THE JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway, signed in Brussels on 14 May 1973 (‘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, Norway, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein), Iceland, 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 29 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 Norway signed the Convention on 15 June 2011.
(5)
The EU and Norway deposited their instruments of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012 and 9 November 2011, respectively. Consequently, in application of its Article 10(3), the Convention entered into force in relation to the EU and Norway on 1 May 2012 and 1 January 2012, respectively.
(6)
The Convention has included the 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: