28/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 28 January, the EU Council adopted the Interinstitutional Agreement on the regulation implementing bilateral safeguard clauses (see EUROPE 12149) after Parliament validated the agreement on 15 January last (see EUROPE 12172). This proposal for a horizontal regulation simplifies and optimises the inclusion of safeguard measures, hitherto negotiated in parallel with most EU trade agreements, allowing for the temporary withdrawal of tariff preferences protecting an industry against increased imports that could cause it serious harm (see EUROPE 12124). The text is the result of negotiations between Parliament and the Council and supplemented by provisions allowing for greater protection of the outermost areas and better treatment for small and medium-sized enterprises. The Regulation is expected to be signed on 13 February and will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. (HD)