Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 31 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

In order to ensure the sufficient and uninterrupted supply of certain agricultural and industrial products which are produced in insufficient quantities in the Union and thereby avoid any disturbances on the market for those products, autonomous tariff quotas were opened by Council Regulation (EU) No 1388/2013^f1. Within those tariff quotas, products can be imported into the Union at reduced or zero duty rates.

As it is in the Union's interest to ensure an adequate supply of certain industrial products and having regard to the fact that identical, equivalent or substitute products are not produced in sufficient quantities within the Union, it is necessary to open new tariff quotas with order numbers 09.2594, 09.2595, 09.2596, 09.2597, 09.2598 and 09.2599 at zero duty rates for appropriate quantities of those products.

In the case of the tariff quotas with order numbers 09.2679, 09.2683 and 09.2888, the quota volumes should be increased, as an increase is in the interest of the Union. In the case of the tariff quota bearing order number 09.2723, the quota volume should be increased retroactively for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2018.

For the tariff quota with order number 09.2740, the products covered by that tariff quota are covered not only by CN code 2309 90 96 but also by CN code 2309 90 31. The indication of the CN code for that tariff quota should therefore be adapted.

As it is no longer in the Union's interest to maintain the tariff quota with order number 09.2870, it should be closed with effect from 1 July 2019.

The tariff quotas with order numbers 09.2633, 09.2643, 09.2620 and 09.2932 should be closed as a result of the implementation of the agreement in the form of the Declaration on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology Products^f2, which reduced the duty rate for the products concerned to zero.

Taking into account the amendments to be made and for the sake of clarity, the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1388/2013 should be replaced.

In order to avoid any interruption of the application of the tariff quota scheme and to comply with the guidelines set out in the communication from the Commission concerning autonomous tariff suspensions and quotas^f3, the changes provided for in this Regulation regarding the tariff quotas for the products concerned should apply from 1 July 2019 and, for the tariff quota with order number 09.2723, from 1 January 2018. This Regulation should therefore enter into force as a matter of urgency,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: