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Document 52013PC0277
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION__pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,_on the European Parliament's amendments_to the Council's position regarding the proposal for a Regulation_OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL__amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 as regards the exclusion of a number of countries from the list of regions or states which have concluded negotiations
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION__pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,_on the European Parliament's amendments_to the Council's position regarding the proposal for a Regulation_OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL__amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 as regards the exclusion of a number of countries from the list of regions or states which have concluded negotiations
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION__pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,_on the European Parliament's amendments_to the Council's position regarding the proposal for a Regulation_OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL__amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 as regards the exclusion of a number of countries from the list of regions or states which have concluded negotiations
/* COM/2013/0277 final - 2011/0260 (COD) */
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION__pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,_on the European Parliament's amendments_to the Council's position regarding the proposal for a Regulation_OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL__amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 as regards the exclusion of a number of countries from the list of regions or states which have concluded negotiations /* COM/2013/0277 final - 2011/0260 (COD) */
2011/0260 (COD) OPINION OF THE COMMISSION
pursuant to Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union,
on the European Parliament's amendments
to the Council's position regarding the proposal for a Regulation
OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 as regards the
exclusion of a number of countries from the list of regions or states which
have concluded negotiations 1. Introduction Article 294(7)(c) of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union provides that the Commission is to deliver an
opinion on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second
reading. The Commission sets out its opinion below on the two amendments
proposed by the Parliament. 2. Background After the signature of the Cotonou
Agreement in 2000 setting out principles and provisions for the Economic
Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)
countries and regions and the negotiating process ensuing therefrom, a number
of countries concluded negotiations and initialled interim EPAs at the end of
2007. In order to avoid a disruption in trade preferences, Council Regulation
(EC) No 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 (the "Market Access Regulation")
set out the conditions for unilateral advance provisional application by the EU
of trade preferences from 1 January 2008 in anticipation of EPA ratifications. While 19 ACP countries have taken the
necessary steps towards ratification of their EPAs, another 17 have failed to
do so. According to the criteria set out in Article 2(3) of the Market Access
Regulation, these 17 countries no longer meet the conditions of the Market
Access Regulation and accordingly, trade preferences should no longer be
maintained. 3. Objective of the proposal from the
Commission The Commission proposal is intended to
amend the list of countries benefiting from the preferences (Annex I of the Regulation)
by removing, on 1 January 2014, those which have still not taken the necessary
steps towards ratification of an EPA. The proposal is intended to ensure
equitable treatment vis-à-vis EPA partners that are fully complying with their
obligations. 4. Opinion of the Commission on the
amendments proposed by the European Parliament –
Delay of the date of entry into force At second reading, the European Parliament
proposes to delay the entry into force of the amendment to the Market Access
Regulation by ten months, i.e. to 1 October 2014. The Commission considers its
original proposal of entry into force on 1 January 2014 preferable as any
further delays increase the risks associated with extending a temporary
arrangement that cannot provide a solid legal basis of ACP market access.
However, with a view to ensuring inter-institutional unity and a broad majority
for the adoption of the amendment proposal the amendment is nevertheless
acceptable. –
Amendment to limit the Delegation of Powers The second amendment by the European Parliament
concerns the limitation in time of the delegation of powers conferred to the
Commission. While the Commission had originally not proposed a limitation in
time, the European Parliament proposed to limit the conferral of powers to five
years with tacit renewal. While this is not the preferred approach of the
Commission, this does not raise any particular problems in the case at hand and
is therefore acceptable. 5. Conclusion Pursuant to Article 293(2) of the Treaty on
the Functioning of the European Union, the Commission amends its proposal as
set out above.