http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eur/2017/2466

Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2466

of 18 December 2017

amending Regulation (EU) No 1388/2013 opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 31 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

In order to ensure the sufficient and uninterrupted supply of certain goods insufficiently produced in the Union and to avoid disturbances on the market for certain agricultural and industrial products, autonomous tariff quotas were opened by Council Regulation (EU) No 1388/20131. Products within those tariff quotas can be imported into the Union at reduced or zero duty rates.

(2)

For those reasons, it is necessary to open, with effect from 1 January 2018, tariff quotas at zero duty rates for an appropriate volume as regards 12 new products. In the case of five additional products, the quota volumes should be increased, as an increase is in the interests of economic operators of the Union.

(3)

In the case of one additional product, the quota volume should be decreased, as the production capacity of the Union producers has been increased.

(4)

In the case of five products, the quota period and the quota volume should be adapted, as they had been opened for a period of 6 months only.

(5)

In the case of another product, its description should be amended.

(6)

In the case of 12 other products, the autonomous tariff quotas of the Union should be closed with effect from 1 January 2018, as it is not in the Union's interest to maintain those quotas as from that date.

(7)

Regulation (EU) No 1388/2013 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8)

In order to avoid any interruption of the application of the quota scheme and to comply with the guidelines set out in the Communication from the Commission concerning autonomous tariff suspensions and quotas2, the changes provided for in this Regulation regarding the quotas for the products concerned have to apply from 1 January 2018. This Regulation should therefore enter into force as a matter of urgency,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: