(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)

Under Articles 5 and 7 of Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union, and following the resignation of Mr Nicholas James FORWOOD as of 1 October 2015, a Judge should be appointed to the General Court for the remainder of the term of office of Mr Nicholas James FORWOOD, which runs until 31 August 2019.

(2)

Mr Ian Stewart FORRESTER has been proposed as a candidate for the vacant post.

(3)

The panel set up by Article 255 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union has given an opinion on the suitability of Mr Ian Stewart FORRESTER to perform the duties of Judge of the General Court,

(1)

The terms of office of 14 Judges of the General Court are due to expire on 31 August 2016. Appointments should therefore be made for the period from 1 September 2016 to 31 August 2022.

(2)

It has been proposed that the terms of office of Mr Heikki KANNINEN and Mr Juraj SCHWARCZ as Judges of the General Court should be renewed.

(3)

The panel set up by Article 255 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union has given an opinion on the suitability of Mr Heikki KANNINEN and Mr Juraj SCHWARCZ to perform the duties of Judges of the General Court,

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Mr Heikki KANNINEN,

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Mr Juraj SCHWARCZ.

(1)

Article IX of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization ('WTO') sets out, inter alia, the procedures for waiving obligations imposed on WTO Members by that Agreement or by the Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annexes 1A or 1B or 1C to that Agreement and their annexes.

(2)

In 2011, a waiver was requested enabling WTO Members to grant preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed country Members ('LDC Members') without according the same treatment to like services and service suppliers of all other WTO Members by exceptionally derogating from the obligation under paragraph 1 of Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services ('GATS'). The position of the Union in support of that waiver was adopted by Council Decision 2012/8/EU (1).

(3)

On 17 December 2011, the Ministerial Conference of the WTO adopted a decision authorising WTO Members to grant such preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of LDC Members for a period of 15 years. Pursuant to that decision, WTO Members according preferential treatment are to submit a notification to the Council for Trade in Services ('CTS') and preferential treatment with respect to the application of measures other than those described in Article XVI of the GATS is to be approved by the CTS in accordance with its procedures.

(4)

In its decision of 7 December 2013, the WTO Ministerial Conference restated the requirement of CTS approval with regard to the application of measures other than those described in Article XVI of the GATS.

(5)

The approval of preferential treatment notified by WTO Members, other than the Union and its Member States, as regards services and service suppliers of LDC Members is in the interest of the development objectives of the Union and is conducive to concluding a part of the negotiations on services relating to the Doha Development Agenda.

(6)

Therefore, it is appropriate to establish the position to be adopted on the Union's behalf within the CTS on the approval of preferential treatment notified by WTO Members, other than the Union and its Member States, as regards services and service suppliers of LDC Members, on the application of measures other than those described in Article XVI of the GATS,

(1)

On 26 January, on 5 February and on 23 June 2015, the Council adopted Decisions (EU) 2015/116 (1), (EU) 2015/190 (2) and (EU) 2015/994 (3) appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2015 to 25 January 2020.

(2)

Two members' seats on the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the end of the term of office of Mr Alberto GARRE LÓPEZ and Mr Pedro SANZ ALONSO,

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D. Pedro Antonio SÁNCHEZ LÓPEZ, Presidente de la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia

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D. José Ignacio CENICEROS GONZÁLEZ, Presidente de Gobierno de la Comunidad Autónoma de La Rioja

(1)

On 26 January, on 5 February and on 23 June 2015, the Council adopted Decisions (EU) 2015/116 (1), (EU) 2015/190 (2) and (EU) 2015/994 (3) appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2015 to 25 January 2020.

(2)

A member's seat on the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the end of the term of office of Mr Hans NIESSL,

(3)

An alternate member's seat on the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the end of the term of office of Mr Christian ILLEDITS,

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Mr Christian ILLEDITS, Landtagspräsident Burgenland

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Mr Hans NIESSL, Landeshauptmann Burgenland.

(1)

On 26 January, on 5 February and on 23 June 2015, the Council adopted Decisions (EU) 2015/116 (1), (EU) 2015/190 (2) and (EU) 2015/994 (3) appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2015 to 25 January 2020.

(2)

Four members' seats on the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the end of the terms of office of Mr R.E. (Ralph) DE VRIES, Mr A. (Bert) GIJSBERTS, Mrs W.H. (Hester) MAIJ and Mr B.S. (Bote) WILPSTRA.

(3)

Four alternate members' seats on the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the end of the terms of office of Mr H. (Henk) BRINK, Mr J.H.J. (Hans) KONST, Mrs E.M. (Elvira) SWEET, and Mrs Dr J.M.E. (Annemieke) TRAAG.

(4)

An alternate member's seat would become vacant following the appointment of Mr T.J.S.M. BOVENS as member of the Committee of the Regions,

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Mr J.A. (John) JORRITSMA, Commissaris van de Koning in Fryslân

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Mr Th.J.F.M. (Theo) BOVENS, Commissaris van de Koning in Limburg

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Mr M.A. (Michiel) SCHEFFER, Gedeputeerde in Gelderland

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Mr C.J. (Cees) LOGGEN, Gedeputeerde in Noord-Holland

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Mrs N. (Nienke) HOMAN, Gedeputeerde in Groningen

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Mr A. (Ard) VAN DER TUUK, Gedeputeerde in Drenthe

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Mr D.J.E. (Erik) LIEVERS, Gedeputeerde in Overijssel

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Mrs A.M.A. (Mariëtte) PENNARTS-POUW, Gedeputeerde in Utrecht

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Mr M.A. (Michiel) RIJSBERMAN, Gedeputeerde in Flevoland

(1)

Decision ECB/2014/8 of the European Central Bank (1) specifies the market rates that will operate as ceilings for the remuneration of deposits held by governments and public authorities with their national central bank (NCB). This assists the Governing Council in monitoring the NCBs' compliance with the prohibition on monetary financing set out in Article 123 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

(2)

The Eurepo index was identified in Article 1(d) of Decision ECB/2014/8 as the secured market rate with regard to fixed term deposits in euro. The Eurepo index was discontinued on 2 January 2015. The secured market rate with regard to fixed term deposits in euro will now be the STOXX EUR GC Pooling term indices with a comparable maturity.

(3)

Therefore, Decision ECB/2014/8 should be amended accordingly,

(1)

Guideline ECB/2014/9 of the European Central Bank (1) specifies the general principles to be followed by the national central banks of Member States whose currency is the euro (hereinafter the ‘NCBs’) when carrying out domestic operations in assets and liabilities on their own initiative.

(2)

The Eurepo index was identified in Article 2(e) of Guideline ECB/2014/9 as the secured market rate with regard to fixed term deposits in domestic currency. The Eurepo index was discontinued on 2 January 2015. The secured market rate with regard to fixed term deposits in domestic currency will now be the STOXX EUR GC Pooling term indices with a comparable maturity.

(3)

Therefore, Guideline ECB/2014/9 should be amended accordingly,