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:

Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 of 18 September 2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the European Union’s Stabilisation and Association process, amending Regulation (EC) No 2820/98, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1763/1999 and (EC) No 6/2000^f1, has been substantially amended several times^f2. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Regulation should be codified.

At its meeting in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000, the European Council concluded that Stabilisation and Association Agreements with Western Balkan countries should be preceded by asymmetrical trade liberalisation.

A continued Community 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 Community.

It is, therefore, appropriate further to improve the Community’s autonomous trade preferences by removing all remaining tariff ceilings for industrial products and by further improving access to the Community market for agricultural and fishery products, including processed products.

These measures are proposed as part of the EU Stabilisation and Association process, in a response to the specific situation in the Western Balkans. They will not constitute a precedent for Community trade policy with other third countries.

In accordance with the EU 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 EU 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 is conditional on the involvement of the beneficiaries in effective administrative cooperation with the Community in order to prevent any risk of fraud.

Trade preferences can only be granted to countries or territories possessing a customs administration.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, as defined by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) subject to international civil administration by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (hereinafter referred to as Kosovo), fulfil these conditions, and similar trade preferences should be granted to all of them in order to avoid discrimination within the region.

The trade measures provided for in this Regulation should take into account that Serbia and Kosovo each constitute a separate customs territory.

The Community has concluded an agreement on trade in textile products with Serbia^f3.

Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro should remain beneficiaries of this Regulation only in so far as this Regulation provides for concessions which are more favourable than the concessions existing under the contractual regimes between the Community and those countries.

For the purposes of certification of origin and administrative cooperation procedures, the relevant provisions of 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^f4 should be applied.

For the sake of rationalisation and simplification, it is appropriate to provide that the Commission may, after consulting the Customs Code Committee and without prejudice to the specific procedures provided for in this Regulation, make any necessary changes and technical amendments necessary to this Regulation.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission^f5.

The import arrangements provided for by this Regulation should be renewed on the basis of the conditions established by the Council and in the light of the experience gained in granting these arrangements under this Regulation. It is appropriate to limit the duration of the arrangements to 31 December 2010,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: