Common rules for imports from certain non-EU countries

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2015/755 — imports from certain non-EU countries

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

• It sets out common rules for the application of safeguard measures to imports from certain non-EU countries that may cause serious injury or the threat of serious injury* to EU producers, and for the surveillance of those imports.
• The rules for products from five countries differ from the EU’s general common rules for imports and from the rules set out for textile products from certain non-EU countries under Regulation (EU) 2015/936.

KEY POINTS

Scope

• It applies to products from:
  • Azerbaijan,
  • Belarus,
  • North Korea,
  • Turkmenistan,
  • Uzbekistan.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/749 removes Kazakhstan from the list following its accession to the World Trade Organisation.

EU investigation procedure

• EU countries must inform the European Commission if trends in imports appear to call for surveillance or safeguard measures*.
• A Commission investigation seeks to determine whether imports of a product are causing (or are threatening to cause) serious injury to the EU producers concerned.
• Investigation must normally be completed within 9 months but, in certain cases, may be extended to 11 months.
• It examines:
  • the trend in imports;
  • the conditions in which they take place;
  • whether there is serious injury or the threat of serious injury to EU producers resulting from such imports.
• It considers different factors including:
  • the volume of imports;
  • the price of imports;
  • the consequent impact on European producers of similar or directly competitive products.
• If the investigation shows that imports have increased so much so that they cause (or threaten to cause) serious injury to EU producers, the Commission can impose safeguard measures.

Safeguard measures

• The EU investigation may lead to a restriction of imports of the product concerned.
• Imports would require import authorisation subject to rules and limits set out by the Commission.
• Measures may be limited to one or more EU regions but must be temporary and not unduly affect the workings of the single market.

Surveillance measures

• The investigation may lead to prior or retrospective EU surveillance of a product.
• Surveillance is a system of automatic import licensing over a period of time. It does not restrict imports either retroactively or in advance.
• Products under prior surveillance may be put into free circulation, though only upon the presentation of an import surveillance document endorsed by the competent authority designated by an EU country and valid throughout the EU.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 8 June 2015.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• Import into the EU (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2015/755 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 on common rules for imports from certain third countries (OJ L 123, 19.5.2015, pp. 33-49)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2015/755 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 on common rules for imports (OJ L 83, 27.3.2015, pp. 16-33)

Regulation (EU) 2015/936 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2015 on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Union import rules (OJ L 160, 25.6.2015, pp. 1-54)

See consolidated version.

last update 24.10.2017