Commission Regulation (EC) No 2247/2003
of 19 December 2003
laying down detailed rules for the application in the beef and veal sector of Council Regulation (EC) No 2286/2002 on the arrangements applicable to agricultural products and goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP States)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2286/2002 of 10 December 2002 on the arrangements applicable to agricultural products and goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP States) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1706/981, and in particular Article 5 thereof,
Whereas:
Regulation (EC) No 2286/2002 implements the arrangements for imports from the ACP States made as a result of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 20002 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Cotonou Agreement’). Article 1(3) of that Regulation introduces general arrangements for reducing customs duties on the products listed in Annex I thereto and specific arrangements for reducing customs duties on certain products covered by tariff quotas listed in Annex II thereto. Provision is made for an annual quota of 52 100 tonnes of boneless meat.
Prior to the Cotonou Agreement, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1918/98 of 9 September 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application in the beef and veal sector of Council Regulation (EC) No 1706/98 on the arrangements applicable to agricultural products and goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and repealing Regulation (EC) No 589/963 laid down detailed rules for implementing the concessions in the beef and veal sector. For the sake of clarity, Regulation (EC) No 1918/98 should be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation.
That scheme should be managed using import licences. To this end rules should be set on the submission of applications and the information to be given on applications and licences, by way of derogation, if necessary, from certain provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products4, and of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1445/95 of 26 June 1995 on rules of application for import and export licences in the beef and veal sector and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2377/805.
To allow optimum management of the tariff quotas, this Regulation should apply from 1 January 2004 on a multiannual basis.
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Beef and Veal,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: