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Customs classification, relevant goods and trade compliance
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 the following goals: minimising the Union’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide, and thereby contributing to a reduction in global deforestation; reducing the Union’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and global biodiversity loss Relevant commodities and relevant products will not be placed or made available on the market or exported, unless all the following conditions are fulfilled: (a) they are deforestation-free; (b) they have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of…
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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 Parliament, circular economy and import export flow
On 25.04.2023 the EU Parliament published a short report about the circular economy where it is stated that: “…The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended…”. Moreoever, this report, about the need of reduction of raw material dependence, hilights that The world’s population is growing and with it the demand for raw materials. However, the supply of crucial raw materials is limited; Finite supplies also means some EU countries are dependent on other countries for their raw materials. According to Eurostat,…
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European Union, circular economy and customs compliance
The report “Squaring the Circle. Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition” published in December 2022 by the highlights (among other thinks) the following peculiarities of the European circular economy: The private sector is playing a crucial role in the enforcement of the circular economy with its trade and environmental policies; Customs controls on the ecodesign compliance of the products (like the batteries). Indeed: “…New policy proposals are shifting the focus upstream toward more sustainable and circular products. With the proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) published in March 2022, the EC has presented a framework that will allow it to regulate circularity requirements for almost all…
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EU Commission answers to ECA report on AEO: target 2025
The EU Commission prublished the “Replies of the European Commission to the European Court of Auditors special report” about the AEO. The first point underlined by ECA and taken into consideration by the European Commision is that “…ECA concludes that the regulatory framework for the EU AEO programme is generally robust, but it also suggests that more adequate provisions might be needed as regards serious and repeated infringements, consultations between the national customs authorities, the benefit of priority treatment of AEO companies as well as the performance measurement of the AEO programme…”. The Commissions’s answers are: commitment to elaborate further guidance to the national customs authorities on priority treatment…
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AEO, compliance and special report 2023 European Court Auditors
On 5.05.2023 the European court of auditors published the “Special report 13/2023: Authorised Economic Operators – Solid customs programme with untapped potential and uneven implementation”. In this document, the Court highlights: About the process: “… The AEO programme is implemented by Member States, whose customs authorities are responsible for granting and managing AEO authorisations in the EU. Member States customs authorities can grant AEO status to any economic operator established in the EU’s customs territory, if the economic operator meets certain EU-wide criteria established in the UCC…” and “…Member States must have clear authorisation processes in place, with detailed national instructions and procedures…”. About the measuring the performance: “…The legislation…
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FLEGT license and customs codes
The FLEGT license is required for the following customs codes: customs code: 4403 Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared. Customs code: 4404 Hoopwood; split poles; piles, pickets and stakes of wood, pointed but not sawn lengthwise; wooden sticks, roughly trimmed but not turned, bent or otherwise worked, suitable for the manufacture of walking sticks, umbrellas, tool handles or the like; chipwood and the like. Customs code: 4406 Railway or tramway sleepers (cross-ties) of wood. Customs code: 4407 Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6 mm. Customs code: 4408…
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EU,Guyana, forest and trade in timber products
The EU and the Republic of Guyana signed a voluntary parthership on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products. This partnership aims to: provide a legal framework aimed at ensuring that all imports into the Union from Guyana of timber products covered by this Agreement have been legally produced; promote trade in timber products. It requires a FLEGT licence to import the wood originating from Guyana; indeed it lays down that: “…FLEGT licensing scheme establishes a set of procedures and requirements aimed at verifying and attesting, by means of FLEGT licences, that timber products shipped to the Union from Guyana were legally produced. In accordance with Regulation (EC)…
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CBAM and exemptions
CBAM (carbon border adjustment mechanism) will not apply to: goods of non-preferential origin (made in) in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway; low-value consignments up to EUR 150; certain military imports.
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CBAM approved by the EU Council
On 25 April 2023 the EU Council adopted the CBAM Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism regulation (togheter with other measures). The vote in the Council is the last step of the decision-making procedure. To enter into force, the regulation will be: signed by the Council and the European Parliament; published in the EU’s Official Journal The other measures adopted are: a) the revision of the ETS Directive; b) the amendment of the MRV shipping Regulation; c) the revision of the ETS Aviation Directive; d) regulation establishing a Social Climate Fund