Brussels, 12/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Council regulation that opened, as of 1st January, the tariff quotas for the import of certain industrial, agricultural and fishing products from third countries was published in the official Journal L 5. Several regulations that in previous years where separate have been regrouped in one text "for reasons of clarity."
Therefore the text covers: i) the quota for 650,000 tons of paper with zero duties imported from Canada, iii) the zero duty quotas for jute and cacao from developing countries benefiting the generalised preferences (the regime for these products is extended till December 2001, top be synchronised with the general preferences system), iv) the zero duty quotas on textile products outward processing traffic originating in Switzerland, v) the zero duty tariffs on hand made products and cloths weaved by hand originating from developing countries benefit from GSP. The new regulation specifies the conditions for opening of tariffs on hand made products and foresees the possibility of temporary or total removal in case of fraud. This text enables, among others, the Commission to take (after consulation with the Member States) decisions aiming to: i) add new developing countries among those countries benefiting from tariffs on hand made products, ii) adapt the regulation to the GATT agreements, iii) adapt the definition of 'Hand made" products.