Commission Regulation (EC) No 821/2008 of 18 August 2008 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1362/2000 as regards the opening of a Community tariff quota for bananas originating in Mexico

19.8.2008 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 221/23
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 821/2008
of 18 August 2008
amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1362/2000 as regards the opening of a Community tariff quota for bananas originating in Mexico
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1362/2000 of 29 June 2000 implementing for the Community the tariff provisions of Decision No 2/2000 of the Joint Council under the Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-related matters between the European Community and the United Mexican States (1), and in particular Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) To take account of the accession to the European Union of Bulgaria and Romania on 1 January 2007, a Second Additional Protocol to the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the United Mexican States, of the other part, was signed on 29 November 2006, which entered into force on 1 March 2007.
(2) Accordingly, certain provisions of Decision No 2/2000 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council of 23 March 2000 (2) have been adjusted by Decision No 2/2008 of the EU-Mexico Joint Council (3) amending Joint Council Decision No 2/2000, relating to trade in goods, certification of origin and government procurement. This Decision provides for the opening of a new annual tariff quota for bananas originating in Mexico.
(3) In order to implement this tariff quota Regulation (EC) No 1362/2000 should be adjusted. For that purpose it is necessary to open a new tariff quota for bananas originating in Mexico and to close the tariff quota for bananas opened in 2004 by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1553/2004 (4) which ceased to apply from 1 January 2006 in consequence of the introduction of the tariff-only regime by Council Regulation (EC) No 1964/2005 of 29 November 2005 on the tariff rates for bananas (5).
(4) In accordance with Decision No 2/2008 the new tariff quota should be open from 1 January to 31 December of each calendar year. This quota should apply for the first time from the third day after the publication of Decision No 2/2008 in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation should therefore apply from the same date and enter into force immediately.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,