Considerations on COM(2014)741 - EU position on the replacement of Protocol 4 to the Agreement on the EEA by a Protocol which is aligned to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin

Please note

This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.

 
dossier COM(2014)741 - EU position on the replacement of Protocol 4 to the Agreement on the EEA by a Protocol which is aligned to the Regional ...
document COM(2014)741 EN
date February 17, 2015
 
table>(1)Protocol 4 to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (2) (‘the EEA Agreement’) concerns rules of origin.
(2)The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (3) (‘the Convention’) lays down provisions on the origin of goods traded under relevant agreements concluded between the Contracting Parties.

(3)The European Union, Norway and Liechtenstein signed the Convention on 15 June 2011 and Iceland signed the Convention on 30 June 2011.

(4)The European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein deposited their instrument of acceptance with the depositary of the Convention on 26 March 2012, 9 November 2011, 12 March 2012 and 28 November 2011, respectively. As a consequence, in application of its Article 10(3), the Convention entered into force in relation to the European Union and Iceland on 1 May 2012 and in relation to Norway and Liechtenstein on 1 January 2012.

(5)Article 6 of the Convention provides that each Contracting Party shall take appropriate measures to ensure that the Convention is effectively applied. As a consequence, Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement on rules of origin should be replaced by a new Protocol which is aligned to the Convention and refers to it as much as possible.

(6)The position of the European Union within the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft decision,