PURPOSE: to fully liberalise import of wine from Moldova into the EU.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) No 1384/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 introducing autonomous trade preferences for the Republic of Moldova.
BACKGROUND: Council Regulation (EC) No 55/20082 established a specific scheme of autonomous trade preferences (ATPs) for Moldova, which gives all products originating in Moldova free access to the Union market, except for certain agricultural products listed in Annex I to that Regulation. For the latter, 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.
Negotiations on a new Association Agreement, including the establishment of a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the Union and Moldova, started in January 2010 and were finalised in July 2013. That Agreement provides for the full liberalisation of bilateral trade in wine.
In order to support the efforts of Moldova in accordance with the ENP and the Eastern Partnership, and to provide an attractive and reliable market for its wine exports, the import of wine from Moldova into the Union should be liberalised without delay.
Regulation (EC) No 55/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
CONTENT: the Regulation proposes solely to fully liberalise import of wine from Moldova into the EU by amending Council Regulation (EC) 55/2008 and removing wine from Table 1 of Annex I of the 2008 Regulation. Accordingly, in the table in point 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 55/2008, the last row concerning order No 09.0514 "Wine of fresh grapes other than sparkling wine" will be deleted.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 29.12.2013. The Regulation is applicable from 1 January 2014.