Processed agricultural products as goods: trade arrangements, Uruguay round follow-up (amend. Regulation (EC) No 3448/93)

PURPOSE : to amend Regulation 3448/93/EC laying down the trade arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of certain agricultural products. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 2580/2000/EC. CONTENT : Regulation 3448/93/EC laying down the trade arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products provides that, on exportation of the goods, the agricultural products which have been used may qualify for refunds established pursuant to the regulations on the common organisation of the market in the sectors concerned. This Regulation should be amended to take account of the constraints arising from the agreement on agriculture concluded in the multilateral trade negotiations under the Uruguay Round. In particular, there should be checks on expenditure on the basis of commitments through the issuing of certificates. However, as regards expenditure which has not been covered by obtaining a certificate or certificates, accounting of such expenditure will continue to be carried out on a basis of refund payment, if necessary in the form of an advance. The Commission will take into consideration agricultural products processing entreprises as a whole, and in particular, the situation of SMEs, taking account of the impact of targeted measures relating to savings on export refunds. In view of their specific interests, small exporters should be exempt from submission of certificates under the export refund. Under the agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty, it is possible that requirements of the processing industries in terms of agricultural raw materials may not be covered completely, under competitive conditions, by Community raw materials. Council Regulation 2913/92/EEC establishing the Community Customs Code admits good under the inward processing arrangements subject to fulfillment of the economic conditions as defined by Commission Regulation 2454/93/EEC. Having regard to the abovementioned agreements, there should also be provision for considering the economic conditions to have been fulfilled for the admission of certain quantities of certain agricultural products under the processing arrangement. In order to safeguard the interests of producers of agricultural raw materials, in successive financial years, the necessary appropriations should be made available so that goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty may benefit fully from maximum use of the current WTO ceiling. There should also be overall checks, though the procedure laid down should be flexible, on the basis of a regularly revised forward estimate, of the quantities admitted under inward processing arrangements not subject to prior individual checks for the economic conditions (excluding thise used for processing, the usual forms of handling or the manufacture of goods not eligible for refunds) and in compliance with other general conditions relating to the inward processing arrangements. Finally, account should be taken of the situation on the Community market for the commodities concerned, to ensure prudent management of the said quantities. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 02/12/2000.�