COUNCIL DECISION
of 25 October 2004
concerning the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway on Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2004/859/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) Protocol 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (1), of the one hand, and Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement, as amended by Decision No 140/2001 of the EEA Joint Committee (2), of the other hand, determine the trade arrangements for certain agricultural and processed agricultural products between the Contracting Parties.
(2) At the time of the adoption of Decision No 140/2001, the EC and Norway stated in a joint declaration that the non-agricultural component of customs duties on products in Table I of Protocol 3 must be eliminated. On this basis, discussions between Commission and Norwegian officials were concluded on 11 March 2004. The new tariff concessions shall be implemented by an EEA Joint Committee Decision amending Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement.
(3) An agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway on Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway, has also been negotiated in order to take into account the results of these discussions.
(4) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EEC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (3).
(5) The Agreement should be approved,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.
The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.
Article 2
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.
Article 3
The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 4(2).
Article 4
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the management committee on horizontal questions concerning trade in processed agricultural products referred to in Article 16 of Council Regulation (EC) No 3448/93 (4), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’.
2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.
The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.
3. The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.
Done at Luxembourg, 25 October 2004
For the Council
The President
R. VERDONK
(1)
OJ L 171, 27.6.1973, p. 2
.
(2)
OJ L 22, 24.1.2002, p. 34
.
(3)
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23
.
(4)
OJ L 318, 20.12.1993, p. 18
. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2580/2000 (
OJ L 298, 25.11.2000, p. 5
).
AGREEMENT
in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning Protocol 2 to the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway
A. Letter from the Community
Sir,
I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the ‘Agreed minutes’ attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in agreement with the content of this letter.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Hecho en Bruselas, el
V Bruselu dne
Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den
Geschehen zu Brüssel am
Brüssel,
Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις
Done at Brussels,
Fait à Bruxelles, le
Fatto a Bruxelles, addí
Briselÿ,
Priimta Briuselyje,
Kelt Brüsszelben,
Magÿmula fi Brussel,
Gedaan te Brussel,
Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia
Feito em Bruxelas,
V Bruseli,
V Bruslju,
Tehty Brysselissä
Utfärdat i Bryssel den
Întocmit la Bruxelles
[Bild bitte in Originalquelle ansehen]
Por la Comunidad Europea
Za Evropské společenství
For Det Europæiske Fællesskab
Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft
Euroopa Ühenduse nimel
Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα
For the European Community
Pour la Communauté européenne
Per la Comunità europea
Eiropas Kopienas vārdā
Europos bendrijos vardu
az Európai Közösség részéről
Għall-Komunità Ewropea
Voor de Europese Gemeenschap
W imieniu Wspólnoty Europejskiej
Pela Comunidade Europeia
Za Európske spoločenstvo
za Evropsko skupnost
Euroopan yhteisön puolesta
På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar
[Bild bitte in Originalquelle ansehen]
AGREED MINUTES
I. Introduction
On 11 March 2004, and after several meetings between Norway and Commission officials, a compromise was reached on tariff reductions or abolition on a number of processed agricultural products covered by Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement (1) or by Protocol No 2 to the 1973 free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (2).
These concessions should lead to the improvement of market access for Norway and the Community and would require the modification of Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement as well as Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement. Therefore, the two parties agreed to submit for approval to their respective authorities some changes to the import arrangements applied by the parties to certain processed agricultural products. The changes will be implemented in the form of a Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 3 to the EEA Agreement and of the present Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
The changes in Protocol No 2 will enter into force on 1 January 2005.
The two parties agree that the respective import arrangements below will replace the agreement in the form of an exchange of letters of 27 November 2002.
II. Norwegian import arrangements
From 1 January 2005, Norway will open the following annual tariff quotas for the Community:
|
Norwegian tariff codes |
Description |
Volume |
Applicable rate of duty |
|
1506.0021 |
Bonefat, bone oil and neat's foot oil |
2 360 tonnes |
Free |
|
1518.0041 |
Linseed oil |
100 tonnes |
Free |
III. Community Import arrangements
From 1 January 2005, the Community will open the following annual tariff quotas for Norway:
|
Order number |
CN Code |
Description |
Volume |
Applicable rate of duty |
|
09.0765 |
1517 10 90 |
Margarine, excluding liquid margarine, containing, by weight, not more than 10% of milk fats |
2 470 tonnes |
Free |
|
09.0771 |
ex 2207 10 00 (TARIC Code 90 ) |
Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcohol strength by volume of 80% vol. or higher, other than that obtained from agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EEC Treaty |
164 000 hectolitres |
Free |
|
09.0772 |
ex 2207 20 00 (TARIC Code 90 ) |
Ethyl alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any strength, other than that obtained from agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EEC Treaty |
14 340 hectolitres |
Free |
|
09.0774 |
2403 10 |
Smoking tobacco, whether or not containing tobacco substitutes in any proportion |
370 tonnes |
Free |
IV. Community arrangements on certain soft drinks
— From 1 January 2005, the present arrangements temporarily suspend the duty free regime applied under Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement to goods classified under CN codes 2202 10 00 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured) and ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)).
— The Community will open an annual duty free tariff quota from 1 January to 31 December for goods originating in Norway and classified under CN codes 2202 10 00 (waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured) and ex 2202 90 10 (other non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar (sucrose or invert sugar)), for the following quantity: 14,3 million litres in 2005. Outside the quota allocation, the import duty will be 0,047 €/litre. The import duty may be revised annually on the basis of the difference in sugar prices between Norway and the Community.
— On 31 October 2005, and on 31 October of each following year, if the tariff quota has been exhausted, the tariff quota applicable from 1 January of the following year will be increased by 10 %. If the quota has not been exhausted on that date, the products mentioned in paragraph 1 will be granted unlimited duty free access to the Community from 1 January to 31 December of the following year.
V. The tariff quotas specified under II, III and IV shall be granted to originating products in accordance with the rules of origin laid down in Protocol N
o
3 to the 1973 Free Trade Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
B. Letter from Norway
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today's date which reads as follows:
‘I have the honour to confirm that the European Community is in agreement with the “Agreed minutes” attached to this letter concerning Protocol No 2 to the bilateral free trade agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway.
I should be obliged if you would confirm that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway is in agreement with the content of this letter.’
I have the honour to confirm that my Government is in agreement with the content of your letter and the proposed date of entry into force of the amendments.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Done at Brussels,
Hecho en Bruselas, el
V Bruselu dne
Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den
Geschehen zu Brüssel am
Brüssel,
Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις
Fait à Bruxelles, le
Fatto a Bruxelles, addí
Briselÿ,
Priimta Briuselyje,
Kelt Brüsszelben,
Magÿmula fi Brussel,
Gedaan te Brussel,
Sporzÿdzono w Brukseli, dnia
Feito em Bruxelas,
V Bruseli,
V Bruslju,
Tehty Brysselissä
Utfärdat i Bryssel den
Întocmit la Bruxelles
[Bild bitte in Originalquelle ansehen]
For the Government of the Kingdom of Norway
Por el Gobierno del Reino de Noruega
Za vládu Norského království
På vegne af Kongeriget Norges regering
Im Namen des Königreichs Norwegen
Norra Kuningriigi valitsuse nimel
Για την Κυβέρνηση του Βασιλείου της Νορβηγίας
Pour le gouvernement du Royaume de Norvège
Per il Governo del Regno di Norvegia
Norvēģijas Karalistes valdības vārdā
Norvegijos Karalystės Vyriausybės vardu
A Norvég Királyság Kormánya részéről
Għall-Gvern tar-Renju tan-Norveġja
Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk Noorwegen
W imieniu Rządu Królestwa Norwegii
Pelo Governo do Reino da Noruega
Za vládu Nórskeho kráľovstva
Za vlado Kraljevine Norveške
Norjan kuningaskunnan hallituksen puolesta
För Konungariket Norges regering
[Bild bitte in Originalquelle ansehen]
(1)
OJ L 22, 24.1.2002, p. 34
.
(2)
OJ L 171, 27.6.1973, p. 2
.
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