THE JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland, signed in Brussels on 22 July 1972, (‘the Agreement’), and in particular its Article 11,
Having regard to Protocol 3 to the Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation, (‘Protocol 3’),
Whereas:
(1)
Article 11 of the Agreement refers to Protocol 3 which lays down the rules of origin and provides for cumulation of origin between the EU, Iceland, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein), Norway, Turkey, the Faroe Islands and the participants in the Barcelona Process.
(2)
Article 39 of Protocol 3 provides that the Joint Committee provided for in Article 30 of the Agreement may decide to amend the provisions of this protocol.
(3)
The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (‘the Convention’), aims to replace the protocols on rules of origin currently in force among the countries of the pan-Euro-Mediterranean area with a single legal act.
(4)
The EU and Iceland signed the Convention on 15 June 2011 and 30 June 2011, respectively.
(5)
The EU and Iceland deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012 and 12 March 2012, respectively. Consequently, in application of its Article 10(3), the Convention entered into force in relation to the EU and Iceland on 1 May 2012.
(6)
The Convention has included participants in the Stabilisation and Association Process in the pan-Euro-Mediterranean zone of cumulation of origin.
(7)
Where the transition towards the Convention is not simultaneous for all Contracting Parties within the cumulation zone, it should not lead to any less favourable situation than previously under the Protocol.
(8)
Protocol 3 to the Agreement should therefore be amended so as to make reference to the Convention,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: