BETA


2017/0259(NLE) EU/Norway agreement: additional trade preferences in agricultural products

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead INTA BEGHIN Tiziana (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), HAUTALA Heidi (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE)
Committee Opinion AGRI
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
TFEU 207-p4, TFEU 218-p6a

Events

2018/05/25
   Final act published in Official Journal
Details

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

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2018/760 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

CONTENT: the Council decided to approve, on behalf of the Union, the agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

The agreement was signed on 4 December 2017, subject to its conclusion. Under the new agreement, the two parties agreed to grant duty-free access to 36 new tariff lines on a reciprocal basis . These include live horses, certain products of animal origin and types of offal, plants, vegetables for animal feed, provisionally preserved vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts, seaweed, certain sugars, fruit juices and fermented beverages.

Norway increases its duty-free tariff quotas for: (i) beef (1600 t), (ii) poultry meat (150 t), (iii) canned meat products (200 t), (iv) cheese and curd (1200 t), (v) flowers and plants (two tariff lines of 12 and 3 respectively).000 000 NOK), (vi) lettuce and chicory (100 t), (vii) maize (5000 t) and sausages (200 t), and provides for a duty of 15 NOK/kg under the pigmeat quota (300 t).

The European Union increases its duty-free tariff quotas for the following Norwegian products: poultrymeat (700 t), preserved meat (300 t), whey products (4400 t), flowers (500.000 EUR), thinly sliced potatoes (150 t), animal feed (200 t) and albumin (500 t); it merges the current sheepmeat and goatmeat quotas.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 14.5.2018.

2018/05/14
   EP/CSL - Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
2018/05/14
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2018/05/14
   CSL - Council Meeting
2018/04/17
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2018/04/17
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 652 votes to 10, with 22 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

The agreement will provide new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants.

Documents
2018/03/28
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
Details

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

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

As stated in the explanatory statement accompanying the recommendation, the proposed agreement will offer new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants.

Under the new agreement, both parties agreed to mutually grant duty free access to 36 new tariff lines . These include live horses, certain animal products and types of offal, plants, vegetables for feed purposes, provisionally preserved vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts, algae, certain sugars, fruit juices and fermented beverages.

Norway is the EU's 7th most important partner for trade in goods. While Norway's overall trade with the EU shows a surplus, in trade of basic agricultural products balance is much in favour of the EU, with the EU exports in 2016 reaching EUR 2 495 million against EUR 307 million imports from Norway.

The agreement represents a step towards engaging on liberalising agricultural trade between the EU and Norway further , in particular trade in processed agricultural products which is hindered by high customs tariffs in Norway and towards resuming negotiations on geographical indications.

Documents
2018/03/22
   EP - Vote in committee
2018/01/25
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2017/12/14
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2017/11/22
   EP - BEGHIN Tiziana (EFDD) appointed as rapporteur in INTA
2017/11/20
   CSL - Council Meeting
2017/11/13
   CSL - Legislative proposal
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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: as a reminder, the EU and Norway 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 Agreement on the European Economic Area provides that the Contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts with a view to achieving progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the EU and Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed, subject to its conclusion.

It is now necessary to approve this Agreement.

CONTENT: the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

The Agreement reached following two years of negotiations will grant mutual duty-free access for 36 tariff lines, including for example various types of live plants, corn for feed, various berries and fermented beverages such as perry and cider.

As regards products such as meat, dairy, grains, vegetables and ornamental plants, Norway will grant the EU tariff quotas. In particular, Norway will offer in the meat sector an additional 1600-ton quota for bovine meat and smaller quotas for EU chicken and duck meat, pork, hams and sausages.

In the dairy sector Norway will open an additional 1200-ton quota for cheese.

As regards the remaining sectors Norway will offer additional market opening for EU ornamental plants, maize and lettuce.

The EU will reciprocate by opening a 700-ton quota for various types of chicken meat, a quota for preserved meat and offal. In the dairy sector the EU will offer Norway quotas for dried milk albumin and whey products.

Documents
2017/11/13
   CSL - Document attached to the procedure
Documents
2017/11/12
   EC - Legislative proposal published
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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: as a reminder, the EU and Norway 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 Agreement on the European Economic Area provides that the Contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts with a view to achieving progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade.

In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the EU and Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed, subject to its conclusion.

It is now necessary to approve this Agreement.

CONTENT: the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

The Agreement reached following two years of negotiations will grant mutual duty-free access for 36 tariff lines, including for example various types of live plants, corn for feed, various berries and fermented beverages such as perry and cider.

As regards products such as meat, dairy, grains, vegetables and ornamental plants, Norway will grant the EU tariff quotas. In particular, Norway will offer in the meat sector an additional 1600-ton quota for bovine meat and smaller quotas for EU chicken and duck meat, pork, hams and sausages.

In the dairy sector Norway will open an additional 1200-ton quota for cheese.

As regards the remaining sectors Norway will offer additional market opening for EU ornamental plants, maize and lettuce.

The EU will reciprocate by opening a 700-ton quota for various types of chicken meat, a quota for preserved meat and offal. In the dairy sector the EU will offer Norway quotas for dried milk albumin and whey products.

Documents
2017/10/17
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
2017/10/17
   EP - Preparatory document
Details

PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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 Norway 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 contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products .

The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters liberalising trade in agricultural products between Norway and the European Union was signed on 15 April 2011. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations in two years’ time.

The 2011 EU-Norway bilateral agricultural trade agreement increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Norwegian market to around 60 % of trade .

Therefore, the latest round of negotiations 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; (iv) addressing certain pending trade irritants.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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.

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

The deepening of trade relations with Norway fits into the overall context of EU trade policy and is beneficial for the EU since the EU is a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Norway.

The main products exported by the EU are wines and vinegar, animal feed, soya and colza oil, live plants and cheese.

Imports into the EU from Norway are mainly soybean, animal and vegetable oils and their residues, fur skins and undenatured ethyl alcohol.

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

Documents

Votes

A8-0126/2018 - Tiziana Beghin - approbation 17/04/2018 13:31:40.000 #

2018/04/17 Outcome: +: 652, 0: 22, -: 10
DE GB IT FR ES PL RO CZ BE SE AT HU BG PT NL EL FI SK HR LT IE DK SI LV LU CY MT EE ??
Total
93
65
58
60
50
47
28
20
20
20
18
19
17
20
24
19
12
12
11
10
10
12
8
7
6
6
5
4
1
icon: PPE PPE
206

United Kingdom PPE

2

Lithuania PPE

2

Denmark PPE

Abstain (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

3

Cyprus PPE

1

Malta PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
177

Netherlands S&D

For (2)

2

Croatia S&D

2

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Denmark S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Malta S&D

3
icon: ALDE ALDE
59

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

2

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Portugal ALDE

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

3
icon: ECR ECR
61

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

2

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1
2

Slovakia ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Cyprus ECR

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
48

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

France Verts/ALE

Against (2)

Abstain (1)

6

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Hungary Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
46

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

4

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Against (1)

3

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: EFDD EFDD
38

Germany EFDD

For (1)

1

Poland EFDD

1

Czechia EFDD

For (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
29

Germany ENF

For (1)

1

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

Italy ENF

3

Poland ENF

2

Belgium ENF

For (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

3
icon: NI NI
18

Germany NI

2

United Kingdom NI

Against (1)

3

France NI

2

Hungary NI

Abstain (1)

3

Denmark NI

1

NI

For (1)

1

History

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

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date
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docs
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  • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 3578 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=3578*&MEET_DATE=20/11/2017 date: 2017-11-20T00:00:00
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  • date: 2017-11-13T00:00:00 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=ADV&RESULTSET=1&DOC_ID=13471%2F17&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 13471/2017 type: Document attached to the procedure body: CSL
  • date: 2018-01-25T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE615.261 title: PE615.261 type: Committee draft report body: EP
events
  • date: 2017-10-17T00:00:00 type: Initial legislative proposal published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2017/0595/COM_COM(2017)0595_EN.pdf title: COM(2017)0595 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2017&nu_doc=0595 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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 Norway 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 contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products . The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters liberalising trade in agricultural products between Norway and the European Union was signed on 15 April 2011. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations in two years’ time. The 2011 EU-Norway bilateral agricultural trade agreement increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Norwegian market to around 60 % of trade . Therefore, the latest round of negotiations 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; (iv) addressing certain pending trade irritants. CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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. For more sensitive products such as meat, dairy, vegetables and ornamental plants, additional or new tariff quotas have been agreed upon. The deepening of trade relations with Norway fits into the overall context of EU trade policy and is beneficial for the EU since the EU is a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Norway. The main products exported by the EU are wines and vinegar, animal feed, soya and colza oil, live plants and cheese. Imports into the EU from Norway are mainly soybean, animal and vegetable oils and their residues, fur skins and undenatured ethyl alcohol. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: this Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Norway will likely result in a reduction of own resources through a lower collection of customs duties.
  • date: 2017-11-13T00:00:00 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=13357%2F17&DOC_LANCD=EN&ROWSPP=25&NRROWS=500&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC title: 13357/2017 summary: PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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: as a reminder, the EU and Norway 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 Agreement on the European Economic Area provides that the Contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts with a view to achieving progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade. In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the EU and Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed, subject to its conclusion. It is now necessary to approve this Agreement. CONTENT: the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The Agreement reached following two years of negotiations will grant mutual duty-free access for 36 tariff lines, including for example various types of live plants, corn for feed, various berries and fermented beverages such as perry and cider. As regards products such as meat, dairy, grains, vegetables and ornamental plants, Norway will grant the EU tariff quotas. In particular, Norway will offer in the meat sector an additional 1600-ton quota for bovine meat and smaller quotas for EU chicken and duck meat, pork, hams and sausages. In the dairy sector Norway will open an additional 1200-ton quota for cheese. As regards the remaining sectors Norway will offer additional market opening for EU ornamental plants, maize and lettuce. The EU will reciprocate by opening a 700-ton quota for various types of chicken meat, a quota for preserved meat and offal. In the dairy sector the EU will offer Norway quotas for dried milk albumin and whey products.
  • date: 2017-12-14T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2018-03-22T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2018-03-28T00:00:00 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=A8-2018-0126&language=EN title: A8-0126/2018 summary: The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Tiziana BEGHIN (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement. As stated in the explanatory statement accompanying the recommendation, the proposed agreement will offer new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants. Under the new agreement, both parties agreed to mutually grant duty free access to 36 new tariff lines . These include live horses, certain animal products and types of offal, plants, vegetables for feed purposes, provisionally preserved vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts, algae, certain sugars, fruit juices and fermented beverages. Norway is the EU's 7th most important partner for trade in goods. While Norway's overall trade with the EU shows a surplus, in trade of basic agricultural products balance is much in favour of the EU, with the EU exports in 2016 reaching EUR 2 495 million against EUR 307 million imports from Norway. The agreement represents a step towards engaging on liberalising agricultural trade between the EU and Norway further , in particular trade in processed agricultural products which is hindered by high customs tariffs in Norway and towards resuming negotiations on geographical indications.
  • date: 2018-04-17T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=30983&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2018-04-17T00:00:00 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-2018-0094 title: T8-0094/2018 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 652 votes to 10, with 22 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement. The agreement will provide new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants.
  • date: 2018-05-14T00:00:00 type: Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament body: EP/CSL
  • date: 2018-05-14T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
  • date: 2018-05-25T00:00:00 type: Final act published in Official Journal summary: PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2018/760 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. CONTENT: the Council decided to approve, on behalf of the Union, the agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products. The agreement was signed on 4 December 2017, subject to its conclusion. Under the new agreement, the two parties agreed to grant duty-free access to 36 new tariff lines on a reciprocal basis . These include live horses, certain products of animal origin and types of offal, plants, vegetables for animal feed, provisionally preserved vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts, seaweed, certain sugars, fruit juices and fermented beverages. Norway increases its duty-free tariff quotas for: (i) beef (1600 t), (ii) poultry meat (150 t), (iii) canned meat products (200 t), (iv) cheese and curd (1200 t), (v) flowers and plants (two tariff lines of 12 and 3 respectively).000 000 NOK), (vi) lettuce and chicory (100 t), (vii) maize (5000 t) and sausages (200 t), and provides for a duty of 15 NOK/kg under the pigmeat quota (300 t). The European Union increases its duty-free tariff quotas for the following Norwegian products: poultrymeat (700 t), preserved meat (300 t), whey products (4400 t), flowers (500.000 EUR), thinly sliced potatoes (150 t), animal feed (200 t) and albumin (500 t); it merges the current sheepmeat and goatmeat quotas. ENTRY INTO FORCE: 14.5.2018. docs: title: Decision 2018/760 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32018D0760 title: OJ L 129 25.05.2018, p. 0001 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2018:129:TOC
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  • The European Parliament adopted by 652 votes to 10, with 22 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

    The agreement will provide new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants.

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  • type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0094/2018
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  • The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Tiziana BEGHIN (EFDD, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

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

    As stated in the explanatory statement accompanying the recommendation, the proposed agreement will offer new trade opportunities for EU exporters and deepen trade relations between the EU and Norway. It seeks to increase the degree of liberalisation further, enlarging the current tariff rate quotas, opening new tariff rate quotas for additional agricultural products and addressing certain pending trade irritants.

    Under the new agreement, both parties agreed to mutually grant duty free access to 36 new tariff lines. These include live horses, certain animal products and types of offal, plants, vegetables for feed purposes, provisionally preserved vegetables, fruit, berries and nuts, algae, certain sugars, fruit juices and fermented beverages.

    Norway is the EU's 7th most important partner for trade in goods. While Norway's overall trade with the EU shows a surplus, in trade of basic agricultural products balance is much in favour of the EU, with the EU exports in 2016 reaching EUR 2 495 million against EUR 307 million imports from Norway.

    The agreement represents a step towards engaging on liberalising agricultural trade between the EU and Norway further, in particular trade in processed agricultural products which is hindered by high customs tariffs in Norway and towards resuming negotiations on geographical indications.

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  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2018-0126&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0126/2018
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  • group: ECR name: STARBATTY Joachim
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  • group: GUE/NGL name: KOULOGLOU Stelios
  • group: Verts/ALE name: HAUTALA Heidi
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  • PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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: as a reminder, the EU and Norway 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 Agreement on the European Economic Area provides that the Contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts with a view to achieving progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade.

    In accordance with a Council Decision, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the EU and Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products was signed, subject to its conclusion.

    It is now necessary to approve this Agreement.

    CONTENT: the Council is called on to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.

    The Agreement reached following two years of negotiations will grant mutual duty-free access for 36 tariff lines, including for example various types of live plants, corn for feed, various berries and fermented beverages such as perry and cider.

    As regards products such as meat, dairy, grains, vegetables and ornamental plants, Norway will grant the EU tariff quotas. In particular, Norway will offer in the meat sector an additional 1600-ton quota for bovine meat and smaller quotas for EU chicken and duck meat, pork, hams and sausages.

    In the dairy sector Norway will open an additional 1200-ton quota for cheese.

    As regards the remaining sectors Norway will offer additional market opening for EU ornamental plants, maize and lettuce.

    The EU will reciprocate by opening a 700-ton quota for various types of chicken meat, a quota for preserved meat and offal. In the dairy sector the EU will offer Norway quotas for dried milk albumin and whey products.

activities/0/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to conclude an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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 Norway 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 contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters liberalising trade in agricultural products between Norway and the European Union was signed on 15 April 2011. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations in two years’ time.

    The 2011 EU-Norway bilateral agricultural trade agreement increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Norwegian market to around 60 % of trade.

    Therefore, the latest round of negotiations 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; (iv) addressing certain pending trade irritants.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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.

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

    The deepening of trade relations with Norway fits into the overall context of EU trade policy and is beneficial for the EU since the EU is a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Norway.

    The main products exported by the EU are wines and vinegar, animal feed, soya and colza oil, live plants and cheese.

    Imports into the EU from Norway are mainly soybean, animal and vegetable oils and their residues, fur skins and undenatured ethyl alcohol.

    BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: this Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Norway 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 Norway 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 Norway 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 contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters liberalising trade in agricultural products between Norway and the European Union was signed on 15 April 2011. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations in two years’ time.

    The 2011 EU-Norway bilateral agricultural trade agreement increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Norwegian market to around 60 % of trade.

    Therefore, the latest round of negotiations 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; (iv) addressing certain pending trade irritants.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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.

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

    The deepening of trade relations with Norway fits into the overall context of EU trade policy and is beneficial for the EU since the EU is a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Norway.

    The main products exported by the EU are wines and vinegar, animal feed, soya and colza oil, live plants and cheese.

    Imports into the EU from Norway are mainly soybean, animal and vegetable oils and their residues, fur skins and undenatured ethyl alcohol.

    BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS: this Agreement will have no impact on the expenditure side of the EU budget. The new concessions granted on imports from Norway 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 Norway 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 Norway 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 contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of trade in agricultural products.

    The previous agreement in the form of an exchange of letters liberalising trade in agricultural products between Norway and the European Union was signed on 15 April 2011. It provided for mutual tariff rate quotas and reductions in duty. It also included an undertaking by the Parties to resume bilateral negotiations in two years’ time.

    The 2011 EU-Norway bilateral agricultural trade agreement increased the duty-free access of EU agricultural products to the Norwegian market to around 60 % of trade.

    Therefore, the latest round of negotiations 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; (iv) addressing certain pending trade irritants.

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council adopt a decision approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Union and Norway 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.

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

    The deepening of trade relations with Norway fits into the overall context of EU trade policy and is beneficial for the EU since the EU is a net exporter of basic agricultural products to Norway.

    The main products exported by the EU are wines and vinegar, animal feed, soya and colza oil, live plants and cheese.

    Imports into the EU from Norway are mainly soybean, animal and vegetable oils and their residues, fur skins and undenatured ethyl alcohol.

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

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3578
activities
  • date: 2017-10-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2017/0595/COM_COM(2017)0595_EN.pdf title: COM(2017)0595 type: Legislative proposal published celexid: CELEX:52017PC0595:EN 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
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development committee: AGRI
  • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: International Trade committee: INTA
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/agriculture-and-rural-development_en title: Agriculture and Rural Development commissioner: HOGAN Phil
procedure
legal_basis
reference
2017/0259(NLE)
title
EU/Norway agreement: additional trade preferences in agricultural products
geographical_area
Norway
stage_reached
Preparatory phase in Parliament
subtype
Consent by Parliament
type
NLE - Non-legislative enactments
subject