Generalised tariff preferences: period from 1st January 2002 to 31 December 2004

The European Parliament adopted the report, without debate, by Joaquim MIRANDA (EUL/NGL, P) subject to a few amendments which stipulate that the European Union's common commercial policy must be consistent with and consolidate the objectives of development policy, in particular the eradication of poverty and the promotion of sustainable development in the developing countries. Other amendments concern cases where preferential duty rates, calculated in accordance with Regulation 2820/98/EC, provide a higher tariff reduction, these preferential duty rates should continue to apply. Furthermore, where preferential duty rates, calculated in accordance with Article 2 of Regulation 2820/98/EC on Common Customs Tariff ad valorem duties applicable on 31 December 2001, provide a tariff reduction, for the products referred to in paragraph 2, of more than 3.5 percentage points, these preferential duty rates shall apply as long as the reduction is higher than 3.5 percentage points. Lastly, an additional amendment highlights that where preferential duty rates, calculated in accordance with Article 2 of Regulation 2820/98/EC on Common Customs Tariff ad valorem duties applicable on 31 December 2001, provide a tariff reduction for the products referred to in the first sentence of paragraph 1 and in the first sentence of paragraph 3, of more than 7 percentage points, these preferential duty rates shall apply as long as the reduction is higher than 7 percentage points. �