COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2015/285
of 17 February 2015
on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EEA Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as regards the replacement of Protocol 4 to that Agreement, on rules of origin, by a new Protocol which is aligned to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 of 28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing the Agreement on the European Economic Area (1), and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(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,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be adopted by the European Union within the EEA Joint Committee established by the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as regards the replacement of Protocol 4 to that Agreement, on rules of origin, by a new Protocol which is aligned to the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin, shall be based on the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision.
Technical changes to the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in the EEA Joint Committee without further decision of the Council.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 17 February 2015.