Article 4 Disclosure

The Commission shall disclose the details underlying the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which the Commission’s decisions are taken.

Disclosure shall be given in writing. It shall contain the Commission’s findings and shall reflect its provisional intention whether to grant a requesting country the GSP+ arrangement.

Disclosure shall be made, with due regard to the protection of confidential information, as soon as possible and, normally, not later than 45 days prior to a definitive decision by the Commission of any proposal for final action. Where the Commission is not in a position to disclose certain facts or considerations at that time, these shall be disclosed as soon as possible thereafter.

Disclosure shall not prejudice any subsequent decision which may be taken but where such decision is based on any different facts and considerations, these shall be disclosed as soon as possible.

Submissions made after disclosure is given shall be taken into consideration only if received within a period to be set by the Commission in each case, which shall be at least 20 days, due consideration being given to the urgency of the matter.