Regulation 2007/530 - Amendment of Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the EU's Stabilisation and Association process - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 125/1

Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 (1) provides for unlimited duty-free access to the Community market for nearly all products originating in the countries and territories benefiting from the Stabilisation and Association process.

A Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Albania, of the other part, was signed in Luxembourg on 12 June 2006. Pending the completion of the procedures necessary for its entry into force, an Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Albania, of the other part (2), was signed and concluded and entered into force on 1 December 2006.

The Stabilisation and Association Agreements and the Interim Agreements establish a contractual trade regime between the Community and each of the beneficiary countries. The bilateral trade concessions on the Community side are equivalent to the concessions applicable within the unilateral autonomous trade measures under Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000.

It is therefore appropriate to amend Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 to take into account these developments. In particular, it is appropriate to remove the Republic of Albania from the list of beneficiaries of the tariff concessions granted for the same products under the contractual regime. In addition, it is necessary to adjust the global tariff quota volumes for specific products for which tariff quotas have been granted under the contractual regimes.

The Republic of Albania, the Republic of Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will remain beneficiaries of Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 insofar as that Regulation provides for concessions which are more favourable than the concessions existing under the contractual regimes,

Article 1 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 1

Preferential arrangements

• 1. 

  Subject to the special provisions laid down in Articles 3 and 4, products originating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Montenegro or in the customs territories of Serbia or Kosovo, other than those of heading Nos 0102, 0201, 0202, 1604, 1701, 1702 and 2204 of the Combined Nomenclature, shall be admitted for import into the Community without quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect and with exemption from customs duties and charges having equivalent effect.

• 2. 

  Products originating in Albania, in the Republic of Croatia or in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia shall continue to benefit from the provisions of this Regulation when so indicated or from any measures provided in this Regulation which are more favourable than the trade concessions provided for in the framework of bilateral agreements between the European Community and these countries.

• 3. 

  Imports of sugar products under heading Nos 1701 and 1702 of the Combined Nomenclature originating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Montenegro or in the customs territories of Serbia or Kosovo, shall benefit from concessions provided for in Article 4.’;

in Article 4, paragraph 4 shall be replaced by...