circular economy
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EU, New Zealand: another step done for the entry into force
The agreement between the European Union and the New Zealand has been signed. Now, it needs to be sent to the European Parliament for its consent. After the ratification process in both the EU and New Zealand, the deal enters into force.
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New GSP framework, sustainable development and good governance: a check of the principles.
The ProposalCOM(2021)579 will set up a new framework of the European generalized system of preference which is: part of EU common commercial policy (unilateral preferential origin treatment for goods originating from the eligibile countries): sustainable development and good goverance; consistent with with the analysis and perspective of the Commission Communication Trade Policy Review: An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy of 18 February 2021; consistent with EU green agenda and UN suistainable goals; The key stone of GSP is the “conditionality”: a country should not benefit from preferential trade arrangements if it is acting in a way that is contrary to international standards and principles and thereby also to its…
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New GSP framework, sustainable development and good governance: a short check
The new GSP regulation -to be adopted within the 2027- mantains: the three group of beneficary countries: “…The scheme provides for the following tariff preference arrangements: (a) a standard arrangement (‘Standard GSP’); (b) a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance (‘GSP+’); (c) a special arrangement for the least-developed countries (Everything But Arms (‘EBA’))…”; The difference between the sensitive and non sensitive goods; The nature of unilateral preferential treatment for goods originating from eligible countries; The list of commodities (HS codes); The need of formalities. The import operations from GSP countries can impact on the AEO internal monitoring.
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New EU GSP: proposal for postponement to 2027
The current European generalized system of preferences (GSP) should be extended to 2027 according to proposal of regulation of EU Parliament and Council. In particular, this proposal ( 4 July 2023- COM 426 2023/0252 COD ) lays down that: “…the period of application of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 should be extended until 31 December 2027…”; “…If the publication takes place after 31 December 2023, this Regulation shall apply retroactively from 1 January 2024…”; “…in case the Regulation based on Commission Proposal COM(2021)579 becomes applicable before that date, the extension of the period of application of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 should be correspondingly shortened…”. For sake of completness, the Commission Proposal COM(2021)579 provides…
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EU, Kenya negotiations for a free trade agreement
According to a press release of EU Parliament: On 19 June 2023, the EU and Kenya concluded negotiations on an economic partnership agreement (EPA); The text of the EPA or FTA (free trade agreement-preferential origin) includes binding provisions on trade and sustainable development; This text must be: a) gone through legal revision; b) submitted for signature and conclusion to the Council; c) signed by EU and Kenya; d) accepted by the EU Parliament; e) ratified by Kenya and the EU Member states. Futhermore, after the consent by the European Parliament, the parties may decide to provisionally apply parts of the agreement
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Energia elettrica, tassazione ambientale, fonti rinnovabili e delega fiscale
La tassazione ambientale dell’elettricità e dei prodotti energetici ha ricevuto un altro interessante contributo da parte della Corte di giustizia dell’UE la quale, con la sua Sezione V nella sentenza C-833/21 del 23 giugno 2023 ha affermato che: “…una normativa nazionale che prevede la tassazione del carbone utilizzato per la produzione di elettricità soddisfa la condizione contenuta in tale disposizione, secondo cui l’imposta deve essere istituita «per motivi di politica ambientale», qualora esista un nesso diretto tra l’impiego del gettito della tassazione in questione e la sua finalità o qualora tale imposta, senza perseguire una finalità puramente di bilancio, sia concepita, per quanto riguarda la sua struttura, in particolare la…
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Free trade agreement, European Union and New Zealand
European Council as stated in the decision n. 2023/1323 of 27 June 2023 and published on 30 June 2023is authorized to sign the free trade agreement with the New Zealand. It is stated that “…The signing, on behalf of the Union, of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand (‘the Agreement’) is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement…”. The compliance with the protocol of origin of the mentioned FTA is required to both claim for the preferential origin (preferential treatment) and prevent the AEO authorization from any infringiment of the required standards (article n.39 UCC). Finally, it is important to recall that…
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The next challenge of AEO: deforestation and CBAM
Environment protection is one of the key factor of the European trade policy. This requires a strong due diligence for the import of relevant commodities and the export of relevant product to prevent deforestation and forest degradation linked to cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood trade and deployment. From the other side, from October 2023 the reporting required by the Carbon border adjustment mechanism will enter into force for the import of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. CBAM implies a good management of the following customs aspects required for the AEO: The customs classification will play an important role to well identify the…
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New EU regulation on deforestation and forest degradation products free: a short introduction
On 9 June 2023 the EU regulation 2023/1115 “on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010” has been published in the EU official journal. Some of the key-concepts of this legal source are: according to FAO (food and agricolture organization) the deforestation and forest degradation are taking place at an alarming rate; Deforestation and forest degradation contribute to the global climate crisis in multiple ways; Climate breakdown induces the loss of biodiversity globally and biodiversity loss aggravates climate change; Biodiversity is essential for the resilience of ecosystems…
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EU Customs reform, AEO and trusted operators scheme
The Commission working document “ Accompanying the document Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Union Customs Code and the European Union Customs Authority, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013…” finds out the need to implement the scheme of the AEO (trusted and checked operators) by following the following areas: ‒ AEO traders can operate under a trust and check approach if they have their electronic system interacting with the customs’ systems on a constant basis and thereby allowing customs to have access to all relevant data directly from the operators’ systems. They can self-monitor the compliance of their goods and calculate and…