Activites

• 2014/12/18 Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading
• 2014/12/17 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T8-0086/2014 summary

    The European Parliament adopted by 551 votes to 67, with 23 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introducing autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova. Parliament adopted its position at first reading without making amendments to the Commission proposal. The proposal seeks to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 with a view to further liberalising imports of certain products of the fruit and vegetables sector from Moldova into the EU. In order to support the efforts of Moldova in accordance with the objectives set out in the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership and the Association Agreement signed between Moldova and the EU on 27 June 2014, the amended proposal introduces three new duty free tariff quotas for fresh apples, fresh table grapes and fresh plums.

• 2014/12/16 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2014/12/05 Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
  • A8-0053/2014 summary

    The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Sorin MOISǍ (S&D, RO) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introducing autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova. It recommended the European Parliament to adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal. In recent years, the EU and Moldova intensified their political and economic relations notably through the conclusion of an Association Agreement. The Agreement, signed on 27 June 2014, includes a trade pillar, which will lead to the creation of a "Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area" (DCFTA) between the Parties. The DCFTA has been provisionally applied since 1 September 2014. Due to the intensification of economic and political relations between the EU and Moldova, a politically motivated import ban was imposed as of 21 July 2014 by Russia on agricultural products from Moldova. The ban is hurting Moldova's economy in a significant way - agriculture represents around 40% of Moldova's economy. Seeking some relief and support at this critical juncture, the Moldovan authorities have turned to the EU, requesting urgent support to reduce the economic impact of the Russian ban, in particular for the most important products for Moldovan fruit growers: apples, plums and table grapes. Consequently, as an act of solidarity, the Commission proposed to amend the Autonomous trade preferences Regulation (ATP Regulation) by introducing three new duty-free tariff rate quotas (TRQs) in addition to the TRQs proposed under the DCFTA. The total imports from Moldova of these products will have a negligible impact on the EU budget. In light of this, Members called on the European Parliament to approve the Commission proposal without amendments.

• 2014/12/04 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• 2014/09/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2014/09/01 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2014)0542 summary

    PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 with a view to further liberalising imports of certain products of the fruit and vegetables sector from Moldova into the EU. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 established a specific scheme of autonomous trade preferences (ATPs) for Moldova. That scheme gives all products originating in the Republic of Moldova free access to the Union market, except for certain agricultural products listed in Annex I to that Regulation for which limited concessions have been granted either in the form of exemption from customs duties within the limit of tariff quotas or of reduction of customs duties. In the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU-Moldova ENP Action Plan, and the Eastern Partnership, Moldova has adopted an ambitious agenda for political association and further economic integration with the Union. The Association Agreement, including the establishment of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the Union and Moldova was signed on 27 June 2014 and will apply provisionally from 1 September 2014. The specific scheme of autonomous trade preferences will continue to apply until 31 December 2015. Recently Moldova has experienced and continues to experience difficulties with its fruit and vegetables exports to some of its traditional markets, which threaten its economic recovery and the reform process that is vigorously pursued by the government of Moldova. The agricultural sector represents around 40 per cent of Moldova's economy and the horticultural sector is an important part of it, providing employment to some 250 000 people (i.e. around 10% of the active population). Moreover, horticultural export levels have fallen in recent years. Taking into consideration the current temporary severe difficulties in accessing Moldova's traditional export markets for a number of products, the European Commission proposes to increase temporarily its fully liberalised market access for imports of these products from Moldova, allowing their commercialisation in the Union. CONTENT: in order to support the efforts of Moldova in accordance with the objectives set out in the ENP, the Eastern Partnership and the Association Agreement, the proposed amendment to Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introduces three new duty free tariff quotas for fresh apples, fresh table grapes and fresh plums. As the Autonomous Trade Preference scheme expires at the end of 2015, this amendment provides for a time-limited response to the immediate needs for the key export products adversely affected (i.e. apples, plums and table grapes). BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the proposed amendment to the Regulation incurs negligible implications for the EU budget. The total imports from Moldova to the EU in 2013 constituted 0.1% of the total imports to the EU. Whereas about 90% of all imports from Moldova enter the EU duty-free, imports of fresh apples, fresh plums and fresh table grapes under entry price from the Republic of Moldova represented less than 0.01% of the total EU imports from the world of these products. The corresponding loss of tariff revenue should therefore have a limited impact on the EU’s own resources.

  • DG {'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/trade/', 'title': 'Trade'}, DE GUCHT Karel

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2014)0542
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A8-0053/2014
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T8-0086/2014

Amendments

Dossier

18

2014/0250(COD) 2014/11/13 INTA 10 amendments... Amendment 1 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 2 (2) In the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU- Moldova ENP Action Plan, and the Eastern Partnership, the Republic of Moldova has adopted an ambitious agenda for political association and further economic integration with the Union. The Republic of Moldova has also already made strong progress on regulatory approximation leading to convergence with Union laws and standards.deleted Amendment 10 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Article 2 – paragraph 2 b (new) The Commission's investigation must establish that there are no risks or situations presenting serious difficulties, as described in Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 55/2008, that are or may be caused to Community producers of indirectly competing or like products originating in the Republic of Moldova. Amendment 2 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 3 a (new) (3a) Stepping up trade between the EU and the Republic of Moldova is conditional upon existing trade agreements being upheld. To this end, the Commission must ensure that there is no fraud, that there are no irregularities, and that there is no systematic failure to comply with the rules and procedures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 55/2008, in particular Article 10 thereof, by investigating products imported from the Republic of Moldova and the conditions in which they were grown and by requesting close cooperation on the part of the public authorities in the Republic of Moldova. Amendment 3 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 3 b (new) (3b) Regulation (EC) No 55/2008, and in particular Article 11 thereof, provides for a safeguard clause where serious difficulties, or the threat of such, are caused to a Community producer of like or indirectly competing products. Amendment 4 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 5 (5) In order to support the efforts of the Republic of Moldova in accordance with the objectives set out in the ENP, the Eastern Partnership and the Association Agreement, and to provide an attractive and reliable market for its exports of fresh apples, fresh plums and fresh table grapes, further concessions should be made for the import of those products from the Republic of Moldova into the Union, on the basis of duty free tariff quotas.deleted Amendment 5 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 7 (7) In order to allow the operators to benefit from those further concessions as soon as possible, this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.deleted Amendment 6 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Recital 8 (8) In view of the seasonal production peak of those products, it is appropriate to apply the further concessions from 1 August 2014.deleted Amendment 7 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Article 1 – paragraph 1 IThe CN codes in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 55/2008, Table 1 is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation shall be amended to reflect the amendments made to Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1001/2013. Amendment 8 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Article 2 – paragraph 2 It shall apply from 1 August 2014.deleted Amendment 9 # Marine LE PEN Proposal for a regulation Article 2 – paragraph 2 a (new) Within one month of [date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall take a formal decision to initiate an investigation on compliance with the rules of origin of products and the procedures related thereto. source: 541.612 2014/11/17 AGRI 8 amendments... Amendment 1 # Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU Proposal for a regulation – The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to propose rejection of the Commission proposal. Amendment 2 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 5 (5) In order to support the efforts of the Republic of Moldova in accordance with the objectives set out in the ENP, the Eastern Partnership and the Association Agreement, and to provide an attractive and reliable market for its exports of fresh apples, fresh plums and fresh table grapes, further concessions should be made for the import of those products from the Republic of Moldova into the Union, on the basis of duty free tariff quotas.deleted Amendment 3 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 7 (7) In order to allow the economic and social operators to benefit from those further concessions as soon as possible, this Regulation should enthere is a need to carry out the requisiter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Unionmpact assessments on these changes as regards European and Moldovan small-scale farmers, rural areas and local markets. Amendment 4 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 8 (8) In view of the seasonal production peak of those products, it is appropriate to apply the further concessions from 1 August 2014.deleted Amendment 5 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 8 a (new) (8a) This type of trade agreement can have adverse effects on people in rural areas and on small and medium-sized farms. For that reason such agreements should be adopted with the best possible safeguards to protect people living in rural areas in the territory of both parties. Amendment 6 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 8 b (new) (8b) This type of agreement can result in the prices of the products involved falling, thereby hitting local markets and rural wages hard. For that reason steps should be taken to ensure that export agri- businesses do not take advantage of such situations to weaken the bargaining power of small-scale farmers. Amendment 7 # Proposal for a regulation Recital 8 c (new) (8c) Cutting greenhouse gas emissions must be a European policy priority. Guarantees must be made to the effect that this agreement does not result in local produce being replaced by large- scale imports of goods from far away. Amendment 8 # Proposal for a regulation Article 2 – paragraph 2 It shall not apply from 1 August 2014until an economic impact assessment of these changes as regards European and Moldovan small- scale farmers, rural areas and local markets has been carried out and evaluated. source: 541.535

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)