Attachment

THE EU-FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part^f1, and in particular Article 40 thereof,

Having regard to Protocol 4 to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation,

Whereas:

Article 40 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part (‘the Agreement’)refers to Protocol 4 to the Agreement (‘Protocol 4’) which lays down the rules of origin and provides for cumulation of origin between the Union, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and any country or territory participating in the Union's Stabilisation and Association Process.

Article 39 of Protocol 4 provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council provided for in Article 108 of the Agreement may decide to amend the provisions of Protocol 4.

The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin^f2 (‘the Convention’) aims to replace the protocols on rules of origin currently in force among the countries of the pan-Euro-Mediterranean area with a single legal act. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and other participants to the Stabilisation and Association Process from the Western Balkans were invited to join the system of pan-European diagonal cumulation of origin in the Thessaloniki agenda, endorsed by the European Council of June 2003. They were invited to join the Convention by a decision of the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference of October 2007.

The Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia signed the Convention on 15 June 2011.

The Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012 and 14 June 2012, respectively. Consequently, in application of Article 10(3) of the Convention, the Convention entered into force in relation to the European Union and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 1 May 2012 and on 1 August 2012, respectively.

Where the transition towards the Convention is not simultaneous for all contracting parties to the Convention within the cumulation zone, it should not lead to any less favourable situation than previously under Protocol 4.

Protocol 4 should therefore be replaced by a new protocol making reference to the Convention,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: