Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

Following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, agricultural trade flows should be maintained in accordance with the preferences granted previously under the bilateral arrangements between the two Member States and Switzerland. The Community and Switzerland have agreed to proceed with the adaptation of tariff concessions within the framework of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products^f1 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’), which entered into force on 1 June 2002. The adaptation of these concessions should include the opening of new Community tariff quotas for the import of strawberries (CN code 0810 10 00), chard (or white beet) and cardoons (CN code 0709 90 20) originating in Switzerland.

The bilateral procedures for adapting the concessions in Annexes 1 and 2 to the Agreement will take time. To ensure that quota benefit is available until the entry into force of that adaptation, it is appropriate to open these tariff quotas on an autonomous and transitional basis.

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code^f2 provides for a system for managing tariff quotas. The tariff quotas opened by this Regulation should be managed by the Commission and the Member States in accordance with that system.

The rules of origin provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement should apply,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: