(1)

Article 19 of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 (1) provides that in the event of the adoption after 1 January 2014 of new rules or programmes under shared management for the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Internal Security Fund, the multiannual financial framework is to be revised in order to transfer to subsequent years, in excess of the corresponding expenditure ceilings, allocations not used in 2014. Pursuant to that Article, the revision concerning the transfer of unused allocations for the year 2014 shall be adopted before 1 May 2015.

(2)

As a result of such late adoption, EUR 11 216 187 326 in current prices of the allocation provided for the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund, EUR 9 446 050 652 in current prices of the allocation provided for the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, and EUR 442 319 096 of the allocation provided for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Internal Security Fund could not be committed in 2014 nor carried over to 2015.

(3)

The Annex to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 should therefore be revised by transferring the commitment appropriations not used in 2014 to subsequent years for sub-heading 1b, heading 2 and heading 3. For that purpose, the figures in current prices should be converted into 2011 prices.

(4)

Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

Pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, Italy's application to register the name ‘Patata Rossa di Colfiorito’ was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2).

(2)

As no statement of opposition under Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has been received by the Commission, the name ‘Patata Rossa di Colfiorito’ should therefore be entered in the register,

(1)

Pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 53(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission has examined Spain's application for the approval of amendments to the specification for the protected designation of origin ‘Queso de Zamorano’, registered under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 (2).

(2)

Since the amendments in question are not minor within the meaning of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission published the amendment application in the Official Journal of the European Union as required by Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation (3).

(3)

As no statement of opposition under Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has been received by the Commission, the amendments to the specification should be approved,

(1)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 lays down, pursuant to the outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the standard values for imports from third countries, in respect of the products and periods stipulated in Annex XVI, Part A thereto.

(2)

The standard import value is calculated each working day, in accordance with Article 136(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011, taking into account variable daily data. Therefore this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

(1)

On 14 October 2004, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (‘the Convention’) was approved, on behalf of the European Community, by Council Decision 2006/507/EC (1).

(2)

The Union has implemented the obligations of the Convention in Union law by way of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2).

(3)

The Union places a strong emphasis on the need for the gradual expansion of Annexes A, B and/or C to the Convention with new chemicals which fulfil the criteria for persistent organic pollutants, taking into account the precautionary principle, with a view to meeting the objective of the Convention and the commitment of governments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002 to minimise the adverse effects of chemicals by 2020.

(4)

Pursuant to Article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties (COP) may adopt decisions amending Annexes A, B and/or C to the Convention. Such decisions enter into force one year from the date of communication by the depositary of an amendment, with the exception of those Parties to the Convention (‘the Parties’) that have opted out.

(5)

Following the receipt in 2011 of a nomination by the Union of pentachlorophenol (PCP), the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POP RC) established under the Convention has concluded its work on PCP. POP RC found that PCP meets the criteria of the Convention for listing in Annex A thereto. At its seventh meeting, the COP is expected to decide on the inclusion of PCP in Annex A to the Convention.

(6)

The placing on the market or use of PCP is prohibited pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3). The placing on the market and the use of PCP as a plant protection product or as a biocidal product are prohibited pursuant to Regulations (EC) No 1107/2009 (4) and (EU) No 528/2012 (5) of the European Parliament and of the Council, respectively. Since PCP is capable of long-range environmental transport, a global phase-out of the use of that chemical would be more beneficial to the Union's citizens than a prohibition in the Union alone.

(7)

POP RC recommends the listing of PCP in Annex A to the Convention with a specific exemption for the production and use of PCP for utility poles and cross-arms. The Union does not need the specific exemption, but should accept the exemption during the seventh meeting of COP, if that is required to ensure the listing of PCP.

(8)

Following the receipt in 2011 of a nomination by the Union of chlorinated naphthalenes, POP RC found that polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN) meet the criteria of the Convention for listing in Annexes A and C thereto. At its seventh meeting, the COP is expected to decide on the inclusion of PCN in Annexes A and C to the Convention.

(9)

There is no production of PCN in the Union, but it may be produced unintentionally, most significantly via combustion (primarily waste incineration). Such activities are covered by Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (6), and require the application of certain emission management measures.

(10)

The placing on the market and use of PCN are prohibited in the Union pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 850/2004. Since PCN is capable of long-range environmental transport, a global phase-out of the use of that chemical would be more beneficial to the Union's citizens than the prohibition in the Union alone.

(11)

Following the receipt in 2011 of a nomination by the Union of hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), PO PRC found that HCBD meets the criteria of the Convention for listing in Annexes A and C thereto. At its seventh meeting, the COP is expected to decide on the inclusion of HCBD in Annexes A and C to the Convention.

(12)

The production of HCBD has ceased in the Union, but HCBD may be produced unintentionally in some industrial activities. Such activities are covered by Directive 2010/75/EU and require the application of certain emission management measures.

(13)

The placing on the market and use of HCBD are prohibited in the Union pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 850/2004. Since HCBD is capable of long-range environmental transport, a global phase-out of the use of that chemical would be more beneficial to the Union's citizens than the prohibition in the Union alone.

(14)

Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its derivatives are already listed in Annex B to the Convention with a number of specific exemptions. Following a review of those exemptions, POP RC encourages Parties to stop using PFOS in carpets, leather and apparel, textiles and upholstery, coatings and coating additives and insecticides for the control of red imported fire ants and termites. POP RC also encourages Parties to restrict the use of PFOS in hard metal plating, which is allowed as a ‘specific exemption’, by only keeping the use in hard metal plating only in closed-loop systems, which is allowed as an ‘acceptable purpose’ under the Convention. Moreover, POP RC encourages Parties to stop using PFOS in insect baits for the control of leaf cutting ants from Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp., which is currently allowed as an ‘acceptable purpose’ under the Convention.

(15)

The Union should support the deletion of the ‘specific exemptions’ and ‘acceptable purposes’ for PFOS and its derivatives in line with the proposal made by POP RC, including the exemption for use as wetting agents in controlled electroplating systems, which has been implemented in the Union by Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 with the expiry date of 26 August 2015,