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RECOMMENDATION (12361/2023 – C90003/2024 – 2023/0296(NLE))

On the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union

A-9-2024-0078

Committee on International Trade · Rapporteur: Marco Campomenosi

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Parliament's committee report recommends giving consent to the conclusion of an agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the EU and Egypt on the modification of concessions on tariff rate quotas in the EU Schedule CLXXV after the UK's withdrawal. The agreement concerns one erga omnes tariff rate quota on cucumbers for which Egypt has negotiating rights; the EU27 share was revised to 647 tonnes using the 2013-2016 reference period. The negotiations follow the EU-UK joint approach of splitting each of the 143 EU agricultural, fish and industrial WTO tariff rate quotas into two customs territories, based on 2013-2015 trade flows. The agreement was initialled on 22 May 2023 in Geneva, and Parliament's consent is needed for the Council to conclude it.

Committee position. The Committee on International Trade recommends that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the agreement, without prejudice to its right of continuous scrutiny.

Key points

  1. Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement with Egypt.
  2. The agreement modifies concessions on all tariff rate quotas in the EU Schedule CLXXV following the UK's withdrawal.
  3. Egypt has negotiating rights for one erga omnes tariff rate quota on cucumbers, and a change in volume was agreed.
  4. The EU27 share of that quota was revised to 647 tonnes, using the 2013-2016 reference period.
  5. The negotiations follow the 2017 EU-UK joint approach to apportion the 143 EU WTO tariff rate quotas between the EU27 and the UK.
  6. The apportionment methodology is based on trade flows during the 2013-2015 reference period.
  7. Regulation (EU) 2019/216 empowers the Commission to amend apportionment shares based on pertinent information.
  8. The agreement was initialled on 22 May 2023 in Geneva.
  9. Parliament's consent is required for the Council to adopt the decision concluding the agreement.
  10. The rapporteur recommends consent without prejudice to Parliament's right of continuous scrutiny.
  11. The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development agreed with the agreement and endorsed the recommendation.

Who is affected

  • EU importers and exporters of the cucumber tariff rate quota, who face the revised EU27 share of 647 tonnes.
  • Egypt, which holds negotiating rights for the cucumber quota and is party to the agreement.
  • The Commission, which is empowered to amend apportionment shares under Regulation (EU) 2019/216.
  • The Council, which needs Parliament's consent to conclude the agreement.

Figures and deadlines

  • 647 tonnes — the revised EU27 share for the cucumber tariff rate quota.
  • 143 — the number of EU agricultural, fish and industrial WTO tariff rate quotas to be apportioned.
  • 2013 to 2015 — the representative reference period for trade flows used in the apportionment methodology.
  • 2013 to 2016 — the reference period used to revise the EU27 share for the cucumber quota.
  • 22 May 2023 — the date the agreement was initialled in Geneva.

Legal basis: Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.