Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-3§66 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
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Other |
Relevant information
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3.66. At the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2016, certain amendments were made to the Appendices to the Convention. These amendments are reflected in a Commission Regulation of 20 January 2017 amending the EU "CITES Regulation" , by replacing its Annexes. These Annexes generally correspond to the CITES Appendices. [100] Further small changes to a related Commission Regulation were made in 2019 , by laying down detailed rules for the import or re-export of live rhinoceroses or live elephants, specifying that horn or ivory from those animals or from their progeny may not enter commercial trade or commercial activities within the EU. At the same time, the list of standard nomenclature references was also amended.
[100] The EU has, in some cases, adopted stricter measures than what is required by CITES, by including non-CITES-listed species or setting stricter import conditions for listed species.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-3§67 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
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Forestry |
Relevant information
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3.67. Another development during the review period was the negotiation and signing of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), and the establishment of a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community , which is part of the FLEGT Action Plan. [104] The Plan sets out the EU response to combatting illegal harvesting of timber and associated trade, by improving forest governance, strengthening law enforcement and promoting trade in legally-harvested timber and timber products. Under the VPA, partner countries develop systems to verify the legality of their timber exports to the EU and a licensing system to provide assurance that timber imported into the EU has been harvested in compliance with the legal requirements of the partner country, as set out in the relevant FLEGT VPA. To date, the EU has signed VPAs with Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Indonesia, the Central African Republic, Liberia, and Viet Nam. [105] As of September 2019, Indonesia was the only VPA country with an operational FLEGT licensing scheme. [106] The EU concluded negotiations and initialled VPAs with Honduras [107] and Guyana. [108] It is in the process of conducting negotiations with a further six countries.[109] Each VPA generally contains provisions on a list of products covered by the HS code, rules for the licensing scheme, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting and communication provisions.
[104] Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) - Proposal for an EU Action Plan. Viewed at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/SL/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52003DC0251.
[105] European Commission, FLEGT Regulation – FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). Viewed at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/flegt.htm.
[106] EUR-Lex, Voluntary Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber products into the European Union. Viewed at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2014.150.01.0252.01.ENG.
[107] The EU and Honduras concluded negotiations and initialled the VPA on 15 June 2018.
[108] The EU and Guyana concluded negotiations and initialled the VPA on 23 November 2018.
[109] European Commission, FLEGT Regulation – FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). Viewed at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/flegt.htm.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-3§68 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
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Chemicals |
Relevant information
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3.68. The regulation on the export and import of hazardous chemicals was amended twice during the review period, to amend the annexes containing the chemicals covered. Basically, chemicals were added to the lists of those subject to requirements or restrictions on export, due to changes in EU law or in the underlying conventions, i.e. the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade, and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-3§72 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
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Manufacturing, Other |
Relevant information
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3.72. Furthermore, the EU introduced a proposal for a single-use plastics directive in 2018. This Directive was adopted on 5 June 2019. Member States must transpose the Directive into law by 3 July 2021. The Directive would restrict certain plastic products, e.g. plates, cutlery, beverage containers, from being placed on the EU market, and impose an extended producer responsibility for the cost of clean-up activities on a list of similar plastic products used mainly in the food and beverage sector, as well as tobacco products, fishing gear, and balloons. [117]
[117] European Commission, Annex to the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. Viewed at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/pdf/single-use_plastics_proposal_annex.pdf.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-3§73 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
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Chemicals |
Relevant information
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3.73. Another regulation that entered into force in July concerns the prohibition of certain persistent organic pollutants. The EU put in place these measures pursuant to its participation in the Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The annex to the regulation currently identifies about 26 chemicals where the manufacture, placing on the market, and use is prohibited; it also has certain waste management provisions, i.e. recovery and disposal. It should be noted that this regulation is a recast of an earlier regulation adopted in 2004 (Regulation (EC) No. 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants).
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Keywords
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MEAs
Organic
Pollution
Waste
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-Table-3.7 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Chemicals |
Relevant information
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Table 3.7 Prohibitions or restrictions on imports, 2019
Product: Substances that deplete the ozone layer
Measure: Prohibition/restriction
Rationale: Montreal Protocol
Legislation: Regulation (EC) No. 1005/2009
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-Table-3.7 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Chemicals |
Relevant information
|
Table 3.7 Prohibitions or restrictions on imports, 2019
Product: Certain hazardous chemicals
Measure: Prohibition/restriction
Rationale: Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade
Legislation: Regulation (EU) No. 649/2012; Commission Implementing Decision of 10 October 2018
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-Table-3.7 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Chemicals |
Relevant information
|
Table 3.7 Prohibitions or restrictions on imports, 2019
Product: Persistent organic pollutants
Measure: Prohibition/restriction
Rationale: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Legislation: Regulation (EU) 2019/1021
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-Table-3.7 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Other |
Relevant information
|
Table 3.7 Prohibitions or restrictions on imports, 2019
Product: Certain animal and plant species
Measure: Prohibition/restriction
Rationale: CITES
Legislation: Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97
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Keywords
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Conservation
Endangered
MEAs
Wildlife
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/395/REV.1 |
S-Table-3.7 |
European Union |
2020 |
Measures |
Ban/Prohibition, Import licences |
Other |
Relevant information
|
Table 3.7 Prohibitions or restrictions on imports, 2019
Product: Fluorinated greenhouse gases
Measure: Prohibition/restriction
Rationale: Targeted reduction of greenhouse gases pursuant to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Legislation: Regulation (EU) No. 517/2014
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Keywords
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