Tariff quotas for wine exports from Kosovo

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 1215/2009 in relation to tariff quotas for wine exports from Kosovo to the Union.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) No 1202/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1215/2009 in relation to tariff quotas for wine.

CONTEXT: since 2000, the Union has granted unlimited duty-free access to the Union market for almost all products originating in the Western Balkan countries. Currently, this system is provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 1215/2009 introducing exceptional trade measures in favour of countries participating in the Stabilisation and Association Agreements put in place by the European Union.

This scheme is not, however, applicable to Kosovo.

Stable access to the market of the Union is necessary for the socioeconomic development of Kosovo, which has demonstrated the capacity in particular to export wine.

In the absence of an individual tariff quota, Kosovan wine producers lack the necessary predictability for their exports. It is appropriate therefore to allocate an individual annual tariff quota to Kosovo.

CONTENT: the Regulation plans to allocate to Kosovo an individual annual tariff quota of 20 000 hl for wine exports to the Union from which would be deducted the global annual tariff quota of 50 000 hl proposed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1215/2009. This last would be reduced to 30 000 hl. To this end, the existing global tariff quota would be closed and two new ones created for the indicated amount.

It is also planned to introduce a mechanism which avoids legal uncertainties as regards the tariff quotas available on the date of entry into force of this Regulation, and to prevent the overall volume of the concession from exceeding 50 000 hl.

As the total volume of the concessions is not modified, this Regulation does not affect the wine sector of the Union. The specific concessions provided for in the Stabilisation and Association Agreements or the Interim Agreements are also not affected by this Regulation.

Impact of the device on EU-World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations: the Regulation does not affect the obligations of the Union in the WTO and does not need to receive a WTO waiver.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 03.12.2013.

DELEGATED ACTS: the Commission may adopt delegated acts in line with the Regulation. The power to adopt delegated acts shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 3 December 2013. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period. The delegation of power may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power.