BETA


2016/0293(NLE) EU/Iceland agreement: additional trade preferences in agricultural products

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead INTA BORRELLI David (icon: EFDD EFDD) PABRIKS Artis (icon: PPE PPE), DANTI Nicola (icon: S&D S&D), STARBATTY Joachim (icon: ECR ECR), SCHAAKE Marietje (icon: ALDE ALDE), BOVÉ José (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), FERRAND Edouard (icon: ENF ENF)
Committee Opinion AGRI
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 207-p4, TFEU 218-p6a

Events

2017/10/24
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2017/1913 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

CONTENT: by this Decision, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

As a reminder, the EU and Iceland are Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) which provides for free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 stipulates that every two years the Parties review the conditions of trade in agricultural products and decide on the further reduction of any type of barriers.

The new Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free.

For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 9.10.2017.

2017/10/09
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2017/10/09
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2017/09/12
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2017/09/12
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 637 votes to 8, with 46 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

Following the recommendation of its Committee on International Trade, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement .

The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

Documents
2017/07/14
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Details

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by David BORELLI (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences for agricultural products.

The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

As mentioned in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the report, the previous EU-Iceland agreement on liberalising agricultural trade entered into force on 1 January 2007. It set the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade.

The latest round of negotiations, which began on 4 July 2012, aimed at increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides, extending the current tariff rate quotas and opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products.

The Agreement initialled on 17 September 2015 included additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions for more sensitive products such as meat, dairy products, fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants.

As a result of the negotiations almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will have duty-free access to the Icelandic market. Overall, almost all trade on processed agricultural products will be duty free, with some exceptions, notably of fermented milk products.

The Rapporteur is of the view that the negotiations have led to a balanced outcome, in particular, taking the simultaneously negotiated agreement on GI protection into account.

Documents
2017/07/11
   EP - Vote in committee
2017/05/24
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2017/04/06
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2016/10/12
   EP - BORRELLI David (EFDD) appointed as rapporteur in INTA
2016/10/07
   CSL - Legislative proposal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

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: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement). This Agreement provides that the contracting Parties shall undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them.

The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed subject to its conclusion. The Agreement should now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Council decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

Documents
2016/10/07
   CSL - Document attached to the procedure
Documents
2016/10/06
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

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: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement). This Agreement provides that the contracting Parties shall undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them.

The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed subject to its conclusion. The Agreement should now be approved.

CONTENT: the draft Council decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

Documents
2016/09/09
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2016/09/09
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLEOF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may only adopt the act with Parliament’s approval.

BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Parties will review efforts on the further reduction of any type of barriers to trade in the agricultural sector.

The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters entered into force on 1 January 2007. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations under Article 19 of the EEA Agreement in two years’ time.

The bilateral agricultural trade agreement of 2007 increased the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. These figures demonstrate that there was ample room for further trade concessions. Therefore, the latest round of negotiations that took place on 4 July 2012, aimed at: (i) increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides; (ii) increasing the current tariff rate quotas; and (iii) opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, t he Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement provides for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Iceland will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.

Documents

Votes

A8-0256/2017 - David Borrelli - Approbation 12/09/2017 12:55:56.000 #

2017/09/12 Outcome: +: 637, 0: 46, -: 8
DE IT FR PL GB ES RO PT CZ BE SE HU BG AT EL SK NL FI DK LT HR IE LV SI MT EE LU CY
Total
87
66
68
50
63
47
30
21
20
21
19
17
15
18
18
13
24
13
12
11
11
9
8
7
6
5
5
5
icon: PPE PPE
200

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

3

Cyprus PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
180

Netherlands S&D

3

Croatia S&D

2

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Malta S&D

3

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: ECR ECR
69

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

For (1)

1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

2
2

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Cyprus ECR

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
59

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

3

Portugal ALDE

1

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

2

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
46

Germany GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

4

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

3

Finland GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
48

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

6

Spain Verts/ALE

For (1)

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Hungary Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
38
2

United Kingdom ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Romania ENF

1

Belgium ENF

For (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

4
icon: EFDD EFDD
34

Germany EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

France EFDD

1

Poland EFDD

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
15

Germany NI

2

France NI

2

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

3

Hungary NI

2

History

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

docs/1
date
2016-10-07T00:00:00
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12146%2F16&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12146/2016
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events/2/type
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events/3/type
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Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
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New
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2016-09-09T00:00:00
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New
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events/6/docs/0/url
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New
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committees/0
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body
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INTA
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shadows
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  • date: 2016-10-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12146%2F16&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC type: Legislative proposal published title: 12146/2016 body: EC commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/agriculture-and-rural-development_en title: Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner: HOGAN Phil type: Legislative proposal published
  • date: 2017-04-06T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development committee: AGRI body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: PABRIKS Artis group: S&D name: DANTI Nicola group: ECR name: STARBATTY Joachim group: ALDE name: SCHAAKE Marietje group: GUE/NGL name: KOULOGLOU Stelios group: Verts/ALE name: BOVÉ José group: ENF name: FERRAND Edouard responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-10-12T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EFD name: BORRELLI David
  • date: 2017-07-11T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development committee: AGRI body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: PABRIKS Artis group: S&D name: DANTI Nicola group: ECR name: STARBATTY Joachim group: ALDE name: SCHAAKE Marietje group: GUE/NGL name: KOULOGLOU Stelios group: Verts/ALE name: BOVÉ José group: ENF name: FERRAND Edouard responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-10-12T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EFD name: BORRELLI David
  • body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2017-0256&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0256/2017 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development committee: AGRI body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: PABRIKS Artis group: S&D name: DANTI Nicola group: ECR name: STARBATTY Joachim group: ALDE name: SCHAAKE Marietje group: GUE/NGL name: KOULOGLOU Stelios group: Verts/ALE name: BOVÉ José group: ENF name: FERRAND Edouard responsible: True committee: INTA date: 2016-10-12T00:00:00 committee_full: International Trade rapporteur: group: EFD name: BORRELLI David date: 2017-07-14T00:00:00
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2017-0320 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0320/2017 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2017-10-09T00:00:00 body: EP type: End of procedure in Parliament
  • date: 2017-10-09T00:00:00 body: EP/CSL type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
  • date: 2017-10-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32017D1913 title: Decision 2017/1913 url: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2017:274:TOC title: OJ L 274 24.10.2017, p. 0057 type: Final act published in Official Journal
commission
  • body: EC dg: Agriculture and Rural Development commissioner: HOGAN Phil
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docs
  • date: 2016-09-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0564/COM_COM(2016)0564_EN.pdf title: COM(2016)0564 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2016&nu_doc=0564 title: EUR-Lex type: Document attached to the procedure body: EC
  • date: 2016-10-07T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=12147%2F16&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12147/2016 type: Document attached to the procedure body: CSL
  • date: 2017-05-24T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE592.315 title: PE592.315 type: Committee draft report body: EP
events
  • date: 2016-09-09T00:00:00 type: Initial legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0563/COM_COM(2016)0563_EN.pdf title: COM(2016)0563 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2016&nu_doc=0563 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision. ROLEOF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may only adopt the act with Parliament’s approval. BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Parties will review efforts on the further reduction of any type of barriers to trade in the agricultural sector. The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters entered into force on 1 January 2007. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations under Article 19 of the EEA Agreement in two years’ time. The bilateral agricultural trade agreement of 2007 increased the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. These figures demonstrate that there was ample room for further trade concessions. Therefore, the latest round of negotiations that took place on 4 July 2012, aimed at: (i) increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides; (ii) increasing the current tariff rate quotas; and (iii) opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015. CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, t he Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement provides for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Iceland will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.
  • date: 2016-10-07T00:00:00 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=12146%2F16&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 12146/2016 summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. 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: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement). This Agreement provides that the contracting Parties shall undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them. The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed subject to its conclusion. The Agreement should now be approved. CONTENT: the draft Council decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.
  • date: 2017-04-06T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2017-07-11T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2017-07-14T00:00:00 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=A8-2017-0256&language=EN title: A8-0256/2017 summary: The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by David BORELLI (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences for agricultural products. The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement. As mentioned in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the report, the previous EU-Iceland agreement on liberalising agricultural trade entered into force on 1 January 2007. It set the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. The latest round of negotiations, which began on 4 July 2012, aimed at increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides, extending the current tariff rate quotas and opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement initialled on 17 September 2015 included additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions for more sensitive products such as meat, dairy products, fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants. As a result of the negotiations almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will have duty-free access to the Icelandic market. Overall, almost all trade on processed agricultural products will be duty free, with some exceptions, notably of fermented milk products. The Rapporteur is of the view that the negotiations have led to a balanced outcome, in particular, taking the simultaneously negotiated agreement on GI protection into account.
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=30108&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 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-2017-0320 title: T8-0320/2017 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 637 votes to 8, with 46 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. Following the recommendation of its Committee on International Trade, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement . The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.
  • date: 2017-10-09T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2017-10-09T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2017-10-24T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2017/1913 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. CONTENT: by this Decision, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. As a reminder, the EU and Iceland are Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) which provides for free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 stipulates that every two years the Parties review the conditions of trade in agricultural products and decide on the further reduction of any type of barriers. The new Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 9.10.2017. docs: title: Decision 2017/1913 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32017D1913 title: OJ L 274 24.10.2017, p. 0057 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2017:274:TOC
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  • The European Parliament adopted by 637 votes to 8, with 46 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    Following the recommendation of its Committee on International Trade, Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

    The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

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  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2017-0320 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0320/2017
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  • The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by David BORELLI (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences for agricultural products.

    The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

    As mentioned in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the report, the previous EU-Iceland agreement on liberalising agricultural trade entered into force on 1 January 2007. It set the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade.

    The latest round of negotiations, which began on 4 July 2012, aimed at increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides, extending the current tariff rate quotas and opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products.

    The Agreement initialled on 17 September 2015 included additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions for more sensitive products such as meat, dairy products, fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants.

    As a result of the negotiations almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will have duty-free access to the Icelandic market. Overall, almost all trade on processed agricultural products will be duty free, with some exceptions, notably of fermented milk products.

    The Rapporteur is of the view that the negotiations have led to a balanced outcome, in particular, taking the simultaneously negotiated agreement on GI protection into account.

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  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2017-0256&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0256/2017
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  • PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLEOF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may only adopt the act with Parliament’s approval.

    BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Parties will review efforts on the further reduction of any type of barriers to trade in the agricultural sector.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters entered into force on 1 January 2007. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations under Article 19 of the EEA Agreement in two years’ time.

    The bilateral agricultural trade agreement of 2007 increased the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. These figures demonstrate that there was ample room for further trade concessions. Therefore, the latest round of negotiations that took place on 4 July 2012, aimed at: (i) increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides; (ii) increasing the current tariff rate quotas; and (iii) opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement provides for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

    BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Iceland will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.

activities/1/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    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: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement). This Agreement provides that the contracting Parties shall undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them.

    The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed subject to its conclusion. The Agreement should now be approved.

    CONTENT: the draft Council decision seeks the approval, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015 and provided for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines.

    As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

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  • PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLEOF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may only adopt the act with Parliament’s approval.

    BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Parties will review efforts on the further reduction of any type of barriers to trade in the agricultural sector.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters entered into force on 1 January 2007. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations under Article 19 of the EEA Agreement in two years’ time.

    The bilateral agricultural trade agreement of 2007 increased the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. These figures demonstrate that there was ample room for further trade concessions. Therefore, the latest round of negotiations that took place on 4 July 2012, aimed at: (i) increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides; (ii) increasing the current tariff rate quotas; and (iii) opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement provides for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

    BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Iceland will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.

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  • PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

    ROLEOF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may only adopt the act with Parliament’s approval.

    BACKGROUND: the EU and Iceland are signatories to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement), which provides for the free movement of goods, with the exception of agricultural and fisheries products. Article 19 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Parties will review efforts on the further reduction of any type of barriers to trade in the agricultural sector.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters entered into force on 1 January 2007. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations under Article 19 of the EEA Agreement in two years’ time.

    The bilateral agricultural trade agreement of 2007 increased the duty-free access of Icelandic agricultural products to the EU market to 51.9 % of trade and increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Icelandic market to 66.4 % of trade. These figures demonstrate that there was ample room for further trade concessions. Therefore, the latest round of negotiations that took place on 4 July 2012, aimed at: (i) increasing the degree of liberalisation on both sides; (ii) increasing the current tariff rate quotas; and (iii) opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products. The Agreement was initialled by the Parties on 17 September 2015.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the EU, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement provides for further trade preferences for trade in agricultural products, including additional fully liberalised tariff lines. As a result almost 90 % of EU agricultural products will enter Iceland duty-free. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, additional tariff quotas or tariff reductions have been agreed upon.

    BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: the Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Iceland will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.

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  • date: 2016-09-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0563/COM_COM(2016)0563_EN.pdf celexid: CELEX:52016PC0563:EN type: Legislative proposal published title: COM(2016)0563 body: EC commission: type: Legislative proposal published
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