CHAPTER IVSPECIAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

Article 17

1.

An eligible country shall benefit from the tariff preferences provided under the special arrangement for the least-developed countries referred to in point (c) of Article 1(2), if that country is identified by the UN as a least-developed country.

2.

The Commission shall continuously review the list of EBA beneficiary countries on the basis of the most recent available data. Where an EBA beneficiary country no longer fulfils the conditions referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 36, to amend Annex IV in order to remove the country from the list of EBA beneficiary countries following a transitional period of three years as from the date on which the delegated act entered into force.

3.

Pending the identification by the UN of a newly independent country as a least-developed country, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts, in accordance with Article 36, to amend Annex IV as an interim measure so as to include such a country in the list of EBA beneficiary countries.

If such a newly independent country is not identified by the UN as a least-developed country during the first available review of the category of least-developed countries, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts forthwith, in accordance with Article 36, to amend Annex IV in order to remove such a country from that Annex, without granting the transitional period referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

4.

The Commission shall notify the EBA beneficiary country concerned of any changes in its status under the scheme.

Article 18

1.

The Common Customs Tariff duties on all products that are listed in Chapters 1 to 97 of the Combined Nomenclature, except those in Chapter 93, originating in an EBA beneficiary country, shall be suspended entirely.

2.

From 1 January 2014 until 30 September 2015, imports of products under tariff heading 1701 of the Common Customs Tariff shall require an import licence.

3.

The Commission shall, in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 39(3), adopt detailed rules for implementing the provisions referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 195 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation)9.