Regulation (EU) No 1383/2014

What it is

to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 with a view to further liberalising imports of certain products of the fruit and vegetables sector from Moldova into the EU. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 established a specific scheme of autonomous trade preferences (ATPs) for Moldova. That scheme gives all products originating in the Republic of Moldova free access to the Union market, except for certain agricultural products listed in Annex I to that Regulation for which limited concessions have been granted either in the form of exemption from customs duties within the limit of tariff quotas or of reduction of customs duties. In the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU-Moldova ENP Action Plan, and the Eastern Partnership, Moldova has adopted an ambitious agenda for political association and further economic integration with the Union. The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Sorin MOISǍ (S&D, RO) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introducing autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova. It recommended the European Parliament to adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal. In recent years, the EU and Moldova intensified their political and economic relations notably through the conclusion of an Association Agreement. The Agreement, signed on 27 June 2014, includes a trade pillar, which will lead to the creation of a " Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area " (DCFTA) between the Parties. The DCFTA has been provisionally applied since 1 September 2014. Due to the intensification of economic and political relations between the EU and Moldova, a politically motivated import ban was imposed as of 21 July 2014 by Russia on agricultural products from Moldova . The ban is hurting Moldova's economy in a significant way - agriculture represents around 40% of Moldova's economy. Seeking some relief and support at this critical juncture, the Moldovan authorities have turned to the EU, requesting urgent support to reduce the economic impact of the Russian ban, in particular for the most important products for Moldovan fruit growers: apples, plums and table grapes. Consequently, as an act of solidarity, the Commission proposed to amend the Autonomous trade preferences Regulation (ATP Regulation) by introducing three new duty-free tariff rate quotas (TRQs) in addition to the TRQs proposed under the DCFTA. The total imports from Moldova of these products will have a negligible impact on the EU budget. In light of this, Members called on the European Parliament to approve the Commission proposal without amendments. The European Parliament adopted by 551 votes to 67, with 23 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introducing autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova. Parliament…

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