Considerations on COM(2019)58 - EU position in the EPA Committee for the Partnership Agreement with the Eastern and Southern Africa States as regard the definition of the concept of 'originating products'

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dossier COM(2019)58 - EU position in the EPA Committee for the Partnership Agreement with the Eastern and Southern Africa States as regard the ...
document COM(2019)58 EN
date June 25, 2019
 
table>(1)The Interim Agreement establishing a framework for an Economic Partnership Agreement between the Eastern and Southern Africa States, on the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, on the other part (1) (‘the Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 2012/196/EC (2) and has been provisionally applied since 14 May 2012.
(2)Pursuant to Articles 13 and 68 of the Agreement and Article 44 of Protocol 1 concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and methods of administrative cooperation to the Agreement (‘the Protocol’), the EPA Committee may adopt amendments to the Protocol.

(3)The EPA Committee, during its eighth session/meeting, is to adopt a decision amending certain provisions of the Protocol.

(4)The Protocol requires the amendment of certain provisions in order to update the rules of origin to the most recent developments to provide more flexible and simpler rules of origin aiming at facilitating trade for economic operators and optimising the utilisation rate of the preferential treatment.

(5)Amendments to products (headings and descriptions) mentioned in Annex II to the Protocol are necessary to align to the updates made by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) on the HS Nomenclature 2012 and 2017 edition and maintain consistency of products descriptions and HS classification with the harmonised system.

(6)Annex IX to the Protocol lists the overseas countries and territories of the Union. Within the meaning of the Protocol, ‘overseas countries and territories’ mean the countries and territories referred to in Annex II to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The list should be updated to take account of the recent change of status of some of the overseas countries and territories.

(7)It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the EPA Committee, as the envisaged decision will be binding on the Union,