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EU/China Agreement: modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union

2015/0298(NLE)

PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/1885 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the People's Republic of China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of the Republic of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

CONTENT: the Council approved, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedule of Croatia in the course of its accession to the European Union.

To recall, on 15 July 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with certain other Members of the World Trade Organization under Article XXIV:6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, in the course of the accession to the European Union of Croatia.

Those negotiations have been concluded and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and China was signed on behalf of the Union on 19 April 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

Under this Agreement, the EU shall incorporate in its schedule, for the customs territory of the EU 28, the concessions contained in the schedule of the EU 27 with the following modifications:

  • an increase of 2 150 tonnes to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for garlic, maintaining the present in-quota rate of 9.6 %;
  • an increase of 650 tonnes (drained net weight) to the allocation for China under the EU tariff rate quota for mushroom of species Agaricus, prepared, preserved or provisionally preserved;
  • for footwear with outer soles of rubbers or plastics – other: lower the current bound EU duty of 17 % to 16.9 %;
  • for window or wall air conditioning machines "split-system": lower the current bound EU duty of 2.7 % to 2.5 %.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.10.2016.