Considerations on COM(2025)229 - Amendment of Regulation 2024/823 on exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association Process

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dossier COM(2025)229 - Amendment of Regulation 2024/823 on exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to ...
document COM(2025)229 EN
date May 14, 2025
 
(1) Council Regulation (EU) 2024/823 6 establishes a system of autonomous trade measures (ATMs) between the Union and the Western Balkan countries and territories by exempting from customs duties and charges having equivalent effect certain agricultural products originating in the Western Balkans and providing certain wine products originating in the Western Balkans with an access to a global tariff quota.

(2) The current ATMs for Western Balkans cover two remaining benefits: firstly, the suspension of the specific duties for all fruits and vegetables which are subject to the entry-price system, and secondly, the access to a global tariff quota for wine which is available on a first come first served basis once the Western Balkan countries have exhausted the national quota in their respective Stabilisation and Association Agreement (‘SAA’). Despite the limited scope of the current ATMs, they remain important. However, Regulation (EU) 2024/823 expires on 31 December 2025. 

(3) The system of ATMs constitutes a valuable support for the economies of the Western Balkan partners while not creating negative effects for the Union.

(4) The Union should therefore continue supporting the vulnerable economies of the region by extending the period of application of Regulation (EU) 2024/823 for an additional 5 years. Extending the period of application of Regulation (EU) 2024/823 demonstrates the Union’s strong commitment to the trade integration of the Western Balkans.

(5) It is therefore appropriate to extend the period of application of Regulation (EU) 2024/823 until 31 December 2030.

(6) Extending the period of application of the ATMs is consistent with Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council 7 .

(7) Following the entry into force of the EU-Kosovo 8 Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), the last of the SAAs to enter into force, references to the fishery trade concessions in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EU) 2024/823 should be removed as those quotas were transferred for all beneficiary countries to the respective bilateral SAAs. 

(8) There is an overlap between Article 2(3) and Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU) 2024/823, leading to conflicting mechanisms for the suspension of benefits, which should be addressed to create legal certainty.