Council Regulation (EU) No 1386/2011 of 19 December 2011 temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into the Canary Islands

29.12.2011 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 345/1
COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) No 1386/2011
of 19 December 2011
temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into the Canary Islands
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 349 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2),
After consulting the Committee of the Regions,
Acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure,
Whereas:
(1) According to Council Regulation (EC) No 704/2002 of 25 March 2002 temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products and opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas on imports of certain fishery products into the Canary Islands (3), the Common Customs Tariff duty suspension for certain capital goods for commercial or industrial use is to expire on 31 December 2011.
(2) In September 2010, the government of Spain requested on behalf of the government of the Canary Islands, the prolongation of the suspension of the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties for a number of products in accordance with Article 349 of the Treaty. The justification of their request was that in view of the remoteness of those islands, the economic operators suffer severe economic and commercial disadvantages which have negative effects on demographic trends, employment and social and economic developments.
(3) The Canary Islands industrial sector, together with construction, has been severely affected by the recent economic crisis. The slump in building depressed all the auxiliary industry that depends on it. Unfavourable financial conditions had a serious impact on many areas of business. In addition, the sharp rise in unemployment in Spain aggravated the slump in domestic demand, including demand for industrial products.
(4) Unemployment in the Canary Islands has been consistently exceeding the national average for Spain for the last 10 years and, since 2009, the Canary Islands have recorded the highest level throughout the country (Eurostat: Regional statistics — Unemployment rate, by NUTS 2 regions, 1999-2009). Moreover, more than half of the industrial production of the Canary Islands is consumed there, which is particularly serious since demand there has been hit harder.
(5) Therefore, with the aim of giving a long-term perspective to investors and enabling economic operators to reach a level of industrial and commercial activities which stabilises the economic and social environment on the Canary Islands, it is appropriate to prolong in full the suspension of the Common Customs Tariff duties for certain goods as detailed in Annex II and Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 704/2002 for a period of 10 years.
(6) In addition, in the same context the Spanish authorities have requested the suspension of the Common Customs Tariff duties for three new products falling within CN codes 3902 10, 3903 11 and 3906 10. This request was accepted as these suspensions would strengthen the economy of the Canary Islands.
(7) In order to ensure that only economic operators located on the territory of the Canary Islands benefit from those tariff measures, the suspensions should be made conditional on the end-use of the products, in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code (4) and 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).
(8) In case of a deflection of trade and in order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission allowing the Commission to temporarily withdraw the suspension. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (6).
(9) Amendments to the Combined Nomenclature may not give rise to any substantive changes to the nature of the suspension of duties. The power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty should therefore be delegated to the Commission for the purpose of making necessary amendments and technical adaptations to the list of goods for which a suspension applies. The Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should ensure a timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the Council.
(10) In order to ensure continuity with the measures set out in Regulation (EC) No 704/2002, it is necessary to apply the measures provided in this Regulation from 1 January 2012,