BETA


2015/0298(NLE) EU/China Agreement: modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead INTA WINKLER Iuliu (icon: PPE PPE) MOSCA Alessia Maria (icon: S&D S&D), MCCLARKIN Emma (icon: ECR ECR), LAMBSDORFF Alexander Graf (icon: ALDE ALDE), SCHOLZ Helmut (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL), BUCHNER Klaus (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), BEGHIN Tiziana (icon: EFDD EFDD), SALVINI Matteo (icon: ENF ENF)
Committee Opinion AFET
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 207-p4, TFEU 218-p6a

Events

2016/10/26
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1885 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

CONTENT: the Council approved, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

To recall, on 15 July 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia.

Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China was signed on behalf of the Union on 19 April 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

Under this Agreement, the EU shall incorporate in its schedule, for the customs territory of the EU 28 , the concessions contained in the schedule of the EU 27 with the following modifications:

an increase of 2 150 tonnes to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for garlic, maintaining the present in-quota rate of 9.6 %; an increase of 650 tonnes (drained net weight) to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for mushroom of species Agaricus , prepared, preserved or provisionally preserved; for footwear with outer soles of rubbers or plastics – other: lower the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9 %; for window or wall air conditioning machines "split-system": lower the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5 %.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.10.2016.

2016/10/18
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2016/10/18
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2016/10/18
   CSL - Council Meeting
2016/09/13
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2016/09/13
   EP - Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 590 votes to 41, with 35 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement, on behalf of the European Parliament, of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

Parliament stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession.

This agreement responds to the need to: (i) increase tariff rate quotas, and (ii) lower the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses.

Documents
2016/07/15
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Iuliu WINKLER (EPP, RO) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV: 6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

Members stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession.

Article XXIV: 4 GATT rightly underlines that the purpose of a customs union or of a free trade area should be to facilitate trade between the constituent territories and not to raise barriers to the trade of other contracting parties with such territories. This compensatory Agreement can therefore be seen as yet another sign of the EU’s attachment to the multilateral rules-based trading regime, with the WTO at its centre.

The Commission has rightly chosen (1) the increase of tariff rate quotas, and (2) lowering the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses.

This is why the committee called for the consent of the proposal to conclude the Agreement, as the Agreement includes proportionate modifications to the concessions and is consistent with earlier practice and WTO framework.

Documents
2016/07/14
   EP - Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
2016/05/27
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2016/05/09
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
2016/02/12
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2016/02/12
   CSL - Council Meeting
2016/01/29
   CSL - Document attached to the procedure
Documents
2016/01/29
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: on 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia.

Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union was initialled on 7 October 2015.

The Agreement should now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union, is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

For further details regarding the content of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, please refer to the summary of the Commission’s initial legislative proposal from 16.12.2015.

Documents
2016/01/25
   EP - Responsible Committee
2015/12/16
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2015/12/16
   EC - Initial legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: with the accession of Croatia, the European Union enlarged its customs union. Consequently, it was required under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules (Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994) to enter into negotiations with WTO Members having negotiating rights related to the tariff schedule of Croatia in order to eventually agree on a compensatory adjustment.

On 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations under Article

XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994. The Commission has negotiated with the Members of the WTO holding negotiating rights, the issue of the withdrawal of specific concessions in relation to the withdrawal of the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the EU.

Negotiations with China resulted in a draft Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters that was initialled on 7 October 2015 in Brussels . It is now appropriate to conclude the Agreement.

CONTENT: the proposal requires the Council to adopt a decision to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with China. In parallel, a separate proposal on the signature of the Agreement is also submitted.

Negotiations with China resulted in an Agreement containing the following points:

an increase of the volumes of the existing quotas allocated to China for garlic (increased by 2 150 tonnes) and mushrooms (increased by 650 tonnes, net weight); a EU tariff reduction of -0.1% for footwear classified in tariff line 6404 19 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9%); a EU tariff reduction of -0.2% for air conditioning machines classified in tariff line 8415 10 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5%).

It is envisaged that these measures will become effective by the second half of 2016.

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0231/2016 - Iuliu Winkler - Approbation #

2016/09/13 Outcome: +: 590, -: 41, 0: 35
DE IT PL GB ES RO FR CZ NL AT SE BE PT HU BG SK FI DK LT IE EL LV HR SI MT EE LU CY
Total
81
68
44
62
47
31
67
21
25
18
19
17
18
15
14
13
11
12
10
10
20
8
8
8
6
4
4
4
icon: PPE PPE
194

Finland PPE

2

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Croatia PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

3

Cyprus PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
163

Netherlands S&D

3

Denmark S&D

2

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Croatia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Malta S&D

3

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
63

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

3

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

2
icon: ECR ECR
63

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

For (1)

1

Czechia ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Finland ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
43

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Hungary Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
50

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

France GUE/NGL

Against (1)

3

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

3

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

4

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: EFDD EFDD
42

Germany EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

Poland EFDD

1

France EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2
icon: NI NI
10

Germany NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Poland NI

1

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

1

France NI

1

Hungary NI

For (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
37

Germany ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Poland ENF

1

United Kingdom ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Romania ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

3

Belgium ENF

Against (1)

1

History

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

committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
International Trade
committee
INTA
rapporteur
name: WINKLER Iuliu date: 2016-01-25T00:00:00 group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
International Trade
committee
INTA
date
2016-01-25T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: WINKLER Iuliu group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
events/0
date
2015-12-16T00:00:00
type
Preparatory document
body
EP
docs
summary
events/0
date
2015-12-16T00:00:00
type
Initial legislative proposal published
body
EC
docs
summary
events/5/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2016-0231_EN.html
events/7/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0326
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0326_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2015-12-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0654/COM_COM(2015)0654(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0654 type: Initial legislative proposal published celexid: CELEX:52015PC0654:EN body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia type: Initial legislative proposal published
  • date: 2016-01-29T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15561%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 15561/2015 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia type: Legislative proposal published
  • date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN meeting_id: 3445
  • date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00 body: EP/CSL type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
  • date: 2016-05-09T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: MOSCA Alessia Maria group: ECR name: MCCLARKIN Emma group: ALDE name: LAMBSDORFF Alexander Graf group: GUE/NGL name: SCHOLZ Helmut group: Verts/ALE name: BUCHNER Klaus group: EFD name: BEGHIN Tiziana group: ENF name: SALVINI Matteo responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-01-25T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EPP name: WINKLER Iuliu
  • date: 2016-07-14T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: MOSCA Alessia Maria group: ECR name: MCCLARKIN Emma group: ALDE name: LAMBSDORFF Alexander Graf group: GUE/NGL name: SCHOLZ Helmut group: Verts/ALE name: BUCHNER Klaus group: EFD name: BEGHIN Tiziana group: ENF name: SALVINI Matteo responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-01-25T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EPP name: WINKLER Iuliu
  • body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0231/2016 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: MOSCA Alessia Maria group: ECR name: MCCLARKIN Emma group: ALDE name: LAMBSDORFF Alexander Graf group: GUE/NGL name: SCHOLZ Helmut group: Verts/ALE name: BUCHNER Klaus group: EFD name: BEGHIN Tiziana group: ENF name: SALVINI Matteo responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-01-25T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EPP name: WINKLER Iuliu date: 2016-07-15T00:00:00
  • date: 2016-09-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0326 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0326/2016 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00 body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3494
  • date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00 body: EP type: End of procedure in Parliament
  • date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00 body: EP/CSL type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
  • date: 2016-10-26T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal docs: url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1885 title: Decision 2016/1885 url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2016:291:TOC title: OJ L 291 26.10.2016, p. 0007
commission
  • body: EC dg: Trade commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
International Trade
committee
INTA
date
2016-01-25T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: WINKLER Iuliu group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
committees/0
body
EP
responsible
False
committee_full
Foreign Affairs
committee
AFET
committees/1
type
Committee Opinion
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Foreign Affairs
committee
AFET
opinion
False
committees/1
body
EP
shadows
responsible
True
committee
INTA
date
2016-01-25T00:00:00
committee_full
International Trade
rapporteur
group: EPP name: WINKLER Iuliu
council
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3494 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3494*&MEET_DATE=18/10/2016 date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN meeting_id: 3445 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3445*&MEET_DATE=12/02/2016 date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00
docs
  • date: 2015-12-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0653/COM_COM(2015)0653(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0653 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0653 title: EUR-Lex type: Document attached to the procedure body: EC
  • date: 2016-01-29T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15562%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 15562/2015 type: Document attached to the procedure body: CSL
  • date: 2016-05-27T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE583.950 title: PE583.950 type: Committee draft report body: EP
events
  • date: 2015-12-16T00:00:00 type: Initial legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0654/COM_COM(2015)0654(ANN)_EN.pdf title: COM(2015)0654 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2015&nu_doc=0654 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: with the accession of Croatia, the European Union enlarged its customs union. Consequently, it was required under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules (Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994) to enter into negotiations with WTO Members having negotiating rights related to the tariff schedule of Croatia in order to eventually agree on a compensatory adjustment. On 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations under Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994. The Commission has negotiated with the Members of the WTO holding negotiating rights, the issue of the withdrawal of specific concessions in relation to the withdrawal of the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the EU. Negotiations with China resulted in a draft Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters that was initialled on 7 October 2015 in Brussels . It is now appropriate to conclude the Agreement. CONTENT: the proposal requires the Council to adopt a decision to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with China. In parallel, a separate proposal on the signature of the Agreement is also submitted. Negotiations with China resulted in an Agreement containing the following points: an increase of the volumes of the existing quotas allocated to China for garlic (increased by 2 150 tonnes) and mushrooms (increased by 650 tonnes, net weight); a EU tariff reduction of -0.1% for footwear classified in tariff line 6404 19 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9%); a EU tariff reduction of -0.2% for air conditioning machines classified in tariff line 8415 10 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5%). It is envisaged that these measures will become effective by the second half of 2016.
  • date: 2016-01-29T00:00:00 type: Legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15561%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 15561/2015 summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: on 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia. Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union was initialled on 7 October 2015. The Agreement should now be approved. CONTENT: the draft Decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union, is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. For further details regarding the content of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, please refer to the summary of the Commission’s initial legislative proposal from 16.12.2015.
  • date: 2016-02-12T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2016-05-09T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2016-07-14T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2016-07-15T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN title: A8-0231/2016 summary: The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Iuliu WINKLER (EPP, RO) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV: 6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement. Members stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession. Article XXIV: 4 GATT rightly underlines that the purpose of a customs union or of a free trade area should be to facilitate trade between the constituent territories and not to raise barriers to the trade of other contracting parties with such territories. This compensatory Agreement can therefore be seen as yet another sign of the EU’s attachment to the multilateral rules-based trading regime, with the WTO at its centre. The Commission has rightly chosen (1) the increase of tariff rate quotas, and (2) lowering the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses. This is why the committee called for the consent of the proposal to conclude the Agreement, as the Agreement includes proportionate modifications to the concessions and is consistent with earlier practice and WTO framework.
  • date: 2016-09-13T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=27517&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2016-09-13T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0326 title: T8-0326/2016 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 590 votes to 41, with 35 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement, on behalf of the European Parliament, of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement. Parliament stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession. This agreement responds to the need to: (i) increase tariff rate quotas, and (ii) lower the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses.
  • date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2016-10-18T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2016-10-26T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1885 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. CONTENT: the Council approved, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union. To recall, on 15 July 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia. Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China was signed on behalf of the Union on 19 April 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date. Under this Agreement, the EU shall incorporate in its schedule, for the customs territory of the EU 28 , the concessions contained in the schedule of the EU 27 with the following modifications: an increase of 2 150 tonnes to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for garlic, maintaining the present in-quota rate of 9.6 %; an increase of 650 tonnes (drained net weight) to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for mushroom of species Agaricus , prepared, preserved or provisionally preserved; for footwear with outer soles of rubbers or plastics – other: lower the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9 %; for window or wall air conditioning machines "split-system": lower the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5 %. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.10.2016. docs: title: Decision 2016/1885 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1885 title: OJ L 291 26.10.2016, p. 0007 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2016:291:TOC
links
other
  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Former Council configuration
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 159
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
INTA/8/05426
New
  • INTA/8/05426
procedure/final/url
Old
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1885
New
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1885
procedure/subject
Old
  • 6.20.01 Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • 6.20.03 Bilateral economic and trade agreements and relations
  • 6.20.04 Union Customs Code, tariffs, preferential arrangements, rules of origin
New
6.20.01
Agreements and relations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
6.20.03
Bilateral economic and trade agreements and relations
6.20.04
Union Customs Code, tariffs, preferential arrangements, rules of origin
activities/8
date
2016-10-18T00:00:00
body
CSL
type
Council Meeting
council
General Affairs
meeting_id
3494
activities/9
date
2016-10-18T00:00:00
body
EP
type
End of procedure in Parliament
activities/10
date
2016-10-18T00:00:00
body
EP/CSL
type
Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
activities/11
date
2016-10-26T00:00:00
text

PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1885 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

CONTENT: the Council approved, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

To recall, on 15 July 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia.

Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China was signed on behalf of the Union on 19 April 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

Under this Agreement, the EU shall incorporate in its schedule, for the customs territory of the EU 28, the concessions contained in the schedule of the EU 27 with the following modifications:

  • an increase of 2 150 tonnes to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for garlic, maintaining the present in-quota rate of 9.6 %;
  • an increase of 650 tonnes (drained net weight) to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for mushroom of species Agaricus, prepared, preserved or provisionally preserved;
  • for footwear with outer soles of rubbers or plastics – other: lower the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9 %;
  • for window or wall air conditioning machines "split-system": lower the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5 %.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.10.2016.

type
Final act published in Official Journal
docs
other/0
body
CSL
type
Council Meeting
council
Former Council configuration
procedure/final
url
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32016D1885
title
Decision 2016/1885
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Procedure completed, awaiting publication in Official Journal
New
Procedure completed
activities/0
date
2015-12-16T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0654/COM_COM(2015)0654(ANN)_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52015PC0654:EN type: Initial legislative proposal published title: COM(2015)0654
body
EC
type
Initial legislative proposal published
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
activities/1
date
2016-01-29T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15561%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 15561/2015
body
EC
type
Legislative proposal published
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
activities/2
date
2016-02-12T00:00:00
body
CSL
type
Council Meeting
council
Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN
meeting_id
3445
activities/6
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0231/2016
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
committees
date
2016-07-15T00:00:00
activities/0
date
2015-12-16T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0654/COM_COM(2015)0654(ANN)_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52015PC0654:EN type: Initial legislative proposal published title: COM(2015)0654
type
Initial legislative proposal published
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
activities/1
date
2016-01-29T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15561%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 15561/2015
type
Legislative proposal published
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
activities/2
date
2016-02-12T00:00:00
body
CSL
type
Council Meeting
council
Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN
meeting_id
3445
activities/6
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0231/2016
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
committees
date
2016-07-15T00:00:00
activities/7/docs/0/text
  • The European Parliament adopted by 590 votes to 41, with 35 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement, on behalf of the European Parliament, of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

    The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

    Parliament stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession.

    This agreement responds to the need to: (i) increase tariff rate quotas, and (ii) lower the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses.

activities/7
date
2016-09-13T00:00:00
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0326 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0326/2016
body
EP
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
New
Procedure completed, awaiting publication in Official Journal
activities/7
date
2016-09-13T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote scheduled
activities/7/type
Old
Vote in plenary scheduled
New
Vote scheduled
activities/6/docs/0/text
  • The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Iuliu WINKLER (EPP, RO) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV: 6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

    The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

    Members stated that China has the right to have its previous trading rights restored, following its slight erosion due to the enlargement of the EU customs union with Croatian EU accession.

    Article XXIV: 4 GATT rightly underlines that the purpose of a customs union or of a free trade area should be to facilitate trade between the constituent territories and not to raise barriers to the trade of other contracting parties with such territories. This compensatory Agreement can therefore be seen as yet another sign of the EU’s attachment to the multilateral rules-based trading regime, with the WTO at its centre.

    The Commission has rightly chosen (1) the increase of tariff rate quotas, and (2) lowering the current bound tariff rates as the instruments of compensation for Chinese products involved as the way of compensating losses.

    This is why the committee called for the consent of the proposal to conclude the Agreement, as the Agreement includes proportionate modifications to the concessions and is consistent with earlier practice and WTO framework.

activities/6/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0231&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0231/2016
activities/5
date
2016-07-14T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
committees
activities/6
date
2016-07-15T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
committees
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
activities/5/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in plenary scheduled
activities/5
date
2016-09-13T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
activities/1/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. 

    BACKGROUND: on 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia.

    Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union was initialled on 7 October 2015.

    The Agreement should now be approved.

    CONTENT: the draft Decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union, is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

    For further details regarding the content of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, please refer to the summary of the Commission’s initial legislative proposal from 16.12.2015.

activities/4
date
2016-05-09T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
committees
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
INTA/8/05426
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Preparatory phase in Parliament
New
Awaiting committee decision
activities/0/docs/0/text/0
Old

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: with the accession of Croatia, the European Union enlarged its customs union. Consequently, it was required under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules (Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994) to enter into negotiations with WTO Members having negotiating rights related to the tariff schedule of Croatia in order to eventually agree on a compensatory adjustment.

On 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations under Article

XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994. The Commission has negotiated with the Members of the WTO holding negotiating rights, the issue of the withdrawal of specific concessions in relation to the withdrawal of the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the EU.

Negotiations with China resulted in a draft Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters that was initialled on 7 October 2015 in Brussels. It is now appropriate to conclude the Agreement.

CONTENT: the proposal requires the Council to adopt a decision to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with China. In parallel, a separate proposal on the signature of the Agreement is also submitted.

Negotiations with China resulted in an Agreement containing the following points:

  • an increase of the volumes of the existing quotas allocated to China for garlic (increased by 2 150 tonnes) and mushrooms (increased by 650 tonnes, net weight);
  • a EU tariff reduction of -0.1% for footwear classified in tariff line 6404 19 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9%);
  • a EU tariff reduction of -0.2% for air conditioning machines classified in tariff line 8415 10 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5%).

It is envisaged that these measures will become effective by the second half of 2016.

New

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: with the accession of Croatia, the European Union enlarged its customs union. Consequently, it was required under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules (Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994) to enter into negotiations with WTO Members having negotiating rights related to the tariff schedule of Croatia in order to eventually agree on a compensatory adjustment.

On 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations under Article

XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994. The Commission has negotiated with the Members of the WTO holding negotiating rights, the issue of the withdrawal of specific concessions in relation to the withdrawal of the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the EU.

Negotiations with China resulted in a draft Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters that was initialled on 7 October 2015 in Brussels. It is now appropriate to conclude the Agreement.

CONTENT: the proposal requires the Council to adopt a decision to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with China. In parallel, a separate proposal on the signature of the Agreement is also submitted.

Negotiations with China resulted in an Agreement containing the following points:

  • an increase of the volumes of the existing quotas allocated to China for garlic (increased by 2 150 tonnes) and mushrooms (increased by 650 tonnes, net weight);
  • a EU tariff reduction of -0.1% for footwear classified in tariff line 6404 19 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9%);
  • a EU tariff reduction of -0.2% for air conditioning machines classified in tariff line 8415 10 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5%).

It is envisaged that these measures will become effective by the second half of 2016.

activities/0/docs/0/type
Old
Legislative proposal published
New
Initial legislative proposal published
activities/0/type
Old
Legislative proposal published
New
Initial legislative proposal published
activities/1
date
2016-01-29T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=15561%2F15&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 15561/2015
body
EC
commission
DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/ title: Trade Commissioner: MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
type
Legislative proposal published
committees/1/shadows
  • group: S&D name: MOSCA Alessia Maria
  • group: ECR name: MCCLARKIN Emma
  • group: ALDE name: LAMBSDORFF Alexander Graf
  • group: GUE/NGL name: SCHOLZ Helmut
  • group: Verts/ALE name: BUCHNER Klaus
  • group: EFD name: BEGHIN Tiziana
  • group: ENF name: SALVINI Matteo
activities/1
date
2016-02-12T00:00:00
body
CSL
type
Council Meeting
council
Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN
meeting_id
3445
activities/2
date
2016-02-12T00:00:00
body
EP/CSL
type
Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
committees/1/date
2016-01-25T00:00:00
committees/1/rapporteur
  • group: EPP name: WINKLER Iuliu
activities/0/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

    BACKGROUND: with the accession of Croatia, the European Union enlarged its customs union. Consequently, it was required under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules (Article XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994) to enter into negotiations with WTO Members having negotiating rights related to the tariff schedule of Croatia in order to eventually agree on a compensatory adjustment.

    On 15 July 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations under Article

    XXIV:6 of the GATT 1994. The Commission has negotiated with the Members of the WTO holding negotiating rights, the issue of the withdrawal of specific concessions in relation to the withdrawal of the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the EU.

    Negotiations with China resulted in a draft Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters that was initialled on 7 October 2015 in Brussels. It is now appropriate to conclude the Agreement.

    CONTENT: the proposal requires the Council to adopt a decision to conclude the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters with China. In parallel, a separate proposal on the signature of the Agreement is also submitted.

    Negotiations with China resulted in an Agreement containing the following points:

    • an increase of the volumes of the existing quotas allocated to China for garlic (increased by 2 150 tonnes) and mushrooms (increased by 650 tonnes, net weight);
    • a EU tariff reduction of -0.1% for footwear classified in tariff line 6404 19 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9%);
    • a EU tariff reduction of -0.2% for air conditioning machines classified in tariff line 8415 10 90 (lowering the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5%).

    It is envisaged that these measures will become effective by the second half of 2016.

activities/0/commission/0
DG
Commissioner
MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
other/0
body
EC
dg
commissioner
MALMSTRÖM Cecilia
activities/0/docs/0/celexid
CELEX:52015PC0654:EN
activities
  • date: 2015-12-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2015/0654/COM_COM(2015)0654(ANN)_EN.pdf type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2015)0654 body: EC commission: type: Legislative proposal published
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Foreign Affairs committee: AFET
  • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
links
other
    procedure
    geographical_area
    China
    reference
    2015/0298(NLE)
    title
    EU/China Agreement: modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union
    legal_basis
    stage_reached
    Preparatory phase in Parliament
    subtype
    Consent by Parliament
    type
    NLE - Non-legislative enactments
    subject