EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Article 17(1) of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, and the Republic of Kazakhstan provides that trade in certain steel products are to be subject to a specific agreement on quantitative arrangements.

The Bilateral Agreement between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on trade in certain steel products concluded on 19 July 2005 expired on 31 December 2006. Since 2007 autonomous measures established by Council Regulation (EC) No 1870/2006 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1531/2007 have governed the trade in certain steel products between the European Community and Kazakhstan. Pending the signature and entry into force of a new agreement or Kazakhstan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), quantitative limits starting in 2009 were established with Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008. In addition, this Regulation provides for a procedure to administer this regime whereby the competent authorities of the Member States do not issue import licences before obtaining confirmation from the Commission that appropriate amounts remain available within the quantitative limit.

On 1 July 2013 Croatia became a member state of the EU. The current proposal is an adaptation in order to take account of Croatia’s accession to the EU.

The current proposal does not envisage any modifications of the existing quota levels. According to data from the Croatian State Office for Trade Policy during the last three years Croatia did not have any imports from Kazakhstan of steel products falling within the scope of the regulation. Furthermore, the existing quota has not been used. The quota utilisation was 0% in 2012 and 0% in 2013.

2.           LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL

Article 50 of the Act of Accession of Croatia provides that where acts of the institutions adopted prior to accession require adaptation by reason of accession, and the necessary adaptations have not been provided for in the Act of Accession or its Annexes, the Council, acting by qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission should adopt the necessary acts. Where those acts are adopted after accession, they may be applied as of the date of accession.

The envisaged amendments to the regulation are directly and exclusively linked to Croatia’s accession to the European Union, therefore Article 50 of Act of Accession is used as the sole legal basis.

The envisaged amendments consist of:

1)           Amending Article 9.6 to add the two letters HR identifying Croatia as a member state intended of destination in the standardised serial number attached to each export licence or equivalent document, and

2)           Amending Annex IV to add the Croatian national authority in the list of competent national authorities in charge of implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008.

3.           BUDGETARY IMPLICATION

No budgetary implications are envisaged.

2014/0207 (NLE)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

adapting Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 of 8 December 2008 on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and the Republic of Kazakhstan by reason of the accession of Croatia to the European Union

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Croatia, and in particular Article 50 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)       Pursuant to Article 50 of the Act of Accession of Croatia, where acts of the institutions remain valid beyond 1 July 2013, and require adaptation by reason of accession, and the necessary adaptations have not been provided for in the Act of Accession or its Annexes, the necessary acts are to be adopted by the Council.

(2)       Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 of 8 December 2008 on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and the Republic of Kazakhstan[1] was adopted prior to the accession of Croatia, requires adaptation by reason of this accession and such an adaptation is not provided for in the Act of Accession of Croatia or its Annexes.

(3)       Therefore, it is appropriate to add the two letters identifying Croatia as a Member State of intended destination in the standardised serial number attached to each export licence or equivalent document and add the Croatian national authority to the list of competent national authorities in charge of implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008.

(4)       Retroactive application is necessary to ensure that trade in steel products under Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 is not affected.

(5)       Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 should be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 shall be amended as follows:

(1)          Article 9 paragraph 6 shall be replaced by the following:

“6.     The serial number shall be composed of the following elements:

– two letters identifying the exporting country as follows:

KZ = Republic of Kazakhstan,

– two letters identifying the Member State of intended destination as follows:

BE = Belgium

BG = Bulgaria

CZ = Czech Republic

DK = Denmark

DE = Germany

EE = Estonia

IE = Ireland

GR = Greece

ES = Spain

FR = France

HR = Croatia

IT = Italy

CY = Cyprus

LV = Latvia

LT = Lithuania

LU = Luxembourg

HU = Hungary

MT = Malta

NL = Netherlands

AT = Austria

PL = Poland

PT = Portugal

RO = Romania

SI = Slovenia

SK = Slovakia

FI = Finland

SE = Sweden

GB = United Kingdom,

– a one-digit number identifying the quota year corresponding to the last figure in the year in question, e.g. ‘9’ for 2009,

– a two-digit number identifying the issuing office in the exporting country,

– a five-digit number running consecutively from 00 001 to 99 999 allocated to the specific Member State of destination.”

(2)          Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 July 2013.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

                                                                       For the Council

                                                                       The President

[1]               Council Regulation (EC) No 1340/2008 of 8 December 2008 on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and the Republic of Kazakhstan (OJ L 348, 24.12.2008, p. 1.)

ANNEX

'Annex IV

СПИСЪК НА КОМПЕТЕНТНИТЕ НАЦИОНАЛНИ ОРГАНИ

LISTA DE LAS AUTORIDADES NACIONALES COMPETENTES

SEZNAM PŘÍSLUŠNÝCH VNITROSTÁTNÍCH ORGÁNŮ

LISTE OVER KOMPETENTE NATIONALE MYNDIGHEDER

LISTE DER ZUSTÄNDIGEN BEHÖRDEN DER MITGLIEDSTAATEN

PÄDEVATE RIIKLIKE ASUTUSTE NIMEKIRI

ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΡΧΩΝ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ ΑΔΕΙΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΚΡΑΤΩΝ ΜΕΛΩΝ

LIST OF THE COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITIES

LISTE DES AUTORITÉS NATIONALES COMPÉTENTES

POPIS NADLEZNIH NACIONALNIH TIJELA

ELENCO DELLE COMPETENTI AUTORITÀ NAZIONALI

VALSTU KOMPETENTO IESTĀŽU SARAKSTS

ATSAKINGŲ NACIONALINIŲ INSTITUCIJŲ SĄRAŠAS

AZ ILLETÉKES NEMZETI HATÓSÁGOK LISTÁJA

LISTA TAL-AWTORITAJIET NAZZJONALI KOMPETENTI

LIJST VAN BEVOEGDE NATIONALE INSTANTIES

WYKAZ WŁAŚCIWYCH ORGANÓW KRAJOWYCH

LISTA DAS AUTORIDADES NACIONAIS COMPETENTES

LISTA AUTORITĂȚILOR NAȚIONALE COMPETENTE

ZOZNAM PRÍSLUŠNÝCH ŠTÁTNYCH ORGÁNOV

SEZNAM PRISTOJNIH NACIONALNIH ORGANOV

LUETTELO TOIMIVALTAISISTA KANSALLISISTA VIRANOMAISISTA

FÖRTECKNING ÖVER BEHÖRIGA NATIONELLA MYNDIGHETER

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

Service public fédéral de l'économie, des PME, des classes moyennes et de l'énergie

Direction générale du potentiel économique

Service des licences

Rue de Louvain 44

B-1000 Bruxelles

Fax (32-2) 277 50 63

Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, KMO,

Middenstand & Energie

Algemene Directie Economisch Potentieel

Dienst Vergunningen

Leuvenseweg 44

B-1000 Brussel

Fax (32-2) 277 50 63

DANMARK

Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen

Økonomi- og Erhvervsministeriet

Langelinie Allé 17

DK-2100 København Ø

Fax: (45) 35 46 60 01

DEUTSCHLAND

Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle,

(BAFA)

Frankfurter Straße 29—35

D-65760 Eschborn 1

Fax: (49) 6196 90 88 00

БЪЛГАРИЯ

Министерство на икономиката и енергетиката

дирекция "Регистриране, лицензиране и контрол"

ул. "Славянска" № 8

1052 София

Факс: (359-2) 981 50 41

Fax (359-2) 980 47 10

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA

Ministerstvo průmyslu a obchodu

Licenční správa

Na Františku 32

CZ-110 15 Praha 1

Fax: (420) 224 21 21 33

FRANCE

Ministère de l'économie, des finances et de l'industrie

Direction générale des entreprises

Sous-direction des biens de consommation

Bureau textile-importations

Le Bervil

12, rue Villiot

F-75572 Paris Cedex 12

Fax (33) 153 44 91 81

REPUBLIKA HRVATSKA

Ministarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova

Trg N. Š. Zrinskog 7-8,

10000 Zagreb

Tel: (385) 1 6444626

Fax: (385) 1 6444601

ITALIA

Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico

Direzione Generale per la Politica Commerciale

DIV. III

Viale America, 341

I-00144 Roma

Tel. (39) 06 59 64 24 71/59 64 22 79

Fax (39) 06 59 93 22 35/59 93 26 36

E-mail: polcom3@mincomes.it

EESTI

Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium

Harju 11

EE-15072 Tallinn

Faks: +372 631 3660

IRELAND

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Import/Export Licensing, Block C

Earlsfort Centre

Hatch Street

IE-Dublin 2

Fax: +353-1-631 25 62

ΕΛΛΑΣ

Υπουργείο Οικονομίας & Οικονομικών

Γενική Διεύθυνση Διεθνούς Οικονομικής Πολιτικής

Διεύθυνση Καθεστώτων Εισαγωγών-Εξαγωγών,

Εμπορικής Άμυνας

Κορνάρου 1

GR-105 63 Αθήνα

Φαξ (30-210) 328 60 94

ESPAÑA

Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio

Secretaría General de Comercio Exterior

Subdirección General de Comercio Exterior de Productos Industriales

Paseo de la Castellana 162

E-28046 Madrid

Fax: +34-91 349 38 31

ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

Υπουργείο Εμπορίου, Βιομηχανίας και Τουρισμού

Υπηρεσία Εμπορίου

Μονάδα Έκδοσης Αδειών Εισαγωγής/Εξαγωγής

Οδός Ανδρέα Αραούζου Αρ. 6

CY-1421 Λευκωσία

Φαξ (357) 22 37 51 20

LATVIJA

Latvijas Republikas Ekonomikas ministrija

Brīvības iela 55

LV-1519 Rīga

Fakss: +371-728 08 82

LIETUVA

Lietuvos Respublikos ūkio ministerija

Prekybos departamentas

Gedimino pr. 38/2

LT-01104 Vilnius

Faks. +370-5-26 23 974

LUXEMBOURG

Ministère de l’économie et du commerce extérieur

Office des licences

BP 113

L-2011 Luxembourg

Fax (352) 46 61 38

MAGYARORSZÁG

Magyar Kereskedelmi Engedélyezési Hivatal

Margit krt. 85.

HU-1024 Budapest

Fax: (36-1) 336 73 02

MALTA

Diviżjoni għall-Kummerċ

Servizzi Kummerċjali

Lascaris

MT-Valletta CMR02

Fax: (356) 25 69 02 99

NEDERLAND

Belastingdienst/Douane centrale dienst voor in- en uitvoer

Postbus 30003, Engelse Kamp 2

NL-9700 RD Groningen

Fax (31-50) 523 23 41

ÖSTERREICH

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit

Außenwirtschaftsadministration

Abteilung C2/2

Stubenring 1

A-1011 Wien

Fax: (43-1) 7 11 00/83 86

ROMÂNIA

Ministerul pentru Întreprinderi Mici și Mijlocii, Comerț, Turism și Profesii Liberale

Direcția Generală Politici Comerciale

Str. Ion Câmpineanu, nr. 16

București, sector 1

Cod poștal 010036

Tel. (40-21) 315 00 81

Fax (40-21) 315 04 54

e-mail: clc@dce.gov.ro

SLOVENIJA

Ministrstvo za finance

Carinska uprava Republike Slovenije

Carinski urad Jesenice

Spodnji plavž 6C

SI-4270 Jesenice

Faks (386-4) 297 44 72

SLOVENSKO

Odbor obchodnej politiky

Ministerstvo hospodárstva

Mierová 19

827 15 Bratislava 212

Slovenská republika

Fax: (421-2) 48 54 31 16

SUOMI/FINLAND

Tullihallitus

PL 512

FI-00101 Helsinki

Faksi +358-20-492 28 52

Tullstyrelsen

PB 512

FI-00101 Helsingfors

Fax +358-20-492 28 52

POLSKA

Ministerstwo Gospodarki

Plac Trzech Krzyży 3/5

00-507 Warszawa

Polska

Fax: (48-22) 693 40 21/693 40 22

PORTUGAL

Ministério das Finanças e da Administração Pública

Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas e dos Impostos

Especiais sobre o Consumo

Rua da Alfândega, n.o 5, r/c

P-1149-006 Lisboa

Fax: (+351) 218 81 39 90

SVERIGE

Kommerskollegium

Box 6803

S-113 86 Stockholm

Fax (46-8) 30 67 59

UNITED KINGDOM

Department of Trade and Industry

Import Licensing Branch

Queensway House — West Precinct

Billingham

UK-TS23 2NF

Fax (44-1642) 36 42 69'