Considerations on COM(2022)503 - Exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association process (codification) - Main contents
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| dossier | COM(2022)503 - Exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association ... |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2022)503  |
| date | February 28, 2024 |
| (2) | Stabilisation and Association Agreements have been concluded with all participants in the Stabilisation and Association process. |
| (3) | A Union market opening to imports from the Western Balkan countries is expected to contribute to the process of political and economic stabilisation in the region while not creating negative effects for the Union. |
| (4) | The system of autonomous trade measures originally established by Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 (4) constitutes a valuable support for the economies of the Western Balkan partners. |
| (5) | The measures provided for in this Regulation are part of the Stabilisation and Association process, and are in response to the specific situation in the Western Balkans. Those measures should not constitute a precedent for Union trade policy with other third countries. |
| (6) | In accordance with the Stabilisation and Association process, based on the earlier Regional Approach and the Council Conclusions of 29 April 1997, the development of bilateral relations between the European Union and the Western Balkan countries is subject to certain conditions. The granting of autonomous trade preferences is linked to respect for fundamental principles of democracy and human rights and to the readiness of the countries concerned to develop economic relations between themselves. The granting of improved autonomous trade preferences in favour of countries participating in the Stabilisation and Association process should be linked to their readiness to engage in effective economic reforms and in regional cooperation, in particular through the establishment of free trade areas in accordance with relevant GATT/WTO standards. In addition, entitlement to benefit from autonomous trade preferences should be conditional on the involvement of the beneficiary parties in effective administrative cooperation with the Union in order to prevent any risk of fraud. |
| (7) | Trade preferences can only be granted to countries or territories possessing a customs administration. |
| (8) | The trade measures provided for in this Regulation should take into account that Serbia and Kosovo (*1) each constitute a separate customs territory. |
| (9) | For the purposes of certification of origin and administrative cooperation procedures, the relevant provisions of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 (5) and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 (6) should be applied. |
| (10) | In order to adopt the provisions necessary for the application of this Regulation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the necessary amendments and technical adjustments to Annex I following amendments to the Combined Nomenclature codes and to the integrated tariff of the European Union (TARIC) subdivisions, as well as the necessary adjustments following the granting of trade preferences under other arrangements between the Union and the countries and territories referred to in this Regulation. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making (7). In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. |
| (11) | In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation with regard to the suspension of the entitlement to benefit from the preferential arrangements in the event of non-compliance, the issuing of authenticity certificates attesting that the products originate in the country or territory concerned and correspond to the definition in this Regulation, and for the temporary suspension, in whole or in part, of the arrangements provided for in this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8). |
| (12) | It is appropriate to limit the period of application of this Regulation to 31 December 2025, |