Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007^f1, and in particular points (a) and (b) of the first paragraph of Article 187 thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1067/2008^f2 provides for the opening of an overall tariff quota for the import of 3 112 030 tonnes of common wheat falling under CN code 1001 99 00 of a quality other than high quality, at a rate of EUR 12 per tonne. This overall tariff quota includes a subquota of 38 853 tonnes for the imports from Canada.

Pursuant to Council Decision (EU) 2017/38^f3, the Council agreed on the provisional application of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part (‘the Agreement’).

Article 2.4 of the Agreement provides for the reduction or elimination of customs duties on goods originating in either Party in accordance with the tariff elimination schedules set out in Annex 2-A to the Agreement. Point 9 of that Annex provides for a duty-free tariff quota of 100 000 tonnes of common wheat of a quality other than high quality, falling under CN code 1001 99 00 and originating in Canada, for a period of 7 years. Point 6 of that Annex provides for transitional rules for the first year.

The Protocol on rules of origin and origin procedures, attached to the Agreement, sets out the rules to be applied as regards the proof of origin. It is therefore appropriate to lay down provisions on the presentation of a proof of origin in accordance with that Protocol.

Regulation (EC) No 1067/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly. The proposed amendments should apply as from 21 September 2017, the date of the provisional application of the Agreement, and therefore this Regulation should enter into force as soon as possible.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: