From ADD decisions to a new approach to green growth in trade agreements, sanctions and court of justice rulings, here are the updates of week 25
Content
EU-Central America agreement celebrates 10th anniversary
New trade deal strategy promotes green and growth
ADD: Aluminium road wheels of motor vehicles from Morocco
ADD: High Tenacity Yarns of Polyester from China
ADD: Steel Products - amendment of regulation
ADD: Aluminium extrusions
Sanctions: ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda
Renewal of EU sanctions: Crimea and Sevastopol
Court of Justice
The EU and its partners in Central America marked the 10th anniversary of when the EU-Central America Association Agreement was signed. At the annual Association Committee, the EU, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama all agreed to strengthen the agreement. Both sides also agreed to update their rules and procedures for customs. Since the Agreement was signed in 2012, the total amount of trade between the EU and Central America has grown by 67 percent, reaching a new high of 12.9 billion Euros in 2021. EU exports to Central America have gone up by 20%. The most important EU exports are mechanical and electrical machinery.
Central America is a major source of agricultural goods that grow well in certain climates and are in high demand in Europe. Some of the main groups are bananas, coffee, and sugar.
The European Commission has unveiled a new approach to trade agreements in order to foster green and fair development. The new approach intends to increase the contribution of EU trade agreements to global climate, environmental, and labour rights protection. Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, said, "We vowed to make trade more sustainable." Highlights include new instruments for civil society and Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) to file complaints about TSD infractions, as well as the strengthening of the function of EU DAGs. According to the European Commission, the EU is one of the primary frontrunners in promoting sustainability via trade agreements. The Commission has initiated an early evaluation of its 15-Point Action Plan for strengthening third-country access to the EU market.
ADD
ADD: Aluminium road wheels of motor vehicles from Morocco
Aluminium road wheels of motor vehicles of categories 8701 to 8705, whether or not with their accessories and whether or not equipped with tyres, originate in Morocco are subject to registration. Ex 8708 70 10 and ex 8708 70 50 are the current CN codes for the goods in question (TARIC codes: 8708701015, 8708701050, 8708705015 and 8708705050). The CN and TARIC codes are provided only for informational purposes.
ADD: High Tenacity Yarns of Polyester from China
The Commission imposed individual anti-dumping duty rates ranging from 0 % to 9,8 % on imports of the product concerned from PRC. There were now changes to Fujian Billion Polymerization Fiber Technology Industrial Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Sanwei Material Technology Co., Ltd. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/977 of 22 June 2022 accepting two requests for new exporting producer treatment with regard to the definitive anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of high tenacity yarns of polyesters originating in the People’s Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/325
ADD: Steel Products - amendment of regulation
The EU put in place a permanent safeguard measure for certain steel products. These consists of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for certain steel products in 26 steel product categories The Commission extended the safeguard measure until 30 June 2024 and set new rules, where a tariff-rate quota has been used up, certain items from that country may still be imported under a different tariff-rate quota for the same product category. This provision is only in force during the last three months of each year's tariff-rate quota.
ADD: Aluminium extrusions
A company subject to an anti-dumping duty rate of 22,1% for cooperating non-sampled producers has changed its name to Guangdong Huachang Group Co., Ltd. The company requested the Commission to confirm that the change of name does not affect the right of the company to benefit from the existing duty rate applied to it under its previous name.
Sanctions
Sanctions: SIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda
In view of the continued threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda, and natural and legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them, three persons and one group should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2016/1686.
Renewal of EU sanctions: Crimea and Sevastopol
The Union does not recognise and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation as a violation of international law. The Union remains steadfast in its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and dedicated to fully implementing its non-recognition policy. On the basis of a review of Decision 2014/386/CFSP, the restrictive measures set out therein should be renewed until 23 June 2023.*
Court of Justice
Judgment of the Court (Eight Chamber) of 28 April 2022 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Augstākā tiesa (Senāts) — Latvia) — SIA ‘PRODEX’ v Valsts ieņēmumu dienests (Case C-72/21) (1) (Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs union - Common Customs Tariff - Combined Nomenclature - Tariff headings - Subheading 4418 20 - Scope - Doors and their frames and thresholds - MDF panels and mouldings - First sentence of general rule 2(a) for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature - Incomplete or unfinished article - Concept)
(2022/C 237/18) Language of the case: Latvian Referring court Augstākā tiesa (Senāts) Parties to the main proceedings Applicant: SIA ‘PRODEX’ Defendant: Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
Operative part of the judgment
Subheading 44180 20 of the Combined Nomenclature, read in conjunction with the first sentence of general rule 2(a) for the interpretation of that nomenclature, in Annex 1 to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff, in its version resulting from Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1001/2013 of 4 October 2013, must be interpreted as covering, as separate articles, goods described as wooden panels and mouldings, the profile and decorative finish of which objectively indicate that they are intended for the manufacture of door frames and thresholds, even if incomplete or unfinished, provided that those goods have undergone working which renders them exclusively usable as such and that they thus have the essential characteristics of finished articles.
Judgment of the Court (Eight Chamber) of 28 April 2022 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Augstākā tiesa (Senāts) — Latvia) — SIA ‘PRODEX’ v Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
(Case C-72/21) (1)
(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Customs union - Common Customs Tariff - Combined Nomenclature - Tariff headings - Subheading 4418 20 - Scope - Doors and their frames and thresholds - MDF panels and mouldings - First sentence of general rule 2(a) for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature - Incomplete or unfinished article - Concept)
(2022/C 237/18)
Language of the case: Latvian
Referring court
Augstākā tiesa (Senāts)
Parties to the main proceedings
Applicant: SIA ‘PRODEX’
Defendant: Valsts ieņēmumu dienests
Operative part of the judgment
Subheading 44180 20 of the Combined Nomenclature, read in conjunction with the first sentence of general rule 2(a) for the interpretation of that nomenclature, in Annex 1 to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff, in its version resulting from Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1001/2013 of 4 October 2013, must be interpreted as covering, as separate articles, goods described as wooden panels and mouldings, the profile and decorative finish of which objectively indicate that they are intended for the manufacture of door frames and thresholds, even if incomplete or unfinished, provided that those goods have undergone working which renders them exclusively usable as such and that they thus have the essential characteristics of finished articles.
Sources
22/06/2022
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