Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure^f1,

Whereas:

Council Regulation (EC) No 153/2002^f2 has been substantially amended several times^f3. In the interests of clarity and rationality, that Regulation should be codified.

A 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^f4 (‘SAA’), was signed in Luxembourg on 9 April 2001 and entered into force on 1 April 2004.

It is necessary to lay down the procedures for applying certain provisions of the SAA.

The SAA stipulates that certain products originating in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia may be imported into the Union at a reduced customs duty, within the limits of tariff quotas. It is therefore necessary to lay down provisions for the calculation of the reduced rates of customs duties.

The SAA specifies the products eligible for those tariff measures, the relevant volumes (and increases thereof), the applicable duties, periods of application and any eligibility criteria.

In the interest of simplicity and of timely publication of Regulations implementing Union tariff quotas, provision should be made for the Commission, assisted by the Committee established by Article 229 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f5, to adopt the Regulations opening up and providing for the administration of the tariff quotas for ‘baby beef’ products.

Provision should be made for the Commission, assisted by the Committee established by Article 285 of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f6, to adopt the Regulations opening and providing for the administration of tariff quotas which might be granted as a result of negotiations on further tariff concessions pursuant to Article 29 of the SAA.

Duties should be totally suspended where preferential treatment results in ad valorem duties of 1 % or less, or in specific duties of EUR 1 or less.

The implementation of the bilateral safeguard clauses of the SAA requires uniform conditions for the adoption of safeguard and other measures. Those measures should be adopted in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f7.

The Commission should adopt immediately applicable implementing acts where, in duly justified cases relating to exceptional and critical circumstances arising within the meaning of point (b) of Article 37(4) and Article 38(4) of the SAA, imperative grounds of urgency so require,

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