Considerations on COM(2016)564 - Signing of an agreement with Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products

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dossier COM(2016)564 - Signing of an agreement with Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products.
document COM(2016)564 EN
date November 14, 2016
 
table>(1)Article 19 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area provides that the contracting Parties undertake to continue their efforts to achieve progressive liberalisation of agricultural trade between them.
(2)On 24 April 2012 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with Iceland with a view to achieving greater liberalisation of bilateral trade in agricultural products under Article 19 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. The negotiations were successfully concluded on 17 September 2015 and an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and Iceland concerning additional trade preferences in agricultural products (‘the Agreement’) was initialled.

(3)Therefore, the Agreement should be signed on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion at a later date,