Considerations on COM(2019)341 - EU position in EPA Committee, as regards the adoption of Protocol 1 concerning the definition of the concept of 'originating products' & methods of administrative cooperation

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dossier COM(2019)341 - EU position in EPA Committee, as regards the adoption of Protocol 1 concerning the definition of the concept of 'originating ...
document COM(2019)341 EN
date December  9, 2019
 
table>(1)The Stepping Stone Economic Partnership Agreement between Ghana, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (‘the Agreement’) was signed on behalf of the Union on 28 July 2016 pursuant to Council Decision (EU) 2016/1850 (1) and has been applied on a provisional basis since 15 December 2016.
(2)Pursuant to Article 14 of the Agreement, the Parties are to establish a common and reciprocal regime governing rules of origin. This new regime is to be annexed to the Agreement by decision of the EPA Committee.

(3)The EPA Committee, at its annual meeting in 2019, is to adopt a decision as regards Protocol No. 1 to the Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and the methods of administrative cooperation.

(4)Protocol No. 1 takes into account 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 provided for in the Agreement.

(5)It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union at the next meeting of the EPA Committee, as that decision will be binding on the Union.

(6)The position of the Union within the EPA Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision,