Council Regulation (EC) No 1086/2003 of 18 June 2003 adopting autonomous and transitional measures concerning the importation of certain processed agricultural products originating in Slovenia and the exportation of certain processed agricultural products to Slovenia

Council Regulation (EC) No 1086/2003
of 18 June 2003
adopting autonomous and transitional measures concerning the importation of certain processed agricultural products originating in Slovenia and the exportation of certain processed agricultural products to Slovenia
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 133 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) Protocol 3 to the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and Slovenia, approved by Decision 1999/144/EC, ECSC, Euratom of the Council and of the Commission of 21 December 1998 on the conclusion of the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, acting within the framework of the European Union, of the one part, and the Republic of Slovenia, of the other part(1), provides for tariff concessions for processed agricultural products originating in Slovenia. Protocol 3 was amended by Decision No 5/2001 of the EU-Slovenia Association Council(2).
(2) A trade agreement has recently been concluded which amends Decision No 5/2001. The agreement aims to improve economic convergence in preparation for accession of Slovenia to the European Union and is scheduled to enter into force not later than 1 July 2003. On the Community side that agreement lays down concessions in the form of completed liberalisation of trade for certain processed agricultural products and duty free quotas for others. For imports outside of those quotas the provisions laid down in Protocol 3 continue to apply.
(3) The procedure for adopting a decision to amend Decision No 5/2001 will not be completed in time for it to enter into force on 1 July 2003. It is therefore necessary to provide for the application of the tariff concessions made to Slovenia on an autonomous basis as from 1 July 2003.
(4) For the imports of certain processed agricultural products no customs duties should be applied and for others duty free quotas should be opened.
(5) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2057/2001 of 19 October 2001 on the opening of tariff quotas applicable to Community imports of certain processed agricultural products originating in Slovenia(3) should continue to apply for certain goods covered by Protocol 3 but not listed in this Regulation.
(6) On processed agricultural products covered by Protocol 3 but not listed in this Regulation or for which the quotas opened by this Regulation are exhausted the provisions laid down in Protocol 3 should continue to apply.
(7) Processed agricultural products not covered by Annex I to the Treaty which are exported to Slovenia should not be eligible for export refunds under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1520/2000 of 13 July 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of granting export refunds on certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty, and the criteria for fixing the amount of such refunds(4).
(8) Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code(5) provides for a system for managing tariff quotas. The tariff quotas opened by this Regulation should be managed by the Community authorities and the Member States in accordance with that system.
(9) The measures necessary to implement this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(6),