ACP countries — economic partnership agreements and export arrangements

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2016/1076 — arrangements for products originating in certain ACP states

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It revises and replaces Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 concerning the arrangements for products originating in certain African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries provided for in agreements establishing, or leading to the establishment, of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). Specifically, it removes from the scope of that regulation those countries that have not taken the necessary steps towards ratification of EPAs with the EU.

KEY POINTS

Scope

Regulation (EU) 2016/1076, as amended by several delegated acts, applies to countries listed in its Annex I*.
Regions or countries from the ACP which take steps to conclude EPAs with the EU fulfilling certain criteria may be added to the list.
Countries that had not taken the necessary steps to ratify their EPA concluded with the EU (and which were removed from the scope of this regulation) may be added to the list if they take those steps.
Countries on the list may be removed from the list if the European Commission finds that they do not take steps to ratify their agreements, if the entry into force is unduly delayed or if the agreement is stopped.

Market access

Trade preferences will continue to be granted to these countries from 1 January 2008.
The listed countries are granted duty-free, quota-free access (with the exception of arms and ammunition) to the EU market.

Safeguard measures

A safeguard measure can be imposed where products coming from one of the listed regions or countries are imported into the EU in such increased quantities and in such a way that they cause or may cause:

serious injury to EU industry;
disturbances in a sector of the economy, particularly where they cause major social problems or difficulties that could seriously worsen the economic situation of the EU; or
disturbances in the markets of agricultural products;
a disturbance in the economic situation of one or more the outermost regions of the EU.

Measures that can be taken for the product concerned include:

suspension of the further reduced rate of import duty coming from the region or state concerned;
increase in the customs duty up to a level which does not exceed the customs duty applied to other World Trade Organisation members;
a tariff quota.

Such measures cannot last more than 4 years.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 28 July 2016. Regulation (EU) 2016/1076 revised and replaced Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 and its subsequent amendments.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Trade with ACP countries (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

ACP countries in Annex I: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Republic of Botswana, the Republic of Cameroon, the Union of Comoros, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of Ghana, Grenada, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Jamaica, the Republic of Kenya, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Madagascar, the Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Namibia, the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the independent State of Samoa, the Republic of Seychelles, Solomon Islands, the Republic of Suriname, the Kingdom of Swaziland, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Zimbabwe.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2016/1076 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 applying the arrangements for products originating in certain states which are part of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States provided for in agreements establishing, or leading to the establishment of, economic partnership agreements (recast) (OJ L 185, 8.7.2016, pp. 1-191)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/1076 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.