Commission Implementing Decision of 4 April 2012 amending Decisions 2008/603/EC, 2008/691/EC and 2008/751/EC as regards the temporary derogations from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar with regard to preserved tuna and tuna loins (notified under document C(2012) 2321) (2012/190/EU)

Commission Implementing Decision

of 4 April 2012

amending Decisions 2008/603/EC, 2008/691/EC and 2008/751/EC as regards the temporary derogations from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar with regard to preserved tuna and tuna loins

(notified under document C(2012) 2321)

(2012/190/EU)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 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(1), and in particular Article 36(4) of Annex II thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 17 July 2008 the Commission adopted Decision 2008/603/EC(2) granting a temporary derogation from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Mauritius with regard to preserved tuna and tuna loins. By Commission Implementing Decision 2011/377/EU(3) extension of that temporary derogation was granted until 31 December 2011. On 6 October 2011 Mauritius requested in accordance with Article 36 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 a new derogation from the rules of origin set out in that Annex. According to the information received from Mauritius the catches of raw tuna remain unusually low even compared to the normal seasonal variations. Given that the abnormal situation since 2008 remains unchanged and because of the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean a new derogation should be granted with effect from 1 January 2012.

(2) On 14 August 2008 the Commission adopted Decision 2008/691/EC(4) granting a temporary derogation from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Seychelles with regard to preserved tuna. By Implementing Decision 2011/377/EU extension of that temporary derogation was granted until 31 December 2011. On 17 November 2011 Seychelles requested in accordance with Article 36 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 a new derogation from the rules of origin set out in that Annex. According to the information provided by Seychelles the catches of raw tuna remain very low even compared to the normal seasonal variations. Furthermore, the threat of piracy results in a reduced number of fishing days in lucrative but high risk areas. Given that the abnormal situation since 2008 remains unchanged, a new derogation should be granted with effect from 1 January 2012.

(3) On 18 September 2008 the Commission adopted Decision 2008/751/EC(5) granting a temporary derogation from the rules of origin laid down in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 to take account of the special situation of Madagascar with regard to preserved tuna and tuna loins. By Implementing Decision 2011/377/EU extension of that temporary derogation was granted until 31 December 2011. On 25 October 2011 Madagascar requested in accordance with Article 36 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 a new derogation from the rules of origin set out in that Annex. According to this information sourcing of raw originating tuna remains difficult due to the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean. Given that the abnormal situation since 2008 remains unchanged, a new derogation should be granted with effect from 1 January 2012.

(4) Decisions 2008/603/EC, 2008/691/EC and 2008/751/EC applied until 31 December 2011. It is necessary to ensure continuity of importations from the ACP countries to the Union as well as a smooth transition to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the Eastern and Southern Africa States on the one part and the European Community and its Member States on the other part (ESA-EU Interim Economic Partnership Agreement). Decisions 2008/603/EC, 2008/691/EC and 2008/751/EC should therefore be extended from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012.

(5) It would be inappropriate to grant derogations in accordance with Article 36 of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007 which exceed the annual quota granted to the ESA region under the ESA-EU Interim Economic Partnership Agreement. Consequently the quota amounts for 2012 should be set at 3 000 tonnes of preserved tuna and 600 tonnes of tuna loins for Mauritius, 3 000 tonnes of preserved tuna and 600 tonnes of tuna loins for Seychelles and 2 000 tonnes of preserved tuna and 500 tonnes of tuna loins for Madagascar.

(6) In the interest of clarity, it is appropriate to set out explicitly that the only non-originating materials to be used for the manufacture of preserved tuna and tuna loins of CN code 1604 14 16 should be tuna of HS Headings 0302 or 0303, in order for the preserved tuna and tuna loins to benefit from the derogation.

(7) Decisions 2008/603/EC, 2008/691/EC and 2008/751/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

OJ L 348, 31.12.2007, p. 1.

(2)

OJ L 194, 23.7.2008, p. 9.

(3)

OJ L 168, 28.6.2011, p. 12.

(4)

OJ L 225, 23.8.2008, p. 17.

(5)

OJ L 255, 23.9.2008, p. 31.