Exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association process. Codification

The European Parliament adopted by 582 votes to 5, with 18 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the Stabilisation and Association process (codification).

Parliament adopted its position at first reading taking over the Commission proposal according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The proposal in question contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts without any change in their substance.

Under the approved regulation, products originating in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia (the beneficiary parties) covered by Chapters 7 and 8 of the Combined Nomenclature should be admitted for import into the Union without quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect, and with exemption from custom duties and charges having equivalent effect.

The granting of autonomous trade preferences is linked to respect for fundamental principles of democracy and human rights and to the readiness of the countries concerned to develop economic relations between themselves.

Entitlement to benefit from the preferential arrangements should be subject to the readiness of the beneficiary parties to engage in effective economic reforms and in regional cooperation with other countries involved in the Stabilisation and Association process, in particular through the establishment of free trade areas in accordance with GATT and other relevant WTO provisions.

Entitlement to benefit from the preferential arrangements should be subject to the involvement of beneficiary parties in effective administrative cooperation with the Union in order to prevent any risk of fraud.

Where the Commission finds that there is sufficient evidence of fraud or failure to provide administrative cooperation as required for the verification of evidence of origin, or that there is a massive increase in exports into the Union above the level of normal production and export capacity or a failure to comply with the conditions to benefit from the preferential arrangements by the beneficiary parties, it may take measures to suspend in whole or in part the arrangements provided for in this Regulation.