Considerations on COM(2013)729 - EU position within the Association Council EU-Tunisia as regards the definition of the concept of "originating products" and methods of administrative cooperation

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dossier COM(2013)729 - EU position within the Association Council EU-Tunisia as regards the definition of the concept of "originating products" and ...
document COM(2013)729 EN
date October 24, 2013
 
(1) Protocol No 4 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part[2], hereafter 'the Agreement', as amended by Decision No 1/2012 of the EU-Tunisia Association Council of 20 February 2012[3], concerns the definition of the concept of 'originating products' and methods of administrative cooperation.

(2) Article 15 of Protocol No 4 contains a general prohibition of drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties for non-originating materials used in the manufacture of originating products. However, Paragraph 7 of this article stipulates that a drawback or partial exemption can be applied until 31 December 2012 subject to certain conditions.

(3) In order to provide clarity, long-term economic predictability and legal certainty for economic operators, the parties have agreed to extend by three years the application period of Article 15(7), with effect from 1 January 2013.

(4) In accordance with Article 39 of Protocol No 4, the Association Council established by the Agreement should decide to amend the Protocol accordingly.

(5) The European Union should therefore adopt the position set out in the attached draft decision within the Association Council.