REPORT on the proposal for a Council regulation temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores

4.1.2010 - (COM(2009)0370 – C7‑0222/2009 – 2009/0125(CNS)) - *

Committee on Regional Development
Rapporteur: Danuta Maria Hübner
(Simplified procedure – Rule 46(2) of the Rules of Procedure)

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council regulation temporarily suspending autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores

(COM(2009)0370 – C7‑0222/2009 – 2009/0125(CNS))

(Special legislative procedure – Consultation)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2009)0370),

–   having regard to Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C7‑0222/2009),

–   having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council entitled "Consequences of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon for ongoing interinstitutional decision-making procedures" (COM(2009)0665),

–   having regard to Article 349(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU,

–   having regard to Rules 55 and 46(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Development (A7‑0001/2010),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.  Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 293(2) of the EC Treaty;

3.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4.  Calls for initiation of the conciliation procedure under the Joint Declaration of 4 March 1975 if the Council intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

6.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission and to the parliaments of the Member States.

Amendment  1 Proposal for a regulation Recital 5
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
5. In order to give a long term perspective to investors and enable economic operators to reach a level of industrial and commercial activities which stabilises the economic and social environment in the regions concerned, it is appropriate to suspend in full the Common Customs Tariff duties for certain goods for a period of 10 years starting on 1 January 2010.	(5) In order to give a long-term perspective to investors and enable economic operators to reach a level of industrial and commercial activities which stabilises the economic and social environment in the regions concerned, it is appropriate to suspend in full the Common Customs Tariff duties for certain goods for a period starting on 1 February 2010 and ending on 31 December 2019.
Amendment  2 Proposal for a regulation Article 1 – paragraph 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
From 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019 the Common Customs Tariff duties applicable to imports into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores of finished goods for agricultural, commercial or industrial use listed in Annex I shall be suspended in full.	From 1 February 2010 to 31 December 2019 the Common Customs Tariff duties applicable to imports into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores of finished goods for agricultural, commercial or industrial use listed in Annex I shall be suspended in full.
Amendment  3 Proposal for a regulation Article 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
From 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019 the Common Customs Tariff duties applicable to imports into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores of raw materials, parts and components listed in Annex II, and used for agricultural purposes, and industrial transformation or maintenance in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, shall be suspended in full.	From 1 February 2010 to 31 December 2019 the Common Customs Tariff duties applicable to imports into the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores of raw materials, parts and components listed in Annex II, and used for agricultural purposes, and industrial transformation or maintenance in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, shall be suspended in full.
Amendment  4 Proposal for a regulation Article 9 – paragraph 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
It shall apply from 1 January 2010.	It shall apply from 1 February 2010.
Amendment  5 Proposal for a regulation Annex II – Table
Text proposed by the Commission
CN Code CN Code CN Code CN Code 3102 40 10 7318 22 00 8415 90 00 8529 10 39 3105 20 10 7320 20 89 8421 23 00 8529 10 80 4008 29 00 7323 99 99 8421 29 00 8529 10 95 4009 42 00 7324 90 00 8421 31 00 8529 90 65 4010 12 00 7326 90 98 8421 99 00 8529 90 97 4015 90 00 7412 20 00 8440 90 00 8531 90 85 4016 93 00 7415 21 00 8442 40 00 8539 31 90 4016 99 97 7415 29 00 8450 90 00 8543 70 90 5401 10 90 7415 33 00 8451 90 00 8544 20 00 5407 42 00 7419 91 00 8452 90 00 8544 42 90 5407 72 00 7606 11 91 8478 90 00 8544 49 93 5601 21 90 7606 11 93 8481 20 10 9005 90 00 5608     7606 11 99 8481 30 99 9011 90 90 5806 32 90 7616 10 00 8481 40   9014 90 00 5806 32 90 7907 00   8481 80 99 9015 90 00 5901 90 00 8207 90 99 8482 10 90 9024 90 00 5905 00 90 8302 42 00 8482 80 00 9029 20 31 6217 90 00 8302 49 00 8483 40 90 9209 91 00 6406 20 90 8308 90 00 8483 60 80 9209 92 00 7303 00 90 8406 90 90 8484 10 00 9209 94 00 7315 12 00 8409 91 00 8503 00 99 9506 70 90 7315 89 00 8409 99 00 8509 90 00       7318 14 91 8411 99 00 8511 80 00       7318 15 69 8412 90 40 8511 90 00       7318 15 90 8413 30 80 8513 90 00       7318 16 91 8413 70 89 8514 90 00       7318 19 00 8414 90 00 8529 10 31
Amendment
CN Code CN Code CN Code CN Code 3102 40 10 7613 00 00 8442 40 00 8509 90 00 3105 20 10 7616 10 00 8443     8511 80 00 4008 29 00 7907 00   8444 00   8511 90 00 4009 42 00 8202     8445     8513 90 00 4010 12 00 8203     8446     8514     4015 90 00 8204     8447     8515     4016 93 00 8205     8448     8517     4016 99 97 8207     8450     8526     5401 10 90 8208[1]     8451     8529 10 31 5407 42 00 8209 00   8452     8529 10 95 5407 72 00 8210 00 00 8453     8529 90 20 5601 21 90 8302 42 00 8456     8529 90 65 5608     8302 49 00 8457     8529 90 97 5806 32 90 8303 00   8458     8531 90 85 5901 90 00 8304 00 00 8459     8537 10 99 5905 00 90 8307 90 00 8460     8539 31 90 6217 90 00 8308 90 00 8461     8543     6406 20 90 8402     8462     8544     6804     8403     8463     9005 90 00 7303 00 90 8404     8464     9010     7308     8405     8465     9011     7309 00   8406     8466     9012     7310[2]     8407     8467     9014 90 00 7315 12 00 8408     8468     9015 90 00 7318 14 91 8409     8469 00   9016 00   7318 15 69       8470     9017     7315 12 00   90 40 8471     9018     7318 15 90       8472     9024     7318 16 91       8474     9025     7318 19 00       8475     9026     7318 22 00       8477     9027     7320 20 89       8478     9028     7322           8480     9029 20 31 7323 99 99       8481 20 10 9030     7324 90 00       8481 30 99 9031     7326 90 98       8481 40   9032     7412 20 00       8481 80 99 9033 00 00 7415 21 00       8482 10 90 9209 91 00 7415 29 00       8482 80 00 9209 92 00 7415 33 00       8483 40 90 9209 94 00 7419 91 00       8483 60 80 9406 00   7606 11 91       8484 10 00 9506 70 90 7606 11 93       8486           7606 11 99       8501           7610           8503 00         7611 00 00       8504 40 84       7612           8508

• [1]  (Excluding 8208 40 00).
• [2]  (Excluding 7310 21).

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

In its explanatory memorandum the European Commission informs the Council and Parliament that the regional authorities in Madeira and the Azores have requested the temporary suspension of the Common Customs tariff duties in order to strengthen the competitive position of the local economic operators and stabilise employment in these outermost regions of the Union.

In order to ensure that the goods imported, be they raw materials parts or finished products, do not distort competition; they will be subject to controls ensuring their use by local companies on the islands for a period of at least two years before they can be sold freely to companies situated in other parts of the Union.

An evaluation of the impact of these measures is not possible as they are an integral part of a series of measures adapted to the specific problems of these islands. However the measures will have an impact on the own resources /revenue of the Union which the European Commission estimates to be -0.12/year for the period 2010-2019.

Clearly the effects of this proposed suspension will be limited to the regions concerned and will assist local SMEs and farmers to invest and generate jobs in this outermost region of the Union. In the present economic downturn, the need to take specific measures to stimulate economic activity, and stabilise employment over the medium term may be seen to fit well with the European economic recovery plan and the measures required to meet the special problems of the outermost regions of the Union.

In view of the above, your rapporteur proposes that the Commission proposal be adopted without amendment.

PROCEDURE

Title	Temporary suspension of autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties on imports of certain industrial products into Madeira and the Azores
References	COM(2009)0370 – C7-0222/2009 – 2009/0125(CNS)
Date of consulting Parliament	14.10.2009
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	REGI 19.10.2009
Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)        Date announced in plenary	BUDG 19.10.2009	IMCO 19.10.2009
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	BUDG 21.10.2009	IMCO 14.9.2009
Rapporteur(s)        Date appointed	Danuta Maria Hübner 4.11.2009
Simplified procedure - date of decision	3.12.2009
Date adopted	30.12.2009