Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against subsidised imports from countries not members of the European Union (codification)
Those exemptions shall be granted by decision of the Commission and shall remain valid for the period and under the conditions set down therein. The Commission shall provide information to the Member States once it has concluded its analysis.
Provided that the conditions set in Article 20 are met, exemptions may also be granted after the conclusion of the investigation leading to the extension of the measures.
Provided that at least one year has lapsed from the extension of the measures, and in case the number of parties requesting or potentially requesting an exemption is significant, the Commission may decide to initiate a review of the extension of the measures. Any such review shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 22(1) as applicable to reviews under Article 19.
Nothing in this Article shall preclude the normal application of the provisions in force concerning customs duties.
Article 24
General provisions
Provisional or definitive countervailing duties shall be imposed by Regulation, and collected by Member States in the form, at the rate specified and according to the other criteria laid down in the Regulation imposing such duties. Such duties shall also be collected independently of the customs duties, taxes and other charges normally imposed on imports.
No product shall be subject to both anti-dumping and countervailing duties for the purpose of dealing with one and the same situation arising from dumping or from export subsidisation.
Regulations imposing provisional or definitive countervailing duties, and Regulations or Decisions accepting undertakings or terminating investigations or proceedings, shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Such Regulations or Decisions shall contain in particular, and with due regard to the protection of confidential information, the names of the exporters, if possible, or of the countries involved, a description of the product and a summary of the facts and considerations relevant to the subsidy and injury determinations. In each case, a copy of the Regulation or Decision shall be sent to known interested parties. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis to reviews.
Special provisions, in particular with regard to the common definition of the concept of origin, as contained in Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0001]), and with regard to the application and collection of a countervailing duty in the continental shelf of a Member State or the exclusive economic zone declared by a Member State pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), may be adopted pursuant to this Regulation.
In the Union interest, measures imposed pursuant to this Regulation may be suspended by a decision of the Commission in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 25(2) for a period of nine months. The suspension may be extended for a further period, not exceeding one year, by the Commission acting in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 25(2).
Measures may only be suspended where market conditions have temporarily changed to an extent that injury would be unlikely to resume as a result of the suspension, and provided that the Union industry has been given an opportunity to comment and those comments have been taken into account. Measures may at any time be reinstated in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 25(2) if the reason for suspension is no longer applicable.
As of the initiation of the investigation and having informed Member States in due time, the Commission may direct the customs authorities to take the appropriate steps to register imports, so that measures may subsequently be applied against those imports from the date of such registration. Imports shall be made subject to registration following a request, from the Union industry, which contains sufficient evidence to justify such action. Imports may also be made subject to registration on the Commission’s own initiative. Registration shall be introduced by Commission regulation. Such regulation shall specify the purpose of the action and, if appropriate, the estimated amount of possible future liability. Imports shall not be made subject to registration for a period longer than nine months.
5a. The Commission shall, unless it has sufficient evidence within the meaning of Article 10 that the requirements either under point (c) or (d) of Article 16(4) are not met, register imports pursuant to paragraph 5 of this Article during the period of pre-disclosure pursuant to Article 29a. When deciding on registration, the Commission shall in particular analyse the information collected based on the creation of Integrated Tariff of the European Union (TARIC) codes for the product under investigation pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article.
Member States shall report to the Commission every month on the import trade in products subject to investigation and to measures, and on the amount of duties collected pursuant to this Regulation. When initiating an investigation pursuant to Article 10, the Commission shall create TARIC codes corresponding to the product under investigation. Member States shall use those TARIC codes in order to report on imports of the product under investigation as of the initiation of the investigation. The Commission may, upon receiving a specific reasoned request from an interested party, decide to provide them with a non-confidential summary of the information on aggregated import volumes and values of the products concerned.
Without prejudice to paragraph 6, the Commission may request Member States, on a case-by-case basis, to supply information necessary to monitor efficiently the application of measures. In this respect, the provisions of Articles 11(3) and (4) shall apply. Any data submitted by Member States pursuant to this Article shall be covered by the provisions of Article 29(6).
Whenever the Commission intends to adopt any document providing general guidance to possible interested parties on the application of this Regulation, a public consultation in line with Article 11(3) TEU shall be carried out. The European Parliament and the Council may also express their views.
Article 24a
Continental shelf of a Member State or exclusive economic zone
A countervailing duty may also be imposed on any subsidised product brought in significant quantities to an artificial island, a fixed or floating installation or any other structure in the continental shelf of a Member State or the exclusive economic zone declared by a Member State pursuant to UNCLOS, where this would cause injury to the Union industry. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the conditions for the incurrence of such duties, as well as the procedures relating to the notification and declaration of such products and the payment of such duties, including recovery, repayment and remission (customs tool). Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 25(3).
The Commission shall only impose duties as referred to in paragraph 1 as of the date the customs tool referred to in paragraph 1 is operational. The Commission shall inform all economic operators that the customs tool is operational by separate publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Article 25
Committee procedure
The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee established by Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0002]). That Committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, in conjunction with Article 4 thereof, shall apply.
Pursuant to Article 3(5) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, where the written procedure is used to adopt definitive measures pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article, or to decide on the initiation or non-initiation of expiry reviews pursuant to Article 18 of this Regulation, that procedure shall be terminated without result where, within the time limit set down by the chair, the chair so decides or a majority of committee members as defined in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 so request. Where the written procedure is used in other instances where there has been a discussion of the draft measure in the committee, that procedure shall be terminated without result where, within the time limit set down by the chair, the chair so decides or a simple majority of committee members so request. Where the written procedure is used in other instances where there has not been a discussion of the draft measure in the committee, that procedure shall be terminated without result where, within the time limit set down by the chair, the chair so decides or at least a quarter of committee members so request.
The committee may consider any matter relating to the application of this Regulation, raised by the Commission or at the request of a Member State. Member States may request information and may exchange views in the committee or directly with the Commission.
Article 26
Verification visits
The Commission shall, where it considers it appropriate, carry out visits to examine the records of importers, exporters, traders, agents, producers, trade associations and organisations, and to verify information provided on subsidisation and injury. In the absence of a proper and timely reply the Commission may choose not to carry out a verification visit.
The Commission may carry out investigations in third countries as required, provided that it obtains the agreement of the firms concerned, that it notifies the country in question and that the latter does not object to the investigation. As soon as the agreement of the firms concerned has been obtained, the Commission shall notify the country of origin and/or export of the names and addresses of the firms to be visited and the dates agreed.
The firms concerned shall be advised of the nature of the information to be verified during verification visits and of any further information which needs to be provided during such visits, though this does not preclude requests, made during the verification, for further details to be provided in the light of information obtained.
In investigations carried out pursuant to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, the Commission shall be assisted by officials of those Member States which so request.
Article 27
Sampling
In cases where the number of Union producers, exporters or importers, types of product or transactions is large, the investigation may be limited to a reasonable number of parties, products or transactions by using samples which are statistically valid, on the basis of information available at the time of the selection, or to the largest representative volume of production, sales or exports which can reasonably be investigated within the time available.
The final selection of parties, types of products or transactions made under those sampling provisions shall rest with the Commission. However, in order to enable the selection of a representative sample preference shall be given to choosing a sample in consultation with, and with the consent of, the parties concerned, provided that such parties make themselves known and make sufficient information available, within one week of initiation of the investigation.
In cases where the investigation has been limited in accordance with this Article, an individual amount of countervailable subsidisation shall be calculated for any exporter or producer not initially selected who submits the necessary information within the time limits provided for in this Regulation, except where the number of exporters or producers is so large that individual examinations would be unduly burdensome and would prevent completion of the investigation in good time.
Where it is decided to sample and there is a degree of non-cooperation by some or all of the parties selected which is likely to materially affect the outcome of the investigation, a new sample may be selected.
However, if a material degree of non-cooperation persists or there is insufficient time to select a new sample, the relevant provisions of Article 28 shall apply.
Article 28
Non-cooperation
In cases in which any interested party refuses access to, or otherwise does not provide necessary information within the time limits provided for in this Regulation, or significantly impedes the investigation, provisional or final findings, affirmative or negative, may be made on the basis of the facts available.
Where it is found that any interested party has supplied false or misleading information, that information shall be disregarded and use may be made of the facts available.
Interested parties shall be made aware of the consequences of non-cooperation.
Failure to give a computerised response shall not be deemed to constitute non-cooperation, provided that the interested party shows that presenting the response as requested would result in an unreasonable extra burden or unreasonable additional cost.
Where the information submitted by an interested party is not ideal in all respects, it shall nevertheless not be disregarded, provided that any deficiencies are not such as to cause undue difficulty in arriving at a reasonably accurate finding and that the information is appropriately submitted in good time and is verifiable, and that the party has acted to the best of its ability.
If evidence or information is not accepted, the supplying party shall be informed forthwith of the reasons therefor and shall be granted an opportunity to provide further explanations within the time limit specified. If the explanations are considered unsatisfactory, the reasons for rejection of such evidence or information shall be disclosed and given in published findings.
If determinations, including those regarding the amount of countervailable subsidies, are based on the provisions of paragraph 1, including the information supplied in the complaint, it shall, where practicable and with due regard to the time limits of the investigation, be checked by reference to information from other independent sources which may be available, such as published price lists, official import statistics and customs returns, or information obtained from other interested parties during the investigation.
Such information may include relevant data pertaining to the world market or other representative markets, where appropriate.
If an interested party does not cooperate, or cooperates only partially, so that relevant information is thereby withheld, the result of the investigation may be less favourable to the party than if it had cooperated.
Article 29
Confidentiality
Any information which is by nature confidential (for example, because its disclosure would be of significant competitive advantage to a competitor or would have a significantly adverse effect upon a person supplying the information or upon a person from whom the person supplying the information has acquired the information), or which is provided on a confidential basis by parties to an investigation shall, if good cause is shown, be treated as such by the authorities.
Interested parties providing confidential information shall be required to provide non-confidential summaries thereof. Those summaries shall be in sufficient detail to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information submitted in confidence. In exceptional circumstances, such parties may indicate that such information is not capable of being summarised. In such exceptional circumstances, a statement of the reasons why summarisation is not possible shall be provided.
If it is considered that a request for confidentiality is not warranted and if the supplier of the information is either unwilling to make the information available or to authorise its disclosure in generalised or summary form, such information may be disregarded unless it can be satisfactorily demonstrated from appropriate sources that the information is correct. Requests for confidentiality shall not be arbitrarily rejected.
This Article shall not preclude the disclosure of general information by the Union authorities, and, in particular, of the reasons on which decisions taken pursuant to this Regulation are based, or disclosure of the evidence relied on by the Union authorities in so far as is necessary to explain those reasons in court proceedings. Such disclosure shall take into account the legitimate interests of the parties concerned that their business or governmental secrets not be divulged.
The Commission and the Member States, including the officials of either, shall not reveal any information received pursuant to this Regulation for which confidential treatment has been requested by its supplier, without specific permission from that supplier. Exchanges of information between the Commission and Member States, or any internal documents prepared by the authorities of the Union or the Member States, shall not be divulged except as specifically provided for in this Regulation.
Information received pursuant to this Regulation shall be used only for the purpose for which it was requested.
This provision shall not preclude the use of information received in the context of one investigation for the purpose of initiating other investigations within the same proceedings concerning the same like product.
Article 29a
Information at provisional stage
Union producers, importers and exporters and their representative associations, and the country of origin and/or export, may request information on the planned imposition of provisional duties. Requests for such information shall be made in writing within the time limit prescribed in the notice of initiation. Such information shall be provided to those parties four weeks before the imposition of provisional duties. Such information shall include: a summary of the proposed duties for information purposes only, and details of the calculation of the amount of the countervailable subsidy and the margin adequate to remove the injury to the Union industry, due account being taken of the need to respect the confidentiality obligations contained in Article 29. Parties shall have a period of three working days from the supply of such information to provide comments on the accuracy of the calculations.
In cases where it is intended not to impose provisional duties but to continue the investigation, interested parties shall be informed of the non-imposition of duties four weeks before the expiry of the deadline mentioned in Article 12(1) for the imposition of provisional duties.
Article 30
Disclosure
The complainants, importers and exporters and their representative associations, and the country of origin and/or export, may request disclosure of the details underlying the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which provisional measures have been imposed. Requests for such disclosure shall be made in writing immediately following the imposition of provisional measures, and the disclosure shall be made in writing as soon as possible thereafter.
The parties mentioned in paragraph 1 may request final disclosure of the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which it is intended to recommend the imposition of definitive measures, or the termination of an investigation or proceedings without the imposition of measures, particular attention being paid to the disclosure of any facts or considerations which are different from those used for any provisional measures.
Requests for final disclosure shall be addressed to the Commission in writing and be received, in cases where a provisional duty has been imposed, no later than one month after publication of the imposition of that duty. Where a provisional duty has not been imposed, parties shall be provided with an opportunity to request final disclosure within time limits set by the Commission.
Final disclosure shall be given in writing. It shall be made, due regard being had to the protection of confidential information, as soon as possible and, normally, no later than one month prior to the initiation of the procedures set out in Article 14 or Article 15. Where the Commission is not in a position to disclose certain facts or considerations at that time, they shall be disclosed as soon as possible thereafter.
Disclosure shall not prejudice any subsequent decision which may be taken by the Commission, but where such a decision is based on any different facts and considerations they shall be disclosed as soon as possible.
Representations made after final disclosure is given shall be taken into consideration only if received within a period to be set by the Commission in each case, which shall be at least 10 days, due consideration being given to the urgency of the matter. A shorter period may be set whenever an additional final disclosure has to be made.
Article 31
Union interest
A determination as to whether the Union's interest calls for intervention shall be based on an appraisal of all the various interests taken as a whole, including the interests of the domestic industry and users and consumers. A determination pursuant to this Article shall be made only where all parties have been given the opportunity to make their views known pursuant to paragraph 2. In such an examination, the need to eliminate the trade-distorting effects of injurious subsidisation and to restore effective competition shall be given special consideration. Measures, as determined on the basis of subsidisation and injury found, may not be applied where the authorities, on the basis of all the information submitted, can clearly conclude that it is not in the Union's interest to apply such measures.
In order to provide a sound basis on which the Commission can take account of all views and information in the decision as to whether or not the imposition of measures is in the Union’s interest, the Union producers, trade unions, importers and their representative associations, representative users and representative consumer organisations may, within the time limits specified in the notice of initiation of the countervailing duty proceedings, make themselves known, and provide information, to the Commission. Such information, or appropriate summaries thereof, shall be made available to the other parties specified in this Article, and they shall be entitled to respond to such information.
The parties which have acted in accordance with paragraph 2 may request a hearing. Such requests shall be granted when they are submitted within the time limits set in paragraph 2, and when they set out the reasons, in terms of the Union interest, why the parties should be heard.
The parties which have acted in accordance with paragraph 2 may provide comments on the application of any provisional duties. Such comments shall be received within 15 days of the date of application of such measures if they are to be taken into account and they, or appropriate summaries thereof, shall be made available to other parties who shall be entitled to respond to such comments.
The Commission shall examine the information which is properly submitted and the extent to which it is representative, and the results of such analysis, together with an opinion on its merits, shall be transmitted to the committee referred to in Article 25 as part of the draft measure submitted pursuant to Articles 14 and 15. The views expressed in the committee should be taken into account by the Commission under the conditions provided for in Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.
The parties which have acted in conformity with paragraph 2 may request that the facts and considerations on which final decisions are likely to be taken be made available to them. Such information shall be made available to the extent possible and without prejudice to any subsequent decision taken by the Commission.
Information shall be taken into account only where it is supported by actual evidence which substantiates its validity.
Article 32
Relationships between countervailing duty measures and multilateral remedies
If an imported product is made subject to any countermeasures imposed following recourse to the dispute settlement procedures of the Subsidies Agreement, and such measures are appropriate to remove the injury caused by the countervailable subsidies, any countervailing duty imposed with regard to that product shall immediately be suspended, or repealed, as appropriate.
Article 32a
Report
The Commission shall, with due regard to the protection of confidential information within the meaning of Article 29, present an annual report on the application and implementation of this Regulation to the European Parliament and to the Council.
That report shall include information about the application of provisional and definitive measures, the termination of investigations without measures, undertakings, reinvestigations, reviews, significant distortions and verification visits, and the activities of the various bodies responsible for monitoring the implementation of this Regulation and fulfilment of the obligations arising therefrom. The report shall also cover the use of trade defence instruments by third countries targeting the Union and appeals against the measures imposed. It shall include the activities of the Hearing Officer of the Commission’s Directorate General for Trade and those of the SME Helpdesk in relation to the application of this Regulation.
The Report shall also include how social and environmental standards have been considered and taken into account in the investigations. Such standards shall cover those embodied in multilateral environmental agreements to which the Union is party and in ILO Conventions listed in Annex Ia to this Regulation, as well as equivalent national legislation of the exporting country.
By 9 June 2023 and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit, to the European Parliament and to the Council, a review of the application of the third and fourth subparagraphs of Article 12(1), the third and fourth subparagraphs of Article 13(1), and of the third and fourth subparagraphs of Article 15(1), including an evaluation of this application. Such a review may, where appropriate, be accompanied by a legislative proposal.
Article 32b
Exercise of the delegation
The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.
The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 12(1) shall be conferred on the Commission for period of two years from 8 June 2018 and it can be exercised only once.
The delegation of power referred to in Article 12(1) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.
Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making ([^E0003]).
As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council.
A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 12(1) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and to the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.
Article 33
Final provisions
This Regulation shall not preclude the application of:
- (a) any special rules laid down in agreements concluded between the Union and third countries;
- (b) the Union Regulations in the agricultural sector and Council Regulations (EC) No 1667/2006 ([^E0004]), (EC) No 614/2009 ([^E0005]) and (EC) No 1216/2009 ([^E0006]). This Regulation shall operate by way of complement to those Regulations and in derogation from any provisions thereof which preclude the application of countervailing duties;
- (c) special measures, provided that such action does not run counter to obligations under the GATT 1994.
Article 34
Report
The Commission shall include information on the implementation of this Regulation in its annual report on the application and implementation of trade defence measures presented to the European Parliament and to the Council pursuant to Article 23 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036.
Article 35
Repeal
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009 is repealed.
References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex VI.
Article 36
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
ANNEX I
ILLUSTRATIVE LIST OF EXPORT SUBSIDIES
- (a) The provision by governments of direct subsidies to a firm or an industry contingent upon export performance.
- (b) Currency retention schemes or any similar practices which involve a bonus on exports.
- (c) Internal transport and freight charges on export shipments, provided or mandated by governments, on terms more favourable than for domestic shipments.
- (d) The provision by governments or their agencies either directly or indirectly through government-mandated schemes, of imported or domestic products or services for use in the production of exported goods, on terms or conditions more favourable than for provision of like or directly competitive products or services for use in the production of goods for domestic consumption, if (in the case of products) such terms or conditions are more favourable than those commercially available ([^E0007]) on world markets to their exporters.
- (e) The full or partial exemption, remission, or deferral ([^E0008]) specifically related to exports, of direct taxes ([^E0009]) or social welfare charges paid or payable by industrial or commercial enterprises.
- (f) The allowance of special deductions directly related to exports or export performance, over and above those granted in respect of production for domestic consumption, in the calculation of the base on which direct taxes are charged.
- (g) The exemption or remission, in respect of the production and distribution of exported products, of indirect taxes ([^E0010]) in excess of those levied in respect of the production and distribution of like products when sold for domestic consumption.
- (h) The exemption, remission or deferral of prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes (10) on goods or services used in the production of exported products in excess of the exemption, remission or deferral of like prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods or services used in the production of like products when sold for domestic consumption; provided, however, that prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes may be exempted, remitted or deferred on exported products even when not exempted, remitted or deferred on like products when sold for domestic consumption, if the prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes are levied on inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product (making normal allowance for waste) ([^E0011]). This item shall be interpreted in accordance with the guidelines on consumption of inputs in the production process contained in Annex II.
- (i) The remission or drawback of import charges (10) in excess of those levied on imported inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product (making normal allowance for waste); provided, however, that in particular cases a firm may use a quantity of home market inputs equal to, and having the same quality and characteristics as, the imported inputs as a substitute for them in order to benefit from this provision if the import and the corresponding export operations both occur within a reasonable time period, not to exceed two years. This item shall be interpreted in accordance with the guidelines on consumption of inputs in the production process contained in Annex II and the guidelines in the determination of substitution drawback systems as export subsidies contained in Annex III.
- (j) The provision by governments (or special institutions controlled by governments) of export credit guarantee or insurance programmes, of insurance or guarantee programmes against increases in the cost of exported products or of exchange risk programmes, at premium rates which are inadequate to cover the long-term operating costs and losses of the programmes.
- (k) The grant by governments (or special institutions controlled by and/or acting under the authority of governments) of export credits at rates below those which they actually have to pay for the funds so employed (or would have to pay if they borrowed on international capital markets in order to obtain funds of the same maturity and other credit terms and denominated in the same currency as the export credit), or the payment by them of all or part of the costs incurred by exporters or financial institutions in obtaining credits, in so far as they are used to secure a material advantage in the field of export credit terms. Provided, however, that if a Member of the WTO is a party to an international undertaking on official export credits to which at least 12 original such Members are parties as of 1 January 1979 (or a successor undertaking which has been adopted by those original Members), or if in practice a Member of the WTO applies the interest rates provisions of the relevant undertaking, an export credit practice which is in conformity with those provisions shall not be considered an export subsidy.
- (l) Any other charge on the public account constituting an export subsidy in the sense of Article XVI of the GATT 1994.
ANNEX Ia
ILO CONVENTIONS REFERRED TO IN THIS REGULATION
-
- Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, No 29 (1930)
-
- Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, No 87 (1948)
-
- Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively, No 98 (1949)
-
- Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, No 100 (1951)
-
- Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, No 105 (1957)
-
- Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, No 111 (1958)
-
- Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, No 138 (1973)
-
- Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No 182 (1999)
ANNEX II
GUIDELINES ON CONSUMPTION OF INPUTS IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
([^E0012])
- 1.Indirect tax rebate schemes can allow for exemption, remission or deferral of prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes levied on inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product (making normal allowance for waste). Similarly, drawback schemes can allow for the remission or drawback of import charges levied on inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product (making normal allowance for waste).
- 2.The illustrative list of export subsidies in Annex I makes reference to the term ‘inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product’ in points (h) and (i). Pursuant to point (h), indirect tax rebate schemes can constitute an export subsidy to the extent that they result in exemption, remission or deferral of prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes in excess of the amount of such taxes actually levied on inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product. Pursuant to point (i), drawback schemes can constitute an export subsidy to the extent that they result in a remission or drawback of import charges in excess of those actually levied on inputs that are consumed in the production of the exported product. Both points stipulate that normal allowance for waste must be made in findings regarding consumption of inputs in the production of the exported product. Point (i) also provides for substitution, where appropriate.
- 3.In examining whether inputs are consumed in the production of the exported product, as part of a countervailing duty investigation pursuant to this Regulation, the Commission must normally proceed on the following basis.
- 4.Where it is alleged that an indirect tax rebate scheme, or a drawback scheme, conveys a subsidy by reason of over-rebate or excess drawback of indirect taxes or import charges on inputs consumed in the production of the exported product, the Commission must normally first determine whether the government of the exporting country has in place and applies a system or procedure to confirm which inputs are consumed in the production of the exported product and in what amounts. Where such a system or procedure is determined to be applied, the Commission must normally then examine the system or procedure to see whether it is reasonable, effective for the purpose intended, and based on generally accepted commercial practices in the country of export. The Commission may deem it necessary to carry out, in accordance with Article 26(2), certain practical tests in order to verify information or to satisfy itself that the system or procedure is being effectively applied.
- 5.Where there is no such system or procedure, where it is not reasonable, or where it is instituted and considered reasonable but is found not to be applied or not to be applied effectively, a further examination by the exporting country based on the actual inputs involved will normally need to be carried out in the context of determining whether an excess payment occurred. If the Commission deems it necessary, a further examination may be carried out in accordance with point 4.
- 6.The Commission must normally treat inputs as physically incorporated if such inputs are used in the production process and are physically present in the product exported. An input need not be present in the final product in the same form in which it entered the production process.
- 7.In determining the amount of a particular input that is consumed in the production of the exported product, a ‘normal allowance for waste’ must normally be taken into account, and such waste must normally be treated as consumed in the production of the exported product. The term ‘waste’ refers to that portion of a given input which does not serve an independent function in the production process, is not consumed in the production of the exported product (for reasons such as inefficiencies) and is not recovered, used or sold by the same manufacturer.
- 8.The Commission's determination of whether the claimed allowance for waste is ‘normal’ must normally take into account the production process, the average experience of the industry in the country of export, and other technical factors, as appropriate. The Commission must bear in mind that an important question is whether the authorities in the exporting country have reasonably calculated the amount of waste, when such an amount is intended to be included in the tax or duty rebate or remission.
ANNEX III
GUIDELINES IN THE DETERMINATION OF SUBSTITUTION DRAWBACK SYSTEMS AS EXPORT SUBSIDIES
I
Drawback systems can allow for the refund or drawback of import charges on inputs which are consumed in the production process of another product and where the export of this latter product contains domestic inputs having the same quality and characteristics as those submitted for the imported inputs. Pursuant to point (i) of Annex I, substitution drawback systems can constitute an export subsidy to the extent that they result in an excess drawback of the import charges levied initially on the imported inputs for which drawback is being claimed.
II
In examining any substitution drawback system as part of a countervailing duty investigation pursuant to this Regulation, the Commission must normally proceed on the following basis:
-
- point (i) of Annex I stipulates that home market inputs may be substituted for imported inputs in the production of a product for export provided such inputs are equal in quantity to, and have the same quality and characteristics as, the imported inputs being substituted. The existence of a verification system or procedure is important because it enables the government of the exporting country to ensure and demonstrate that the quantity of inputs for which drawback is claimed does not exceed the quantity of similar products exported, in whatever form, and that there is no drawback of import charges in excess of those originally levied on the imported inputs in question;
-
- where it is alleged that a substitution drawback system conveys a subsidy, the Commission must normally first proceed to determine whether the government of the exporting country has in place and applies a verification system or procedure. Where such a system or procedure is determined to be applied, the Commission shall normally then examine the verification procedures to see whether they are reasonable, effective for the purpose intended, and based on generally accepted commercial practices in the country of export. To the extent that the procedures are determined to meet this test and are effectively applied, no subsidy will be presumed to exist. It may be deemed necessary by the Commission to carry out, in accordance with Article 26(2), certain practical tests in order to verify information or to satisfy itself that the verification procedures are being effectively applied;
-
- where there are no verification procedures, where they are not reasonable, or where such procedures are instituted and considered reasonable but are found not to be actually applied or not to be applied effectively, there may be a subsidy. In such cases, further examination by the exporting country based on the actual transactions involved would need to be carried out to determine whether an excess payment occurred. If the Commission deems it necessary, a further examination may be carried out in accordance with point 2;
-
- the existence of a substitution drawback provision under which exporters are allowed to select particular import shipments on which drawback is claimed should not of itself be considered to convey a subsidy;
-
- an excess drawback of import charges within the meaning of point (i) of Annex I would be deemed to exist where governments paid interest on any monies refunded under their drawback schemes, to the extent of the interest actually paid or payable.
ANNEX IV
(This Annex reproduces Annex 2 to the Agreement on Agriculture. Any terms or expressions which are not explained herein or which are not self-explanatory are to be interpreted in the context of that Agreement.)
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: THE BASIS OF EXEMPTION FROM THE REDUCTION COMMITMENTS
-
- Domestic support measures for which exemption from the reduction commitments is claimed shall meet the fundamental requirement that they have no, or at most minimal, trade-distorting effects or effects on production. Accordingly, all measures for which exemption is claimed shall conform to the following basic criteria:
- (a) the support in question shall be provided through a publicly-funded government programme (including government revenue foregone) not involving transfers from consumers; and
- (b) the support in question shall not have the effect of providing price support to producers;
plus policy-specific criteria and conditions as set out below.
Government service programmes
General services
Policies in this category involve expenditures (or revenue foregone) in relation to programmes which provide services or benefits to agriculture or the rural community. They shall not involve direct payments to producers or processors. Such programmes, which include but are not restricted to the following list, shall meet the general criteria in point 1 and policy-specific conditions where set out below:
- (a) research, including general research, research in connection with environmental programmes, and research programmes relating to particular products;
- (b) pest and disease control, including general and product-specific pest and disease control measures, such as early-warning systems, quarantine and eradication;
- (c) training services, including both general and specific training facilities;
- (d) extension and advisory services, including the provision of means to facilitate the transfer of information and the results of research to producers and consumers;
- (e) inspection services, including general inspection services and the inspection of particular products for health, safety, grading or standardisation purposes;
- (f) marketing and promotion services, including market information, advice and promotion relating to particular products but excluding expenditure for unspecified purposes that could be used by sellers to reduce their selling price or confer a direct economic benefit to purchasers; and
- (g) infrastructural services, including: electricity reticulation, roads and other means of transport, market and port facilities, water supply facilities, dams and drainage schemes, and infrastructural works associated with environmental programmes. In all cases the expenditure shall be directed to the provision or construction of capital works only, and shall exclude the subsidised provision of on-farm facilities other than for the reticulation of generally available public utilities. It shall not include subsidies to inputs or operating costs, or preferential user charges.
Public stockholding for food security purposes ([^E0013])
Expenditures (or revenue foregone) in relation to the accumulation and holding of stocks of products which form an integral part of a food security programme identified in national legislation. This may include government aid to private storage of products as part of such a programme.
The volume and accumulation of such stocks shall correspond to predetermined targets related solely to food security. The process of stock accumulation and disposal shall be financially transparent. Food purchases by the government shall be made at current market prices and sales from food security stocks shall be made at no less than the current domestic market price for the product and quality in question.
Domestic food aid ([^E0014])
Expenditure (or revenue foregone) in relation to the provision of domestic food aid to sections of the population in need.
Eligibility to receive the food aid shall be subject to clearly-defined criteria related to nutritional objectives. Such aid shall be in the form of direct provision of food to those concerned or the provision of means to allow eligible recipients to buy food either at market or at subsidised prices. Food purchases by the government shall be made at current market prices and the financing and administration of the aid shall be transparent.
Direct payments to producers
Support provided through direct payments (or revenue foregone, including payments in kind) to producers for which exemption from reduction commitments as claimed shall meet the basic criteria set out in point 1, plus specific criteria applying to individual types of direct payment as set out in points 6 to 13. Where exemption from reduction is claimed for any existing or new type of direct payment other than those specified in points 6 to 13, it shall conform to criteria set out in points 6(b) to (e), in addition to the general criteria set out in point 1.
Decoupled income support
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined by clearly-defined criteria such as income, status as a producer or landowner, factor use or production level in a defined and fixed base period.
- (b) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the type or volume of production (including livestock units) undertaken by the producer in any year after the base period.
- (c) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the prices, domestic or international, applying to any production undertaken in any year after the base period.
- (d) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the factors of production employed in any year after the base period.
- (e) No production shall be required in order to receive such payments.
Government financial participation in income insurance and income safety-net programmes
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined by an income loss, taking into account only income derived from agriculture, which exceeds 30 % of average gross income or the equivalent in net income terms (excluding any payments from the same or similar schemes) in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period, excluding the highest and the lowest entry. Any producer meeting this condition shall be eligible to receive the payments.
- (b) The amount of such payments shall compensate for less than 70 % of the producer's income loss in the year the producer becomes eligible to receive this assistance.
- (c) The amount of any such payments shall relate solely to income; it shall not relate to the type or volume of production (including livestock units) undertaken by the producer; or to the prices, domestic or international, applying to such production; or to the factors of production employed.
- (d) Where a producer receives in the same year payments pursuant to this point and pursuant to point 8 (relief from natural disasters), the total of such payments shall be less than 100 % of the producer's total loss.
Payments (made either directly or by way of a government financial participation in crop insurance schemes) for relief from natural disasters
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall arise only following a formal recognition by government authorities that a natural or like disaster (including disease outbreaks, pest infestations, nuclear accidents, and war on the territory of the Member concerned) has occurred or is occurring; and shall be determined by a production loss which exceeds 30 % of the average of production in the preceding three-year period or a three-year average based on the preceding five-year period, excluding the highest and the lowest entry.
- (b) Payments made following a disaster shall be applied only in respect of losses of income, livestock (including payments in connection with the veterinary treatment of animals), land or other production factors due to the natural disaster in question.
- (c) Payments shall compensate for not more than the total cost of replacing such losses and shall not require or specify the type or quantity of future production.
- (d) Payments made during a disaster shall not exceed the level required to prevent or alleviate further loss as defined in criterion set out in point (b).
- (e) Where a producer receives in the same year payments pursuant to this point and pursuant to point 7 (income insurance and income safety-net programmes), the total of such payments shall be less than 100 % of the producer's total loss.
Structural adjustment assistance provided through producer retirement programmes
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined by reference to clearly defined criteria in programmes designed to facilitate the retirement of persons engaged in marketable agricultural production, or their movement to non-agricultural activities.
- (b) Payments shall be conditional upon the total and permanent retirement of the recipients from marketable agricultural production.
Structural adjustment assistance provided through resource retirement programmes
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined by reference to clearly defined criteria in programmes designed to remove land or other resources, including livestock, from marketable agricultural production.
- (b) Payments shall be conditional upon the retirement of land from marketable agricultural production for a minimum of three years, and in the case of livestock on its slaughter or definitive permanent disposal.
- (c) Payments shall not require or specify any alternative use for such land or other resources which involves the production of marketable agricultural products.
- (d) Payments shall not be related to either type or quantity of production or to the prices, domestic or international, applying to production undertaken using the land or other resources remaining in production.
Structural adjustment assistance provided through investment aids
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined by reference to clearly-defined criteria in government programmes designed to assist the financial or physical restructuring of a producer's operations in response to objectively demonstrated structural disadvantages. Eligibility for such programmes may also be based on a clearly defined government programme for the reprivatisation of agricultural land.
- (b) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the type or volume of production (including livestock units) undertaken by the producer in any year after the base period other than as provided for under criterion (e).
- (c) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the prices, domestic or international, applying to any production undertaken in any year after the base period.
- (d) The payments shall be given only for the period of time necessary for the realisation of the investment in respect of which they are provided.
- (e) The payments shall not mandate or in any way designate the agricultural products to be produced by the recipients except to require them not to produce a particular product.
- (f) The payments shall be limited to the amount required to compensate for the structural disadvantage.
Payments under environmental programmes
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be determined as part of a clearly-defined government environmental or conservation programme and be dependent on the fulfilment of specific conditions under the government programme, including conditions related to production methods or inputs.
- (b) The amount of payment shall be limited to the extra costs or loss of income involved in complying with the government programme.
Payments under regional assistance programmes
- (a) Eligibility for such payments shall be limited to producers in disadvantaged regions. Each such region must be a clearly designated contiguous geographical area with a definable economic and administrative identity, considered as disadvantaged on the basis of neutral and objective criteria clearly spelt out in a law or regulation and indicating that the region's difficulties arise out of more than temporary circumstances.
- (b) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the type or volume of production (including livestock units) undertaken by the producer in any year after the base period other than to reduce that production.
- (c) The amount of such payments in any given year shall not be related to, or based on, the prices, domestic or international, applying to any production undertaken in any year after the base period.
- (d) Payments shall be available only to producers in eligible regions, but generally available to all producers within such regions.
- (e) Where related to production factors, payments shall be made at a degressive rate above a threshold level of the factor concerned.
- (f) The payments shall be limited to the extra costs or loss of income involved in undertaking agricultural production in the prescribed area.
ANNEX V
REPEALED REGULATION WITH THE AMENDMENT THERETO
| Council Regulation (EC) No 597/2009 (OJ L 188, 18.7.2009, p. 93) | |
| Regulation (EU) No 37/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 18, 21.1.2014, p. 1) | Only point 18 of the Annex |
ANNEX VI
CORRELATION TABLE
| Regulation (EC) No 597/2009 | This Regulation |
|---|---|
| Articles 1 to 11 | Articles 1 to 11 |
| Article 12(1) to (4) | Article 12(1) to (4) |
| Article 12(6) | Article 12(5) |
| Articles 13 and 14 | Articles 13 and 14 |
| Article 15(1) | Article 15(1) |
| Article 15(2), first sentence | Article 15(2), first subparagraph |
| Article 15(2), second sentence | Article 15(2), second subparagraph |
| Article 15(3) | Article 15(3) |
| Articles 16 to 27 | Articles 16 to 27 |
| Article 28(1) to (4) | Article 28(1) to (4) |
| Article 28(5), first sentence | Article 28(5), first subparagraph |
| Article 28(5), second sentence | Article 28(5), second subparagraph |
| Article 28(6) | Article 28(6) |
| Articles 29 to 33 | Articles 29 to 33 |
| Article 33a | Article 34 |
| Article 34 | Article 35 |
| Article 35 | Article 36 |
| Annexes I to IV | Annexes I to IV |
| Annex V | — |
| Annex VI | — |
| — | Annex V |
| — | Annex VI |
[^E0001]: Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1).
[^E0002]: Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union (see page 21 of this Official Journal).
[^E0003]: OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1.
[^E0004]: Council Regulation (EC) No 1667/2006 of 7 November 2006 on glucose and lactose (OJ L 312, 11.11.2006, p. 1).
[^E0005]: Council Regulation (EC) No 614/2009 of 7 July 2009 on the common system of trade for ovalbumin and lactalbumin (OJ L 181, 14.7.2009, p. 8).
[^E0006]: Council Regulation (EC) No 1216/2009 of 30 November 2009 laying down the trade arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products (OJ L 328, 15.12.2009, p. 10).
[^E0007]: ‘Commercially available’ means that the choice between domestic and imported products is unrestricted and depends only on commercial considerations.
[^E0008]: Deferral may not amount to an export subsidy where, for example, appropriate interest charges are collected.
[^E0009]: For the purposes of this Regulation:
- — ‘direct taxes’ means taxes on wages, profits, interests, rents, royalties, and all other forms of income, and taxes on the ownership of real property,
- — ‘import charges’ means tariffs, duties, and other fiscal charges not elsewhere enumerated in this footnote that are levied on imports,
- — ‘indirect taxes’ means sales, excise, turnover, value added, franchise, stamp, transfer, inventory and equipment taxes, border taxes and all taxes other than direct taxes and import charges,
- — ‘prior-stage’ indirect taxes are those levied on goods or services used directly or indirectly in making the product,
- — ‘cumulative’ indirect taxes are multi-staged taxes levied where there is no mechanism for subsequent crediting of the tax if the goods or services subject to tax at one stage of production are used in a succeeding state of production,
- — ‘remission’ of taxes includes the refund or rebate of taxes,
- — ‘remission or drawback’ includes the full or partial exemption or deferral of import charges.
[^E0010]: See footnote 2 to point (e).
[^E0011]: Point (h) does not apply to value added tax systems and border-tax adjustment in lieu thereof; the problem of the excessive remission of value added taxes is exclusively covered by point (g).
[^E0012]: Inputs consumed in the production process are inputs physically incorporated, energy, fuels and oil used in the production process and catalysts which are consumed in the course of their use to obtain the exported product.
[^E0013]: For the purpose of point 3 of this Annex, governmental stockholding programmes for food security purposes in developing countries whose operation is transparent and conducted in accordance with officially published objective criteria or guidelines shall be considered to be in conformity with the provisions of this point, including programmes under which stocks of foodstuffs for food security purposes are acquired and released at administered prices, provided that the difference between the acquisition price and the external reference price is accounted for in the AMS.
[^E0014]: For the purposes of points 3 and 4 of this Annex, the provision of foodstuffs at subsidised prices with the objective of meeting food requirements of urban and rural poor in developing countries on a regular basis at reasonable prices shall be considered to be in conformity with the provisions of this point.
Reading this document does not replace reading the official text published in the Official Journal of the European Union. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies arising from the conversion of the original to this format.
This text is published under EUR-Lex's own terms of reuse, not a Legalize or public-domain licence.
EUR-Lex
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
© European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union). Reused under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. Only EU legislation published in the printed Official Journal of the European Union is deemed authentic; consolidated texts are reproduced here for documentation purposes and have been reformatted to Markdown.