Considerations on COM(2016)133 - EU position within the Joint Committee set up by the Convention on a common transit procedure as regards amendments to that Convention

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dossier COM(2016)133 - EU position within the Joint Committee set up by the Convention on a common transit procedure as regards amendments to that ...
document COM(2016)133 EN
date March 10, 2016
 
(1) Article 15 of the Convention between the European Economic Community, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss Confederation on a common transit procedure 1 ("the Convention") empowers the Joint Committee set up by that Convention ("the Joint Committee") to recommend and adopt, by decisions, amendments to the Convention and the Appendices thereto.

(2) Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the Union Customs Code 2 and its delegated and implementing acts apply from 1 May 2016, introducing a modernised framework for customs procedures, including transit procedures.

(3) To ensure the smooth functioning of trade between the Union and the Contracting Parties to the Convention in order to have it more efficient and faster, the common transit procedure should be aligned with the Union transit procedure laid down in Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 and its delegated and implementing acts to the widest possible extent. For that purpose, amendments to the Convention and its Appendices both with respect to the substance and with respect to the terminology are indispensable.

(4) In order to provide sufficient clarity, a terminological alignment with Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 and its delegated and implementing acts is necessary. The proposed amendments were presented to and discussed within the EU-EFTA Working Group on 'common transit' and 'simplification of formalities in trade in goods' and the text received a preliminary approval by that Working Group.

(5) The position of the Union concerning the proposed amendment should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision.