for the purpose of binding the Couununity .
 ---pagebreak---                           Article 3
          This Regulation shall enter into force on tha day following ita
publication in the Official Journal of the European C&EJminities .
         This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
in all Member States *
                                         Done at Brussels ,                    ,
                                              For the Council ,
                              Φ
                                               The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                                       ANÎTkX
                                  Letter No . 1
                                                Brussels .
                                                                                ρ
   Sir ,
                           •• . • . »
             Under the transitional arrangements provided for in Protocol No . I
   to the free trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the
   SwiBs Confederation signed on 22 July 1972 , the United Kingdom is
   authorized to open sero–duty tariff quotas eaoh year for certain products
   falling within Chapter 48 and listed in Annex A to Protocol No . 1 .
            Switzerland has requested that those quotas "be replaced by a
  single quota.
                        1             *    -
            The United Kingdom and Swiss authorities concluded from their
  technioal discussions that Swiss exports of Chapter 48 products could
 be covered by a single tariff quota, which would be act amalgam of the
  levels of the quotas for the present nine headings .
              •     •
            The rule concerning the permitted annual increase of 5 % remains
 applicable to the single quota.
           The Community therefore considers that , pursuant to Artiole 1 ( 4 )
 °f Protocol No. 1 to the Agreement between the European Economic Community
 and the Swiss Confederation , the nine initial aero–duty quotas which the
United Kingdom was entitled to open in - respect of Switzerland in 1974 for
certain products falling within Chapter 48 and listed in the United kingdom
coluan of Annex A to the said Protocol No . 1 should be replaced by a Bingle
quota. Consequently, in accordance with the provisions of Article 1 (4 )
     Protocol No . 1 , the quota which the United Kingdom is entitled to opaa
for 1978 is one of                  tons .
 ---pagebreak---         I tfceold be grateful if you would eoaftra the ««re©2Hmt of your
uvornaant to the content of this letter.
        Please accept , Sip, the assurance ©f ay highest consideration.
                 - " *  '                                               '
                                 For the Council of the European Coaounities
 ---pagebreak---                            Letter No . 2
                                             Brussels ,
                                                                              p
Sir ,
         I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today
reading as follows s
         "Under the transitional arrangements provided for in Protocol No. 1
to the Free Trade Agreement "between the European Economic Community and
the Swiss Confederation signed on 22 July 1972 , the United Kingdom is
authorized to open zero-duty tariff quotas each year for certain products
falling within Chapter 48 and listed in Annex A to Protocol No. 1 * .
                       t
         Switzerland has requested that those quotas he replaced "by a
single quota*
                                       • *
         The United Kingdom and Swiss authorities concluded from their
technical discussions .that Swiss exports of Chapter 48 products could be
covered by a single tariff quota, whioh would he an amalgam of the levels
of the quotas for the present nine headings *
         The ruleB concerning the permitted annual increase of 5 % remains
applicable to the single quota*
 •       The Comsunity therefore considers that , pursuant to Article 1 (4 )
of Protocol No * 1 to the Agreement between the European . Economic Community and
the Swiss Confederation, the nine initial zero-duty quotas which the United
Kingdom was entitled to open in respect of Switzerland in 1974 for certain
products falling within Chapter 48 and listed in the United Kingdom column
of Annex A to the said Protocol No * 1 should be replaced by a single quota.
Consequently , in accordance with the provisions of Article 1 (4 ) of
                                               I
Protocol No . 1 , the quota wh4ch the United Kingdom is entitled to open for
1978 is one of ••*•*•••• tons *"
 ---pagebreak---          I have the honour to confirm that my Government agrees to thj
content of your letter.
         Please aocept , Sir . the assurance of my higheet consideration.
                                          Por the Government
                                          of