Commission Regulation (EC) No 209/2003

of 3 February 2003

amending Council Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 as regards Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products originating in Lebanon

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 of 9 April 2001 providing for the management of Community tariff quotas and of reference quantities for products eligible for preferences by virtue of agreements with certain Mediterranean countries and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1981/94 and (EC) No 934/95(1), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2335/2002(2), and in particular Article 5(1)(b) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pending the completion of the procedure necessary for the ratification and entry into force of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, an Interim Agreement was concluded on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, approved by Council Decision 2002/761/EC(3), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Interim Agreement’, which enters into force on 1 March 2003.

(2) In the Interim Agreement tariff concessions, at a reduced or zero-rate of customs duty, within the framework of Community tariff quotas have been granted at import into the Community for certain agricultural products originating in Lebanon.

(3) For the implementation of the tariff quotas provided for in the Interim Agreement it is necessary to include Lebanon in Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 and to insert in that Regulation a list of agricultural products originating in Lebanon for which tariff quotas are applicable.

(4) Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5) For the purpose of the calculation of the tariff quotas for the year 2003, it is stipulated in the Interim Agreement that the volumes of the tariff quotas, for which the quota period starts before the date of entry into force of the Interim Agreement, should be reduced in proportion to the part of the period which has elapsed before that date.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1U.K.

Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 is amended as follows:

1.

in Article 1, the word ‘Lebanon’ is inserted between ‘Syria’ and ‘Israel’;

2.

a new Annex VIa is inserted, the text of which is set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2U.K.

For the year 2003, the volumes of the Community tariff quotas for which the quota period starts before the date of entry into force of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, shall be reduced in proportion to the part of the period which elapsed before that date.

Article 3U.K.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 March 2003.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

ANNEXU.K.

ANNEX VIaU.K.LEBANON

Notwithstanding the rules for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature, the wording for the description of the products is to be considered as having no more than an indicative value, the preferential scheme being determined, within the context of this Annex, by the coverage of the CN codes as they exist at the time of adoption of the current regulation. Where ex CN codes are indicated, the preferential scheme is to be determined by application of the CN code and corresponding description taken together.

Tariff quotas

a

From 1 January 2004 on, this quota volume shall be annually increased by 1 000 tonnes.

b

From 1 January 2004 on, this quota volume shall be annually increased by 2 000 tonnes.

c

The concession applies only to the ad valorem part of the duty.

d

Any release into free circulation of garlic is subject to conditions laid down in the relevant Community provisions (see Articles 9 to 11 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 565/2002 (OJ L 86, 3.4.2002, p. 11).

e

Entry under this subheading is subject to conditions laid down in the relevant Community provisions (see Articles 291 to 300 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 (OJ L 253, 11.10.1993, p. 1) and subsequent amendments).

f

From 1 January 2004 on, this quota volume shall be annually increased by 500 tonnes.

g

The concession applies to imports of untreated olive oil, wholly obtained in the Lebanon and transported directly from Lebanon to the Community.

Order NoCN codeTaric subdivisionDescription of goodsQuota periodQuota volume(in tonnes net weight)Quota duty
09.1171ex 0701 90 50New potatoes, fresh or chilledfrom 1.1 to 31.510 000 aExemption
09.1172ex 0701 90 50New potatoes, and so-called 'new potatoes', fresh or chilledfrom 1.6 to 31.720 000 bExemption
ex 0701 90 9010
09.1173ex 0701 90 9010So-called 'new potatoes', fresh or chilledfrom 1.10 to 31.1220 000 bExemption
09.11740702 00 00Tomatoes, fresh or chilledfrom 1.1 to 31.125 000 aExemption c
09.11750703 20 00Garlic, fresh or chilled dfrom 1.1 to 31.125 000Exemption c
09.11760703 20 00Garlic, fresh or chilled dfrom 1.1 to 31.123 00040 % of the MFN customs duty c
09.11770709 90 31Olives, fresh or chilled, for uses other than the production of oil efrom 1.1 to 31.121 000Exemption
09.1178 [X10711 20 10]Provisionally preserved olives, for uses other than the production of oil efrom 1.1 to 31.121 000Exemption
09.1179ex 0806 10 1091, 99Fresh table grapes, except of the variety Emperor (Vitis vinifera cv.)from 1.10 to 30.4 and from 1.6 to 11.76 000Exemption c
09.1180ex 0806 10 1091, 99Fresh table grapes, except of the variety Emperor (Vitis vinifera cv.)from 1.10 to 30.4 and from 1.6 a 11.74 00040 % of the MFN customs duty c
09.11810808 10Apples, freshfrom 1.1 to 31.1210 000Exemption c
09.11820809 10 00Apricots, freshfrom 1.1 to 31.125 000Exemption c
09.11830809 20Cherries, freshfrom 1.1 to 31.125 000Exemption c
09.11840809 30Peaches, including nectarines, freshfrom 1.1 to 31.122 000 fExemption c
09.11850809 40Plums and sloes, freshfrom 1.5 to 31.85 000Exemption c
09.1186

1509 10

1510 00 10

Olive oil gfrom 1.1 to 31.121 000Exemption
09.11872002Tomatoes, prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acidfrom 1.1 to 31.121 000Exemption