Brussels, 04/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Council adopted in late December a regulation introducing concessions for Lithuania, taking effect on 1 January 2001, in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products. The regulation also makes provision for the autonomous and transitional adaptation of certain agricultural concessions established in the Europe Agreement with Lithuania. With adoption and early entry into force of the regulation, the EU and Lithuania will be able to apply immediately the results secured in the (so-called "double-zero") negotiations the Commission has just concluded with Lithuania with a view to further liberalisation of agricultural trade.
In March 1999, the Council authorised the Commission to enter into negotiations with the ten Central and Eastern European applicant countries with a view to establishing further mutual concessions for agricultural products. These negotiations are being held on the basis of clauses included in all ten Europe Agreements providing for a phased-in liberalisation of agricultural trade, in preparation for these countries' accession to the EU. Since these negotiations have been concluded in the meantime, the Commission proposed that the Council implement the tariff concessions without awaiting the conclusion of the formal procedure (adoption and entry into force of the outcome of the negotiations in the form of an additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement). With its adoption of the regulation, the Council endorsed the Commission's proposal. Lithuania, meanwhile, has agreed to take the measures necessary to comply with its commitments resulting from the negotiations.