THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,
Whereas:
(1)
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and Kosovo of the other part, (the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 27 October 2015. The Agreement entered into force on 1 April 2016.
(2)
It is necessary to lay down rules for the implementation of certain provisions of the Agreement, as well as the procedures for the adoption of detailed rules of implementation.
(3)
In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the Agreement, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council. In accordance with that Regulation, the examination procedure applies, in particular, for the adoption of implementing acts relating to the common commercial policy. However, the advisory procedure may apply in duly justified cases. Where the Agreement provides for the possibility, in exceptional and critical circumstances, to apply forthwith measures necessary to deal with the situation, the Commission should adopt such implementing acts immediately. The Commission should adopt immediately applicable implementing acts where, in duly justified cases relating to measures concerning agricultural and fishery products, imperative grounds of urgency so require.
(4)
The Agreement stipulates that certain agricultural and fishery products originating in Kosovo may be imported into the Union at a reduced customs duty, within the limits of tariff quotas. It is therefore necessary to lay down provisions regulating the management and review of these tariff quotas in order to allow for their thorough assessment.
(5)
Where trade defence measures become necessary, they should be adopted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2015/478 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council or, as the case may be, Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(6)
Where a Member State provides information to the Commission on a possible case of fraud or failure to provide administrative cooperation, the relevant Union legislation should apply, in particular Council Regulation (EC) No 515/97.
(7)
This Regulation contains implementing measures for the Agreement, and should thus apply from the entry into force of the Agreement,
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