HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"L 351/34
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
20.12.2012
REGULATION (EU) No 1217/2012 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 12 December 2012
on the allocation of tariff-rate quotas applying to exports of wood from the Russian Federation to
the European Union
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
(4) The
Union
and
the
Russian
Federation
also
negotiated
a
EUROPEAN UNION,
Protocol on technical modalities pursuant to the Agree
ment ( 3 ) (‘the Protocol’).
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
(5) On
14
December
2011,
the
Council
adopted
Decision
Union, and in particular Article 207 thereof,
2012/105/EU ( 4 ) authorising the signing of the
Agreement and the Protocol and their provisional appli
cation from the date of accession of the Russian
Federation to the WTO. The Agreement and the
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Protocol were signed on 16 December 2011. The
Russian Federation acceded to the WTO on 22 August
2012.
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national
parliaments,
(6) In
accordance
with
the
terms
of
the
Agreement,
the
Union is to manage the share of tariff-rate quotas
allocated to it in accordance with its internal procedures.
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (
Decision 2012/105/EU lays down that the Commission

1 ),
is to adopt detailed rules on the method of allocating
quota authorisations pursuant to the Protocol, as well as
any other provisions necessary for the management, by
the Union, of the quantities of the tariff-quotas allocated
Whereas:
to exports to the Union. Commission Implementing
Regulation (EU) No 498/2012
( 5 ) established the
necessary provisional implementing rules with a view
to enabling the Union’s management of its share of the
(1)
Considering the economic importance for the Union of
tariff-rate quotas to be fully operational by the time that
imports of raw wood and the importance that the
the Russian Federation joined the WTO. That Regulation
Russian Federation has for the Union as a supplier of
will cease to apply once the Agreement and the Protocol
raw wood, the Commission negotiated with the
are concluded and enter into force.
Russian Federation commitments by the latter to
reduce or eliminate export duties on raw wood.
(7) In
order
to
ensure
uniform
conditions
for
the
implemen
tation of the Agreement and the Protocol following their
(2) These
commitments,
which
became
part
of
the
World
entry into force, implementing powers should be
Trade Organization (WTO) Schedule of Concessions
conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be
and Commitments on Goods of the Russian Federation
exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No
upon its accession to the WTO, include tariff-rate quotas
182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the
for the export of specified types of coniferous wood, a
Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules
share of which has been allocated for exports to the
and general principles concerning mechanisms for
Union.
control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise
of implementing powers ( 6 ).
(3)
In the context of the negotiations regarding the accession
(8) In
order
to
ensure
legal
certainty
and
legal
continuity
for
of the Russian Federation to the WTO, the Commission
economic operators, the new implementing acts to be
negotiated, on behalf of the Union, an Agreement in the
adopted pursuant to this Regulation should maintain
form of an Exchange of Letters between the European
the legal effects of the transitional measures already
Union and the Russian Federation relating to the admin
taken under Implementing Regulation (EU) No
istration of tariff-rate quotas applying to exports of wood
498/2012. Those transitional measures should thereafter
from the Russian Federation to the European Union ( 2 )
be treated as if they were taken under the corresponding
(‘the Agreement’).
provisions of those new implementing acts,
( 1 ) Position of the European Parliament of 21 November 2012 (not yet
( 3 ) OJ L 57, 29.2.2012, p. 5.
published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of
( 4 ) OJ L 57, 29.2.2012, p. 1.
3 December 2012.
( 5 ) OJ L 152, 13.6.2012, p. 28.
( 2 ) OJ L 57, 29.2.2012, p. 3.
( 6 ) OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13.

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EN
20.12.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
351/35
HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 2
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Wood
Article 1
Committee established by Article 5 of Decision 2012/105/EU.
1. In
order
to
implement
the
Agreement
between
the That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of
European Union and the Russian Federation relating to the
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. The Wood Committee may
administration of tariff-rate quotas applying to exports of
examine any matter relating to the application of the
wood from the Russian Federation to the Union and the
Agreement and the Protocol, raised by the Commission or at
Protocol on technical modalities pursuant to that Agreement,
the request of a Member State.
the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down
detailed rules on the method of allocating quota authorisations
pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 5 of the Protocol and laying
down any other provisions necessary for the management, by
2. Where
reference
is
made
to
this
paragraph,
Article
5
of
the Union, of the quantities of the tariff-rate quotas allocated to
Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
exports to the Union. Those implementing acts shall be adopted
in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in
Article 2(2).
Article 3
2. The
implementing
acts
referred
to
in
paragraph
1
shall
maintain the legal effects of the transitional measures taken
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its
pursuant to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 498/2012.
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Strasbourg, 12 December 2012.
For the European Parliament
For the Council
The President
The President
M. SCHULZ
A. D. MAVROYIANNIS

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