The European Parliament adopted by 477 votes to 53, with 98 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and the Federative Republic of Brazil pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

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

In October 2018, in the run-up to the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the EU formally launched negotiations under Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 with a number of Members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the Federative Republic of Brazil (Brazil). The underlying principle of the negotiations is a “joint approach” developed between the EU and the UK in 2017 on how to “apportion” the quantitative commitments contained in the EU28 WTO schedule for the 143 EU agricultural, fish and industrial WTO tariff rate quotas (TRQs).

The negotiations with Brazil were successfully concluded and the Agreement between the EU and Brazil pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU

schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union was initialled on 14 September 2022.

Without prejudice to future negotiations under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 and for the sole purpose of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union, the objective of the Agreement is to agree on the quantitative commitments of the Union which no longer include the United Kingdom, for which Brazil has negotiating or consultation rights under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994.

Brazil has negotiating rights for 31 tariff rate quotas and consultation rights for 21 tariff rate quotas. For the majority of the tariff rate quotas where Brazil is concerned, the original EU proposed apportioned volumes were accepted by Brazil. Changes of volumes (based on a different reference period requested by Brazil) were agreed in the tariff rate quotas concerning poultry, sugar, broken rice, food preparations, fruit juices, animal feeding. Beef and plywood tariff rate quotas have also been adjusted.

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Federative Republic of Brazil pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from 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 June 2018, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 with Brazil on the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

The negotiations with Brazil were successfully concluded and the Agreement between the EU and Brazil pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU

schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union was initialled on 14 September 2022.

The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Union subject to its conclusion at a later date. The agreement should be approved.

CONTENT: the purpose of the draft Council Decision is to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the European Union and the Federative Republic of Brazil pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions with respect to all tariff quotas in EU Schedule CLXXV following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.

Without prejudice to future negotiations under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 and for the sole purpose of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union, the objective of the Agreement is to agree on the quantitative commitments of the Union which no longer include the United Kingdom, for which Brazil has negotiating or consultation rights under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994.