Interim Agreement

on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as the "Community",

of the one part, and

THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON, hereinafter referred to as "Lebanon",

of the other part,

WHEREAS the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, was signed at Luxembourg on 17 June 2002,

WHEREAS the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement is intended to strengthen and widen relations between the Community and its Member States and Lebanon established by the existing Cooperation Agreement of 1977,

WHEREAS it is in the mutual interest of the Parties to implement as speedily as possible, by means of an Interim Agreement, the provisions of the Association Agreement on trade and trade-related matters,

WHEREAS it is necessary to ensure that, pending the entry into force of the Association Agreement and the establishment of the Association Council, the Cooperation Council set up by the existing Cooperation Agreement of 1977 exercise the powers assigned by the Association Agreement to the Association Council, which are necessary in order to implement the Interim Agreement,

HAVE DECIDED to conclude this Agreement and to this end have designated as their plenipotentiaries:

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

Josep Piqué I Camps

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain

President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union

Chris Patten

Member of the Commission of the European Communities

LEBANON

Mahmoud Hammoud

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants

WHO, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

TITLE I

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Article 1 (aa2)

Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of this Agreement itself, shall be based on respect of democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.

TITLE II

FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS

Article 2 (aa6)

The Community and Lebanon shall gradually establish a free trade area over a transitional period not exceeding 12 years from the entry into force of this Agreement according to the modalities set out in this title and in conformity with the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994 and of the other multilateral agreements on trade in goods annexed to the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation (WTO), hereinafter referred to as the GATT.

CHAPTER 1

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

Article 3 (aa7)

The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to products originating in the Community and Lebanon falling within Chapters 25 to 97 of the Combined Nomenclature and of the Lebanese customs tariff with the exception of the products listed in Annex 1.

Article 4 (aa8)

Imports into the Community of products originating in Lebanon shall be allowed free of customs duties and of any other charge having equivalent effect.

Article 5 (aa9)

1. Customs duties and charges having equivalent effect applicable on import into Lebanon of products originating in the Community shall be progressively abolished in accordance with the following schedule:

- five years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 88 % of the basic rate,

- six years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 76 % of the basic rate,

- seven years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 64 % of the basic rate,

- eight years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 52 % of the basic rate,

- nine years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 40 % of the basic rate,

- 10 years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 28 % of the basic rate,

- 11 years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement each duty and charge shall be reduced to 16 % of the basic rate,

- 12 years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement the remaining duties and charges shall be abolished.

2. In the event of serious difficulties for a given product, the schedule applicable under paragraph 1 above may be reviewed by the Cooperation Council by common accord on the understanding that the schedule for which the review has been requested may not be extended in respect of the product concerned beyond the maximum transitional period of 12 years. If the Cooperation Council has not taken a decision within 30 days of an application by Lebanon to review the schedule, Lebanon may suspend the schedule provisionally for a period which may not exceed one year.

3. For each product concerned, the basic duty to be gradually reduced as provided in paragraph 1 shall be the rates referred to in Article 15.

Article 6 (aa10)

The provisions concerning the abolition of customs duties on imports shall also apply to customs duties of a fiscal nature.

Article 7 (aa11)

1. Exceptional measures of limited duration which derogate from the provisions of Article 5 may be taken by Lebanon in the form of an increase or reintroduction of customs duties.

2. These measures may only concern new and infant industries, or sectors undergoing restructuring or facing serious difficulties, particularly where these difficulties entail major social problems.

3. Customs duties on imports into Lebanon of products originating in the Community that are introduced by such exceptional measures may not exceed 25 % ad valorem and shall maintain an element of preference for products originating in the Community. The total value of imports of the products which are subject to these measures may not exceed 20 % of the yearly average of total imports of industrial products from the Community during the last three years for which statistics are available.

4. These measures shall be applied for a period not exceeding five years unless a longer duration is authorised by the Cooperation Council. They shall cease to apply at the latest on the expiry of the maximum transitional period of 123 years.

5. No such measures can be introduced in respect of a product if more than three years have elapsed since the elimination of all duties and quantitative restrictions or charges or measures having equivalent effect concerning that product.

6. Lebanon shall inform the Cooperation Council of any exceptional measures it intends to adopt and, at the request of the Community, consultations shall be held on the measures and sectors concerned before they are implemented. When adopting such measures Lebanon shall provide the Cooperation Council with a schedule for the elimination of the customs duties introduced under this Article. This schedule shall provide for a phasing-out of these duties in equal annual instalments starting no later than the end of the second year following their introduction. The Cooperation Council may decide on a different schedule.

7. By way of derogation from provisions of paragraph 4, the Cooperation Council may exceptionally, to take account of the difficulties involved in setting up new industries, endorse the measures already taken by Lebanon pursuant to paragraph 1 for a maximum period of three years beyond the 12 year transitional period.

CHAPTER 2

AGRICULTURAL, FISHERIES AND PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Article 8 (aa12)

The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to products originating in the Community and Lebanon falling within Chapters 1 to 24 of the Combined Nomenclature and of the Lebanese customs tariff and to the products listed in Annex 1.

Article 9 (aa13)

The Community and Lebanon shall progressively establish a greater liberalisation of their trade in agricultural, fisheries and processed agricultural products, of interest to both parties.

Article 10 (aa14)

1. Agricultural products originating in Lebanon listed in Protocol 1 on importation into the Community shall be subject to the arrangement set out in that Protocol.

2. Agricultural products originating in the Community listed in Protocol 2 on importation into Lebanon shall be subject to the arrangement set out in that Protocol.

3. Trade in processed agricultural products falling under this chapter shall be subject to the arrangements set out in Protocol 3.

Article 11 (aa15)

1. Five years after the entry into force of this Agreement, the Community and Lebanon shall assess the situation in order to determine measures to be applied by the Community and Lebanon one year following the revision of this Agreement, in accordance with the objective set out in Article 9.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 1 and taking account of the volume of trade in agricultural, fisheries and processed agricultural products between the two Parties and the particular sensitivity of such products, the Community and Lebanon shall examine on a regular basis in the Cooperation Council, product by product and on an orderly and reciprocal basis, the possibility of granting each other further concessions.

Article 12 (aa16)

1. In the event of specific rules being introduced as a result of the implementation of its agricultural policy or of any alteration of the current rules or in the event of any alteration or extension of the provisions relating to the implementation of its agricultural policy, the Party concerned may amend the arrangements resulting from the Agreement in respect of the products concerned.

2. The Party carrying out such modification shall inform the Cooperation Council thereof. At the request of the other Party, the Cooperation Council shall meet to take due account of the interest of the other Party.

3. If the Community or Lebanon, in applying paragraph 1, modifies the arrangements made by this Agreement for agricultural products, they shall accord imports originating in the other Party an advantage comparable to that provided for in this Agreement.

4. Any modification of the arrangements made by this Agreement shall be the subject, at the request of the other Party, of consultations within the Cooperation Council.

Article 13 (aa17)

1. Both Parties agree to cooperate to reduce the potential for fraud in the application of the trade provisions of this Agreement.

2. Notwithstanding other provisions of this Agreement, where one Party finds that there is sufficient evidence of fraud such as a significant increase in trade products by one party to the other party, beyond the level reflecting economic conditions such as normal production and export capacities, or failure to provide administrative cooperation as required for the verification of evidence of origin by the other Party, both Parties shall enter into consultations immediately to find an appropriate solution. Pending such a solution, the Party concerned may take the appropriate measures it deems necessary. In the selection of the measure priority must be given to those which least disturb the functioning of the arrangements established in this Agreement.

CHAPTER 3

COMMON PROVISIONS

Article 14 (aa18)

1. No new customs duties on imports or exports or charges having equivalent effect shall be introduced in trade between the Community and Lebanon, nor shall those already applied upon entry into force of this Agreement be increased unless this Agreement provides otherwise.

2. No new quantitative restriction on imports or measure having equivalent effect shall be introduced in trade between the Community and Lebanon.

3. Quantitative restrictions on imports and measures having equivalent effect in trade between Lebanon and the Community shall be abolished upon the entry into force of this Agreement.

4. Neither the Community nor Lebanon shall apply to exports between themselves either customs duties or charges having equivalent effect, or quantitative restrictions or measures of equivalent effect.

Article 15 (aa19)

1. For each product the basic rate to which the successive reductions laid down in Article 5(1) are to be applied shall be that actually applied vis-à-vis the Community on the day of conclusion of the negotiations.

2. In the event of the accession of Lebanon to the WTO, the applicable rates for imports between the Parties shall be the WTO bound rate or lower effectively applied rate enforced as of the date of the accession. If, after the accession to the WTO, a tariff reduction is applied on an erga omnes basis, the reduced rate shall apply.

3. The provision laid down in paragraph 2 is of application for any tariff reduction applied after the day of conclusion of the negotiations on an erga omnes basis.

4. The Parties shall communicate to each other their respective applied rates on the day of conclusion of the negotiations.

Article 16 (aa20)

Products originating in Lebanon shall not enjoy more favourable treatment when imported into the Community than that applied by Member States among themselves.

Article 17 (aa21)

1. The Parties shall refrain from any measure or practice of an internal fiscal nature establishing, whether directly or indirectly, discrimination between the products of one Party and like products originating in the territory of the other Party.

2. Products exported to the territory of one of the Parties may not benefit from repayment of indirect internal taxation in excess of the amount of indirect taxation imposed on them either directly or indirectly.

Article 18 (aa22)

1. This Agreement shall not preclude the maintenance or establishment of customs unions, free trade areas or arrangements for frontier trade except in so far as they alter the trade arrangements provided for in this Agreement.

2. Consultations between the Parties shall take place within the Cooperation Council concerning agreements establishing such customs unions or free trade areas and, where requested, on other major issues related to their respective trade policies with third countries. In particular, in the event of a third country acceding to the Community, such consultations shall take place so as to ensure that account can be taken of the mutual interests of the Community and Lebanon.

Article 19 (aa23)

If one of the Parties finds that dumping is taking place in trade with the other Party in line with prevailing international rules as defined in Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and related internal legislation, it may take appropriate measures against this practice in accordance with the WTO Agreement on the implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 and related internal legislation.

Article 20 (aa24)

1. Without prejudice to Article 27, the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures shall apply between the Parties.

2. Until the necessary rules referred to in Article 27(2) are adopted, if either Party finds that subsidy is taking place in trade with the other Party in line with prevailing international rules as defined in Articles VI and XVI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and related internal legislation, it may invoke appropriate measures against this practice in accordance with those rules as defined by the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and related internal legislation.

Article 21 (aa25)

1. The provisions of Article XIX of the GATT 1994 and the WTO Agreement on Safeguards and related internal legislation are applicable between the Parties.

2. Before applying safeguard measures as defined by international rules, the Party intending to apply such measures shall supply the Cooperation Council with all relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation with a view to seeking a solution acceptable to the Parties.

In order to find such a solution the Parties shall immediately hold consultations within the Cooperation Council. If, as a result of the consultations, the Parties do not reach an agreement within 30 days of the initiation of the consultations on a solution to avoid the application of the safeguard measures, the Party intending to apply safeguard measures may apply the provisions of Article XIX of the GATT 1994 and the WTO Agreement on Safeguards.

3. In the selection of safeguard measures pursuant to this article, the Parties shall give priority to those, which cause least disturbance to the achievement of the objectives of this Agreement.

4. Safeguard measures shall be notified immediately to the Cooperation Council and shall be the subject of periodic consultations within the Cooperation Council, particularly with a view to their abolition as soon as circumstances permit.

Article 22 (aa26)

1. Where compliance with the provisions of Article 14(4) leads to:

(a) re-export to a third country against which the exporting Party maintains, for the product concerned, quantitative export restrictions, export duties or measures or charges having equivalent effect; or

(b) a serious shortage, or threat thereof, of a product essential to the exporting Party;

and where the situations referred to above give rise, or are likely to give rise, to major difficulties for the exporting Party, that Party may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the procedures laid down in paragraph 2.

2. The difficulties arising from the situations referred to in paragraph 1 shall be submitted for examination to the Cooperation Council. The Cooperation Council may take any decision needed to put an end to the difficulties. If it has not taken such a decision within 30 days of the matter being referred to it, the exporting party may apply appropriate measures on the exportation of the product concerned. The measures shall be non-discriminatory and shall be eliminated when conditions no longer justify their maintenance.

Article 23 (aa27)

Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in transit justified on grounds of public morality, public policy or public security; of the protection of health and life of humans, animals or plants; of the protection of national treasures of artistic, historic or archaeological value; of the protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property; of rules relating to gold and silver and conservation of exhaustible natural resources. Such prohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between the Parties.

Article 24 (aa28)

The concept of "originating products" for the application of the provisions of the present title and the methods of administrative cooperation relating thereto are laid down in Protocol 4.

Article 25 (aa29)

The Combined Nomenclature of goods shall be applied to the classification of goods for imports into the Community. The Lebanese customs tariff shall be applied to the classification of goods for imports into Lebanon.

Article 26 (aa34)

Where one or several Member States of the Community or Lebanon face or risk facing serious difficulties concerning balance of payments, the Community or Lebanon respectively may, in conformity with the conditions laid down within the framework of the GATT and Articles VIII and XIV of the Statutes of the International Monetary Fund, take restrictive measures with regard to current payments if such measures are strictly necessary. The Community or Lebanon, as appropriate, shall inform the other Party immediately thereof and shall provide as soon as possible a timetable for the removal of such measures.

TITLE III

TRADE-RELATED PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 1

COMPETITION

Article 27 (aa35)

1. The following are incompatible with the proper functioning of this Agreement, in so far as they may affect trade between the Community and Lebanon:

(a) all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices between undertakings which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition, as defined by their respective legislation;

(b) abuse by one or more undertakings of a dominant position in the territories of the Community or Lebanon as a whole or in a substantial part thereof, as defined by their respective legislation.

2. The Parties will enforce their respective competition legislation and shall exchange information taking into account the limitations imposed by the requirements of confidentiality. The necessary rules for cooperation in order to implement paragraph 1 shall be adopted by the Cooperation Council within five years of entry into force of this Agreement.

3. If the Community or Lebanon considers that a particular practice is incompatible with the terms of paragraph 1 of this Article, and if such practice causes or threatens to cause serious prejudice to the other Party, it may take appropriate measures after consultation within the Cooperation Council or after 30 working days following referral for such consultation.

Article 28 (aa36)

The Member States and Lebanon shall progressively adjust, without prejudice to their commitments respectively taken or to be taken under the GATT, any State monopolies of a commercial character, so as to ensure that, by the end of the fifth year following the entry into force of this Agreement, no discrimination regarding the conditions under which goods are procured and marketed exists between nationals of the Member States and of Lebanon. The Cooperation Council will be informed about the measures adopted to implement this objective.

Article 29 (aa37)

With regard to public enterprises and enterprises to which special or exclusive rights have been granted, the Cooperation Council shall ensure that as from the fifth year following the date of entry into force of this Agreement there is neither enacted nor maintained any measure distorting trade between the Community and Lebanon to an extent contrary to the Parties' interests. This provision should not obstruct the performance in law or in fact of the particular tasks assigned to these enterprises.

CHAPTER 2

INTELLECTUAL, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Article 30 (aa38)

1. Pursuant to the provisions of this Article and of Annex 2, the Parties shall ensure adequate and effective protection of intellectual, industrial and commercial property rights in conformity with the highest international standards, including effective means of enforcing such rights.

2. The implementation of this Article and of Annex 2 shall be regularly reviewed by the Parties. If problems in the area of intellectual property protection affecting trading conditions occur, urgent consultations shall be undertaken, at the request of either Party, with a view to reaching mutually satisfactory solutions.

CHAPTER 3

CUSTOMS COOPERATION

Article 31 (aa56)

1. The Parties shall develop customs cooperation to ensure that the provisions on trade are observed. For this purpose they shall establish a dialogue on customs matters.

2. Cooperation shall focus on the simplification of controls and procedures concerning the customs clearance of goods, and shall take the form of exchange of information among experts and vocational training.

3. Mutual assistance between administrative authorities in customs matters shall take place in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 5.

TITLE IV

INSTITUTIONAL, GENERAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 32

The Cooperation Council set up by the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Lebanon signed on 3 May 1977 shall perform duties assigned to it until the Association Council and the Association Committee provided for in Articles 74 and 77 respectively of the Association Agreement are established.

Article 33 (aa75)

1. The Cooperation Council shall consist of the members of the Council of the European Union and members of the Commission of the European Communities, on the one hand, and of members of the Government of Lebanon, on the other.

2. Members of the Cooperation Council may arrange to be represented, in accordance with the provisions laid down in its Rules of Procedure.

3. The Cooperation Council shall establish its Rules of Procedure.

4. The Cooperation Council shall be chaired in turn by a member of the Council of the European Union and a member of the Government of Lebanon in accordance with the provisions laid down in its Rules of Procedure.

Article 34 (aa82)

1. Each of the Parties may refer to the Cooperation Council any dispute relating to the application or interpretation of this Agreement.

2. The Cooperation Council may settle the dispute by means of a decision.

3. Each Party shall be bound to take the measures involved in carrying out the decision referred to in paragraph 2.

4. In the event of it not being possible to settle the dispute in accordance with paragraph 2, either Party may notify the other of the appointment of an arbitrator; the other Party must then appoint a second arbitrator within two months. For the application of this procedure, the Community and the Member States shall be deemed to be one Party to the dispute.

The Cooperation Council shall appoint a third arbitrator.

The arbitrators' decisions shall be taken by majority vote.

Each party to the dispute must take the steps required to implement the decision of the arbitrators.

Article 35 (aa83)

Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Party from taking any measures:

(a) which it considers necessary to prevent the disclosure of information contrary to its essential security interests;

(b) which relate to the production of, or trade in, arms, munitions or war materials or to research, development or production indispensable for defence purposes, provided that such measures do not impair the conditions of competition in respect of products not intended for specifically military purposes;

(c) which it considers essential to its own security in the event of serious internal disturbances affecting the maintenance of law and order, in time of war or serious international tension constituting threat of war or in order to carry out obligations it has accepted for the purpose of maintaining peace and international security.

Article 36 (aa84)

1. In the fields covered by this Agreement and without prejudice to any special provisions contained therein:

(a) the arrangements applied by Lebanon in respect of the Community shall not give rise to any discrimination between the Member States, their nationals, companies or firms;

(b) the arrangements applied by the Community in respect of Lebanon shall not give rise to any discrimination between Lebanese nationals, companies or firms.

2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the right of the Parties to apply the relevant provisions of their fiscal legislation to taxpayers who are not in identical situations as regards their place of residence.

Article 37 (aa86)

1. The Parties shall take any general or specific measures required to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement. They shall see to it that the objectives set out in this Agreement are attained.

2. If either Party considers that the other Party has failed to fulfil an obligation under this Agreement, it may take appropriate measures. Before so doing, except in cases of special urgency, it shall supply the Cooperation Council with all the relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation with a view to seeking a solution acceptable to the Parties.

3. In the selection of the appropriate measures referred to in paragraph 2, priority must be given to those which least disturb the functioning of this Agreement. The Parties also agree that these measures shall be taken in accordance with international law and shall be proportional to the violation.

These measures shall be notified immediately to the Cooperation Council and shall be the subject of consultations within the Cooperation Council if the other Party so requests.

Article 38 (aa87)

Annexes 1 and 2 and Protocols 1 to 5 shall form an integral part of this Agreement.

Article 39 (aa89)

1. This Agreement shall be applicable until the entry into force of the Association Agreement signed on 17 June 2002.

2. Either Party may denounce this Agreement by notifying the other Party. This Agreement shall cease to apply six months after the date of such notification.

Article 40 (aa90)

This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territory of Lebanon.

Article 41 (aa91)

This Agreement is drawn up in duplicate in the Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish languages, each of these texts being equally authentic. It shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union.

Article 42 (aa92)

1. This Agreement shall be approved by the Parties in accordance with their own procedures.

2. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the Parties notify each other that the procedures referred to in paragraph 1 have been completed.

3. Upon its entry into force, this Agreement shall replace Articles 8 to 28, 30 to 34, 36(1), 37, 40 to 44, 46 to 49 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Lebanon, including its Protocol 2, and Annexes A, B and C, and the Agreement between the Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community and Lebanon, signed in Brussels on 3 May 1977.

Hecho en Luxemburgo, el diecisiete de junio de dos mil dos./Udfærdiget i Luxembourg den syttende juni to tusind og to./Geschehen zu Luxemburg am siebzehnten Juni zweitausendzwei./Έγινε στο Λουξεμβούργο, στις δέκα εφτά Ιουνίου δύο χιλιάδες δύο./Done at Luxembourg, on the seventeenth day of June in the year two thousand and two./Fait à Luxembourg, le dix-sept juin deux mille deux./Fatto a Lussemburgo, addì diciassette giugno duemiladue./Gedaan te Luxemburg, de zeventiende juni tweeduizend en twee./Feito no Luxemburgo, em dezeassete de Junho de dois mil e dois./Tehty Luxemburgissa seitsemäntenätoista päivänä kesäkuuta vuonna kaksituhattakaksi./Som skedde i Luxemburg den sjuttonde juni tjugohundratvå./

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Por la Comunidad Europea/For Det Europæiske Fællesskab/Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft/Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα/For the European Community/Pour la Communauté européenne/Per la Comunità europea/Voor de Europese Gemeenschap/Pela Comunidade Europeia/Euroopan yhteisön puolesta/På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar

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LIST OF ANNEXES AND PROTOCOLS

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ANNEX 1

LIST OF AGRICULTURAL AND PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FALLING UNDER HS CHAPTERS 25 TO 97 REFERRED TO IN ARTICLES 3 AND 8

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ANNEX 2

INTELLECTUAL, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 30

1. By the end of the fifth year after the entry into force of this Agreement, Lebanon shall ratify the revisions to the following multilateral conventions on intellectual property, to which Member States and Lebanon are parties or which are de facto applied by Member States:

- Paris Convention for the protection of industrial property (Stockholm Act 1967 and amended in 1979),

- Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (revised at Paris in 1971 and amended in 1979),

- Nice Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the purposes of the Registration of Marks (Geneva 1977, amended in 1979).

2. By the end of the fifth year after the entry into force of this Agreement, Lebanon shall accede to the following multilateral conventions to which member states are parties or which are de facto applied by Member States:

- Patent Cooperation Treaty (Washington, 1970, amended in 1979 and modified in 1984),

- Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (1977, modified in 1980),

- Protocol to the Madrid Agreement concerning the international registration of marks (Madrid, 1989),

- Trademark Law Treaty (Geneva, 1994),

- International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) (Geneva Act of 1991),

- Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property, Annex 1C to the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation (TRIPs, Marrakesh 1994).

PROTOCOL 1

concerning arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of agricultural products originating in Lebanon referred to in Article 10(1)

1. Imports into the Community of the following products originating in Lebanon shall be subject to the conditions set out below.

2. Imports into the Community of those agricultural products originating in Lebanon other than those listed in this Protocol shall be allowed free of customs duty.

3. For the first year of application, the volumes of tariff quotas shall be calculated as a pro rata of the basic volumes, taking into account the part of the period elapsed before the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

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PROTOCOL 2

concerning arrangements applicable to imports into Lebanon of agricultural products originating in the Community referred to in Article 10(2)

1. Imports into the Republic of Lebanon of the following products originating in the Community shall be subject to the conditions set out below.

2. The reduction rates in column (B) of the customs duty in (A) shall neither apply to the minimum duties nor to the excise duties in (C).

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PROTOCOL 3

on trade between Lebanon and the Community in processed agricultural products referred to in Article 10(3)

Article 1

Imports into the Community of processed agricultural products originating in Lebanon shall be subject to the customs duties and charges having equivalent effects mentioned in Annex 1 of this Protocol.

Article 2

1. Imports into Lebanon of processed agricultural products originating in the Community shall be subject to the customs duties and charges having equivalent effect as mentioned in Annex 2 of this Protocol.

2. The tariff dismantling schedule applying in accordance to paragraph 1 shall be that referred to in Article 5(1) of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified in Annex 2 of this Protocol.

Article 3

The reductions of customs duties mentioned in Annexes 1 and 2 shall apply to the basic duties referred to in Article 15 of this Agreement.

Article 4

1. Customs duties applied pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 may be reduced where in trade between the Community and Lebanon, the duties applied to the basic products are reduced, or where such reductions are the result of mutual concessions relating to processed agricultural products.

2. As regards the duties applied by the Community, the reductions provided for under paragraph 1 will be calculated on the part of the duty designated as the agricultural component which shall correspond to the agricultural products actually used in the manufacture of the processed agricultural products in question and deduced from the duties applied to these basic agricultural products.

3. The reduction referred to in paragraph 1, the list of products concerned and, where appropriate, the tariff quotas within which the reduction applies shall be established by the Association Council.

Article 5

The Community and Lebanon shall inform each other of the administrative arrangements adopted for the products covered by this Protocol.

These arrangements should ensure equal treatment for all interested parties and should be as simple and flexible as possible.

ANNEX 1

CONCERNING ARRANGEMENTS APPLICABLE TO IMPORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY OF PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ORIGINATING IN LEBANON

Notwithstanding the rules for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature, the wording for the description of the products is to be considered as having no more than indicative value, the preferential scheme being determined, within the context of this Annex, by the coverage of the CN codes as they exist at the time of adoption of the current act. Where ex CN codes are indicated, the preferential scheme is to be determined by application of the CN code and corresponding description together.

LIST 1

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LIST 2

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LIST 3

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ANNEX 2

CONCERNING ARRANGEMENTS APPLICABLE TO IMPORTS INTO LEBANON OF PROCESSED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ORIGINATING IN THE COMMUNITY

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PROTOCOL 4

concerning the definition of the concept of "originating products" and methods of administrative cooperation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a) "manufacture" means any kind of working or processing including assembly or specific operations;

(b) "material" means any ingredient, raw material, component or part, etc., used in the manufacture of the product;

(c) "product" means the product being manufactured, even if it is intended for later use in another manufacturing operation;

(d) "goods" means both materials and products;

(e) "customs value" means the value as determined in accordance with the 1994 Agreement on implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (WTO Agreement on customs valuation);

(f) "ex-works price" means the price paid for the product ex-works to the manufacturer in the Community or Lebanon in whose undertaking the last working or processing is carried out, provided the price includes the value of all the materials used, minus any internal taxes which are, or may be, repaid when the product obtained is exported;

(g) "value of materials" means the customs value at the time of importation of the non-originating materials used, or, if this is not known and cannot be ascertained, the first ascertainable price paid for the materials in the Community or Lebanon;

(h) "value of originating materials" means the value of such materials as defined in subparagraph (g) applied mutatis mutandis;

(i) "added value" shall be taken to be the ex-works price minus the customs value of each of the products incorporated which did not originate in the country in which those products were obtained;

(j) "chapters" and "headings" mean the chapters and the headings (four-digit codes) used in the nomenclature which makes up the harmonised commodity description and coding system, referred to in this Protocol as the "Harmonised System" or "HS";

(k) "classified" refers to the classification of a product or material under a particular heading;

(l) "consignment" means products which are either sent simultaneously from one exporter to one consignee or covered by a single transport document covering their shipment from the exporter to the consignee or, in the absence of such a document, by a single invoice;

(m) "territories" includes territorial waters.

TITLE II

DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT OF "ORIGINATING PRODUCTS"

Article 2

General requirements

1. For the purpose of implementing this Agreement, the following products shall be considered as originating in the Community:

(a) products wholly obtained in the Community within the meaning of Article 5 of this Protocol;

(b) products obtained in the Community incorporating materials which have not been wholly obtained there, provided that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing in the Community within the meaning of Article 6 of this Protocol.

2. For the purpose of implementing this Agreement, the following products shall be considered as originating in Lebanon:

(a) products wholly obtained in Lebanon within the meaning of Article 5 of this Protocol;

(b) products obtained in Lebanon incorporating materials which have not been wholly obtained there, provided that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing in Lebanon within the meaning of Article 6 of this Protocol.

Article 3

Bilateral cumulation of origin

1. Materials originating in the Community shall be considered as materials originating in Lebanon when incorporated into a product obtained there. It shall not be necessary that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing, provided they have undergone working or processing going beyond that referred to in Article 7(1) of this Protocol.

2. Materials originating in Lebanon shall be considered as materials originating in the Community when incorporated into a product obtained there. It shall not be necessary that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing, provided they have undergone working or processing going beyond that referred to in Article 7(1) of this Protocol.

Article 4

Diagonal cumulation of origin

1. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3, materials originating in any of the countries which are signatory to a European-Mediterranean Association Agreement, within the meaning of the Agreements between the Community and Lebanon and these countries shall be considered as originating in the Community or Lebanon when incorporated into a product obtained there. It shall not be necessary that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing.

This paragraph shall not apply to materials originating in Turkey which are mentioned in the list at Annex III to this Protocol.

2. Products which have acquired originating status by virtue of paragraph 1 shall only continue to be considered as products originating in the Community or Lebanon when the value added there exceeds the value of the materials used originating in any one of the other countries referred to in paragraph 1. If this is not so, the products concerned shall be considered as originating in the country referred to in paragraph 1 which accounts for the highest value of originating materials used. In the allocation of origin, no account shall be taken of materials originating in the other countries referred to in paragraph 1 which have undergone sufficient working or processing in the Community or Lebanon.

3. The cumulation provided for in this Article may only be applied where the materials used have acquired the status of originating products by an application of rules of origin identical to the rules in this Protocol. The Community and Lebanon shall provide each other, through the European Commission with details of agreements and their corresponding rules of origin which have been concluded with the other countries referred to in paragraph 1.

4. Once the requirements laid down in paragraph 3 have been fulfilled, and a date for the entry into force of these provisions has been agreed, each party shall fulfill its own notification and information obligations.

Article 5

Wholly obtained products

1. The following shall be considered as wholly obtained in the Community or Lebanon:

(a) mineral products extracted from their soil or from their seabed;

(b) vegetable products harvested there;

(c) live animals born and raised there;

(d) products from live animals raised there;

(e) products obtained by hunting or fishing conducted there;

(f) products of sea fishing and other products taken from the sea outside the territorial waters of the Community or Lebanon by their vessels;

(g) products made aboard their factory ships exclusively from products referred to in subparagraph (f);

(h) used articles collected there fit only for the recovery of raw materials, including used tyres fit only for retreading or for use as waste;

(i) waste and scrap resulting from manufacturing operations conducted there;

(j) products extracted from marine soil or subsoil outside their territorial waters provided that they have sole rights to work that soil or subsoil;

(k) goods produced there exclusively from the products specified in subparagraphs (a) to (j).

2. The terms "their vessels" and "their factory ships" in paragraph 1(f) and (g) shall apply only to vessels and factory ships:

(a) which are registered or recorded in a Community Member State or in Lebanon;

(b) which sail under the flag of a Community Member State or of Lebanon;

(c) which are owned to an extent of at least 50 % by nationals of Community Member States or of Lebanon, or by a company with its head office in one of these States, of which the manager or managers, chairman of the board of directors or the supervisory board, and the majority of the members of such boards are nationals of Community Member States or of Lebanon and of which, in addition, in the case of partnerships or limited companies, at least half the capital belongs to those States or to public bodies or nationals of the said States;

(d) of which the master and officers are nationals of Community Member States or of Lebanon; and

(e) of which at least 75 % of the crew are nationals of Community Member States or of Lebanon.

Article 6

Sufficiently worked or processed products

1. For the purposes of Article 2, products which are not wholly obtained are considered to be sufficiently worked or processed when the conditions set out in the list in Annex II are fulfilled.

The conditions referred to above indicate, for all products covered by this Agreement, the working or processing which must be carried out on non-originating materials used in manufacturing and apply only in relation to such materials. Accordingly, it follows that if a product, which has acquired originating status by fulfilling the conditions set out in the list is used in the manufacture of another product, the conditions applicable to the product in which it is incorporated do not apply to it, and no account shall be taken of the non-originating materials which may have been used in its manufacture.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the products which are not wholly obtained and listed in Annex IIa are considered to be sufficiently worked or processed when the conditions set out in the list in Annex IIa are fulfilled.

The provision of this paragraph shall apply for three years following the entry into force of this Agreement.

3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 and 2, non-originating materials which, according to the conditions set out in the list, should not be used in the manufacture of a product may nevertheless be used, provided that:

(a) their total value does not exceed 10 % of the ex-works price of the product;

(b) any of the percentages given in the list for the maximum value of non-originating materials are not exceeded through the application of this paragraph.

This paragraph shall not apply to products falling within chapters 50 to 63 of the Harmonised System.

4. Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall apply except as provided in Article 7.

Article 7

Insufficient working or processing operations

1. Without prejudice to paragraph 2, the following operations shall be considered as insufficient working or processing to confer the status of originating products, whether or not the requirements of Article 6 are satisfied:

(a) operations to ensure the preservation of products in good condition during transport and storage (ventilation, spreading out, drying, chilling, placing in salt, sulphur dioxide or other aqueous solutions, removal of damaged parts, and like operations);

(b) simple operations consisting of removal of dust, sifting or screening, sorting, classifying, matching (including the making-up of sets of articles), washing, painting, cutting up;

(c) (i) changes of packaging and breaking up and assembly of packages;

(ii) simple placing in bottles, flasks, bags, cases, boxes, fixing on cards or boards, etc., and all other simple packaging operations;

(d) affixing marks, labels and other like distinguishing signs on products or their packaging;

(e) simple mixing of products, whether or not of different kinds, where one or more components of the mixtures do not meet the conditions laid down in this Protocol to enable them to be considered as originating in the Community or Lebanon;

(f) simple assembly of parts to constitute a complete product;

(g) a combination of two or more operations specified in subparagraphs (a) to (f);

(h) slaughter of animals.

2. All the operations carried out in either the Community or Lebanon on a given product shall be considered together when determining whether the working or processing undergone by that product is to be regarded as insufficient within the meaning of paragraph 1.

Article 8

Unit of qualification

1. The unit of qualification for the application of the provisions of this Protocol shall be the particular product which is considered as the basic unit when determining classification using the nomenclature of the Harmonised System.

Accordingly, it follows that:

(a) when a product composed of a group or assembly of articles is classified under the terms of the Harmonised System in a single heading, the whole constitutes the unit of qualification;

(b) when a consignment consists of a number of identical products classified under the same heading of the Harmonised System, each product must be taken individually when applying the provisions of this Protocol.

2. Where, under general rule 5 of the Harmonised System, packaging is included with the product for classification purposes, it shall be included for the purposes of determining origin.

Article 9

Accessories, spare parts and tools

Accessories, spare parts and tools dispatched with a piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle, which are part of the normal equipment and included in the price thereof or which are not separately invoiced, shall be regarded as one with the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle in question.

Article 10

Sets

Sets, as defined in general rule 3 of the Harmonised System, shall be regarded as originating when all component products are originating. Nevertheless, when a set is composed of originating and non-originating products, the set as a whole shall be regarded as originating, provided that the value of the non-originating products does not exceed 15 % of the ex-works price of the set.

Article 11

Neutral elements

In order to determine whether a product originates, it shall not be necessary to determine the origin of the following which might be used in its manufacture:

(a) energy and fuel;

(b) plant and equipment;

(c) machines and tools;

(d) goods which do not enter and which are not intended to enter into the final composition of the product.

TITLE III

TERRITORIAL REQUIREMENTS

Article 12

Principle of territoriality

1. The conditions set out in Title II relative to the acquisition of originating status must be fulfilled without interruption in the Community or Lebanon, except as provided for in Article 4.

2. If originating goods exported from the Community or Lebanon to another country are returned, except in so far as provided for in Article 4 they must be considered as non-originating, unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that:

(a) the goods returned are the same goods as those exported; and

(b) they have not undergone any operation beyond that necessary to preserve them in good condition while in that country or while being exported.

Article 13

Direct transport

1. The preferential treatment provided for under this Agreement applies only to products, satisfying the requirements of this Protocol, which are transported directly between the Community and Lebanon or through the territories of the other countries referred to in Article 4. However, products constituting one single consignment may be transported through other territories with, should the occasion arise, transshipment or temporary warehousing in such territories, provided that they remain under the surveillance of the customs authorities in the country of transit or warehousing and do not undergo operations other than unloading, reloading or any operation designed to preserve them in good condition.

Originating products may be transported by pipeline across territory other than that of the Community or Lebanon.

2. Evidence that the conditions set out in paragraph 1 have been fulfilled shall be supplied to the customs authorities of the importing country by the production of:

(a) a single transport document covering the passage from the exporting country through the country of transit; or

(b) a certificate issued by the customs authorities of the country of transit:

(i) giving an exact description of the products;

(ii) stating the dates of unloading and reloading of the products and, where applicable, the names of the ships, or the other means of transport used; and

(iii) certifying the conditions under which the products remained in the transit country; or

(c) failing these, any substantiating documents.

Article 14

Exhibitions

1. Originating products, sent for exhibition in a country other than those referred to in Article 4 and sold after the exhibition for importation in the Community or Lebanon shall benefit on importation from the provisions of this Agreement provided it is shown to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that:

(a) an exporter has consigned these products from the Community or Lebanon to the country in which the exhibition is held and has exhibited them there;

(b) the products have been sold or otherwise disposed of by that exporter to a person in the Community or Lebanon;

(c) the products have been consigned during the exhibition or immediately thereafter in the state in which they were sent for exhibition; and

(d) the products have not, since they were consigned for exhibition, been used for any purpose other than demonstration at the exhibition.

2. A proof of origin must be issued or made out in accordance with the provisions of Title V and submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country in the normal manner. The name and address of the exhibition must be indicated thereon. Where necessary, additional documentary evidence of the conditions under which they have been exhibited may be required.

3. Paragraph 1 shall apply to any trade, industrial, agricultural or crafts exhibition, fair or similar public show or display which is not organised for private purposes in shops or business premises with a view to the sale of foreign products, and during which the products remain under customs control.

TITLE IV

DRAWBACK OR EXEMPTION

Article 15

Prohibition of drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties

1. Non-originating materials used in the manufacture of products originating in the Community, in Lebanon or in one of the other countries referred to in Article 4 for which a proof of origin is issued or made out in accordance with the provisions of Title V shall not be subject in the Community or Lebanon to drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties of whatever kind.

2. The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall apply to any arrangement for refund, remission or non-payment, partial or complete, of customs duties or charges having an equivalent effect, applicable in the Community or Lebanon to materials used in the manufacture, where such refund, remission or non-payment applies, expressly or in effect, when products obtained from the said materials are exported and not when they are retained for home use there.

3. The exporter of products covered by a proof of origin shall be prepared to submit at any time, upon request from the customs authorities, all appropriate documents proving that no drawback has been obtained in respect of the non-originating materials used in the manufacture of the products concerned and that all customs duties or charges having equivalent effect applicable to such materials have actually been paid.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 3 shall also apply in respect of packaging within the meaning of Article 8(2), accessories, spare parts and tools within the meaning of Article 9 and products in a set within the meaning of Article 10 when such items are non-originating.

5. The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 4 shall apply only in respect of materials which are of the kind to which this Agreement applies. Furthermore, they shall not preclude the application of an export refund system for agricultural products, applicable upon export in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

6. The provisions of this article shall not apply for six years following the entry into force of this Agreement.

7. After the entry into force of the provisions of this Article and notwithstanding paragraph 1, Lebanon may apply arrangements for drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties or charges having an equivalent effect, applicable to materials used in the manufacture of originating products, subject to the following provisions:

(a) a 5 % rate of customs charge shall be retained in respect of products falling within Chapters 25 to 49 and 64 to 97 of the Harmonised System, or such lower rate as in force in Lebanon;

(b) a 10 % rate of customs charge shall be retained in respect of products falling within Chapters 50 to 63 of the Harmonised System, or such lower rate as in force in Lebanon.

Before the end of the transitional period referred to in Article 2 of this Agreement, the provisions of this paragraph will be reviewed.

TITLE V

PROOF OF ORIGIN

Article 16

General requirements

1. Products originating in the Community shall, on importation into Lebanon and products originating in Lebanon shall, on importation into the Community benefit from this Agreement upon submission of either:

(a) a movement certificate EUR.1, a specimen of which appears in Annex IV; or

(b) in the cases specified in Article 21(1), a declaration, the text of which appears in Annex V, given by the exporter on an invoice, a delivery note or any other commercial document which describes the products concerned in sufficient detail to enable them to be identified (hereinafter referred to as the "invoice declaration").

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, originating products within the meaning of this Protocol shall, in the cases specified in Article 26, benefit from this Agreement without it being necessary to submit any of the documents referred to above.

Article 17

Procedure for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1

1. A movement certificate EUR.1 shall be issued by the customs authorities of the exporting country on application having been made in writing by the exporter or, under the exporter's responsibility, by his authorised representative.

2. For this purpose, the exporter or his authorised representative shall fill out both the movement certificate EUR.1 and the application form, specimens of which appear in Annex IV. These forms shall be completed in one of the languages in which this Agreement is drawn up and in accordance with the provisions of the domestic law of the exporting country. If they are handwritten, they shall be completed in ink in printed characters. The description of the products must be given in the box reserved for this purpose without leaving any blank lines. Where the box is not completely filled, a horizontal line must be drawn below the last line of the description, the empty space being crossed through.

3. The exporter applying for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1 shall be prepared to submit at any time, at the request of the customs authorities of the exporting country where the movement certificate EUR.1 is issued, all appropriate documents proving the originating status of the products concerned as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

4. A movement certificate EUR.1 shall be issued by the customs authorities of an Community Member State or Lebanon if the products concerned can be considered as products originating in the Community, Lebanon or in one of the other countries referred to in Article 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol.

5. The issuing customs authorities shall take any steps necessary to verify the originating status of the products and the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol. For this purpose, they shall have the right to call for any evidence and to carry out any inspection of the exporter's accounts or any other check considered appropriate. The issuing customs authorities shall also ensure that the forms referred to in paragraph 2 are duly completed. In particular, they shall check whether the space reserved for the description of the products has been completed in such a manner as to exclude all possibility of fraudulent additions.

6. The date of issue of the movement certificate EUR.1 shall be indicated in box 11 of the certificate.

7. A movement certificate EUR.1 shall be issued by the customs authorities and made available to the exporter as soon as actual exportation has been effected or ensured.

Article 18

Movement certificates EUR.1 issued retrospectively

1. Notwithstanding Article 17(7), a movement certificate EUR.1 may exceptionally be issued after exportation of the products to which it relates if:

(a) it was not issued at the time of exportation because of errors or involuntary omissions or special circumstances; or

(b) it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that a movement certificate EUR.1 was issued but was not accepted at importation for technical reasons.

2. For the implementation of paragraph 1, the exporter must indicate in his application the place and date of exportation of the products to which the movement certificate EUR.1 relates, and state the reasons for his request.

3. The customs authorities may issue a movement certificate EUR.1 retrospectively only after verifying that the information supplied in the exporter's application agrees with that in the corresponding file.

4. Movement certificates EUR.1 issued retrospectively must be endorsed with one of the following phrases:

"NACHTRÄGLICH AUSGESTELLT", "DELIVRE A POSTERIORI", "RILASCIATO A POSTERIORI", "AFGEGEVEN A POSTERIORI", "ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY", "UDSTEDT EFTERFØLGENDE", "ΕΚΔΟΘΕΝ ΕΚ ΤΩΝ ΥΣΤΕΡΩΝ", "EXPEDIDO A POSTERIORI", "EMITIDO A POSTERIORI", "ANNETTU JÄLKIKÄTEEN", "UTFÄRDAT I EFTERHAND",

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5. The endorsement referred to in paragraph 4 shall be inserted in the "Remarks" box of the movement certificate EUR.1.

Article 19

Issue of a duplicate movement certificate EUR.1

1. In the event of theft, loss or destruction of a movement certificate EUR.1, the exporter may apply to the customs authorities which issued it for a duplicate made out on the basis of the export documents in their possession.

2. The duplicate issued in this way must be endorsed with one of the following words:

"DUPLIKAT", "DUPLICATA", "DUPLICATO", "DUPLICAAT", "DUPLICATE", "ΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΟ", "DUPLICADO", "SEGUNDA VIA", "KAKSOISKAPPALE",

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3. The endorsement referred to in paragraph 2 shall be inserted in the "Remarks" box of the duplicate movement certificate EUR.1.

4. The duplicate, which must bear the date of issue of the original movement certificate EUR.1, shall take effect as from that date.

Article 20

Issue of movement certificates EUR.1 on the basis of a proof of origin issued or made out previously

When originating products are placed under the control of a customs office in the Community or Lebanon, it shall be possible to replace the original proof of origin by one or more movement certificates EUR.1 for the purpose of sending all or some of these products elsewhere within the Community or Lebanon. The replacement movement certificate(s) EUR.1 shall be issued by the customs office under whose control the products are placed.

Article 21

Conditions for making out an invoice declaration

1. An invoice declaration as referred to in Article 16(1)(b) may be made out:

(a) by an approved exporter within the meaning of Article 22, or

(b) by any exporter for any consignment consisting of one or more packages containing originating products whose total value does not exceed EUR 6000.

2. An invoice declaration may be made out if the products concerned can be considered as products originating in the Community, Lebanon or in one of the other countries referred to in Article 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol.

3. The exporter making out an invoice declaration shall be prepared to submit at any time, at the request of the customs authorities of the exporting country, all appropriate documents proving the originating status of the products concerned as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

4. An invoice declaration shall be made out by the exporter by typing, stamping or printing on the invoice, the delivery note or another commercial document, the declaration, the text of which appears in Annex V, using one of the linguistic versions set out in that Annex and in accordance with the provisions of the domestic law of the exporting country. If the declaration is handwritten, it shall be written in ink in printed characters.

5. Invoice declarations shall bear the original signature of the exporter in manuscript. However, an approved exporter within the meaning of Article 22 shall not be required to sign such declarations provided that he gives the customs authorities of the exporting country a written undertaking that he accepts full responsibility for any invoice declaration which identifies him as if it had been signed in manuscript by him.

6. An invoice declaration may be made out by the exporter when the products to which it relates are exported, or after exportation on condition that it is presented in the importing country no longer than two years after the importation of the products to which it relates.

Article 22

Approved exporter

1. The customs authorities of the exporting country may authorise any exporter who makes frequent shipments of products under this Agreement to make out invoice declarations irrespective of the value of the products concerned. An exporter seeking such authorisation must offer to the satisfaction of the customs authorities all guarantees necessary to verify the originating status of the products as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

2. The customs authorities may grant the status of approved exporter subject to any conditions which they consider appropriate.

3. The customs authorities shall grant to the approved exporter a customs authorisation number which shall appear on the invoice declaration.

4. The customs authorities shall monitor the use of the authorisation by the approved exporter.

5. The customs authorities may withdraw the authorisation at any time. They shall do so where the approved exporter no longer offers the guarantees referred to in paragraph 1, does not fulfil the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 or otherwise makes an incorrect use of the authorisation.

Article 23

Validity of proof of origin

1. A proof of origin shall be valid for four months from the date of issue in the exporting country, and must be submitted within the said period to the customs authorities of the importing country.

2. Proofs of origin which are submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country after the final date for presentation specified in paragraph 1 may be accepted for the purpose of applying preferential treatment, where the failure to submit these documents by the final date set is due to exceptional circumstances.

3. In other cases of belated presentation, the customs authorities of the importing country may accept the proofs of origin where the products have been submitted before the said final date.

Article 24

Submission of proof of origin

Proofs of origin shall be submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country in accordance with the procedures applicable in that country. The said authorities may require a translation of a proof of origin and may also require the import declaration to be accompanied by a statement from the importer to the effect that the products meet the conditions required for the implementation of this Agreement.

Article 25

Importation by instalments

Where, at the request of the importer and on the conditions laid down by the customs authorities of the importing country, dismantled or non-assembled products within the meaning of general rule 2(a) of the Harmonised System falling within sections XVI and XVII or heading Nos 7308 and 9406 of the Harmonised System are imported by instalments, a single proof of origin for such products shall be submitted to the customs authorities upon importation of the first instalment.

Article 26

Exemptions from proof of origin

1. Products sent as small packages from private persons to private persons or forming part of travellers' personal luggage shall be admitted as originating products without requiring the submission of a proof of origin, provided that such products are not imported by way of trade and have been declared as meeting the requirements of this Protocol and where there is no doubt as to the veracity of such a declaration. In the case of products sent by post, this declaration can be made on the customs declaration CN22/CN23 or on a sheet of paper annexed to that document.

2. Imports which are occasional and consist solely of products for the personal use of the recipients or travellers or their families shall not be considered as imports by way of trade if it is evident from the nature and quantity of the products that no commercial purpose is in view.

3. Furthermore, the total value of these products shall not exceed EUR 500 in the case of small packages or EUR 1200 in the case of products forming part of travellers' personal luggage.

Article 27

Supporting documents

The documents referred to in Articles 17(3) and 21(3) used for the purpose of proving that products covered by a movement certificate EUR.1 or an invoice declaration can be considered as products originating in the Community, Lebanon or in one of the other countries referred to in Article 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol may consist inter alia of the following:

(a) direct evidence of the processes carried out by the exporter or supplier to obtain the goods concerned, contained for example in his accounts or internal bookkeeping;

(b) documents proving the originating status of materials used, issued or made out in the Community or Lebanon where these documents are used in accordance with domestic law;

(c) documents proving the working or processing of materials in the Community or Lebanon, issued or made out in the Community or Lebanon, where these documents are used in accordance with domestic law;

(d) movement certificates EUR.1 or invoice declarations proving the originating status of materials used, issued or made out in the Community or Lebanon in accordance with this Protocol, or in one of the other countries referred to in Article 4, in accordance with rules of origin which are identical to the rules in this Protocol.

Article 28

Preservation of proof of origin and supporting documents

1. The exporter applying for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1 shall keep for at least three years the documents referred to in Article 17(3).

2. The exporter making out an invoice declaration shall keep for at least three years a copy of this invoice declaration as well as the documents referred to in Article 21(3).

3. The customs authorities of the exporting country issuing a movement certificate EUR.1 shall keep for at least three years the application form referred to in Article 17(2).

4. The customs authorities of the importing country shall keep for at least three years the movement certificates EUR.1 and the invoice declarations submitted to them.

Article 29

Discrepancies and formal errors

1. The discovery of slight discrepancies between the statements made in the proof of origin and those made in the documents submitted to the customs office for the purpose of carrying out the formalities for importing the products shall not ipso facto render the proof of origin null and void if it is duly established that this document does correspond to the products submitted.

2. Obvious formal errors such as typing errors on a proof of origin should not cause this document to be rejected if these errors are not such as to create doubts concerning the correctness of the statements made in this document.

Article 30

Amounts expressed in euro

1. Amounts in the national currency of the exporting country equivalent to the amounts expressed in euro shall be fixed by the exporting country and communicated to the importing countries through the European Commission.

2. When the amounts exceed the corresponding amounts fixed by the importing country, the latter shall accept them if the products are invoiced in the currency of the exporting country. When the products are invoiced in the currency of a Community Member State or another country referred to in Article 4, the importing country shall recognise the amount notified by the country concerned.

3. The amounts to be used in any given national currency shall be the equivalent in that national currency of the amounts expressed in euro as at the first working day in October 1999.

4. The amounts expressed in euro and their equivalents in the national currencies of Community Member States and Lebanon shall be reviewed by the Association Committee at the request of the Community or Lebanon. When carrying out this review, the Association Committee shall ensure that there will be no decrease in the amounts to be used in national currency and shall furthermore consider the desirability of preserving the effects of the limits concerned in real terms. For this purpose, it may decide to modify the amounts expressed in euro.

TITLE VI

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COOPERATION

Article 31

Mutual assistance

1. The customs authorities of the Community Member States and of Lebanon shall provide each other, through the European Commission, with specimen impressions of stamps used in their customs offices for the issue of movement certificates EUR.1 and with the addresses of the customs authorities responsible for verifying those certificates and invoice declarations.

2. In order to ensure the proper application of this Protocol, the Community and Lebanon shall assist each other, through the competent customs administrations, in checking the authenticity of the movement certificates EUR.1 or the invoice declarations and the correctness of the information given in these documents.

Article 32

Verification of proofs of origin

1. Subsequent verifications of proofs of origin shall be carried out at random or whenever the customs authorities of the importing country have reasonable doubts as to the authenticity of such documents, the originating status of the products concerned or the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

2. For the purposes of implementing the provisions of paragraph 1, the customs authorities of the importing country shall return the movement certificate EUR.1 and the invoice, if it has been submitted, the invoice declaration, or a copy of these documents, to the customs authorities of the exporting country giving, where appropriate, the reasons for the enquiry. Any documents and information obtained suggesting that the information given on the proof or origin is incorrect shall be forwarded in support of the request for verification.

3. The verification shall be carried out by the customs authorities of the exporting country. For this purpose, they shall have the right to call for any evidence and to carry out any inspection of the exporter's accounts or any other check considered appropriate.

4. If the customs authorities of the importing country decide to suspend the granting of preferential treatment to the products concerned while awaiting the results of the verification, release of the products shall be offered to the importer subject to any precautionary measures judged necessary.

5. The customs authorities requesting the verification shall be informed of the results of this verification as soon as possible. These results must indicate clearly whether the documents are authentic and whether the products concerned can be considered as products originating in the Community, Lebanon or one of the other countries referred to in Article 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol.

6. If in cases of reasonable doubt there is no reply within 10 months of the date of the verification request or if the reply does not contain sufficient information to determine the authenticity of the document in question or the real origin of the products, the requesting customs authorities shall, except in exceptional circumstances, refuse entitlement to the preferences.

Article 33

Dispute settlement

Where disputes arise in relation to the verification procedures of Article 32 which cannot be settled between the customs authorities requesting a verification and the customs authorities responsible for carrying out this verification or where they raise a question as to the interpretation of this Protocol, they shall be submitted to the Association Committee.

In all cases the settlement of disputes between the importer and the customs authorities of the importing country shall be under the legislation of the said country.

Article 34

Penalties

Penalties shall be imposed on any person who draws up, or causes to be drawn up, a document which contains incorrect information for the purpose of obtaining a preferential treatment for products.

Article 35

Free zones

1. The Community and Lebanon shall take all necessary steps to ensure that products traded under cover of a proof of origin which in the course of transport use a free zone situated in their territory, are not substituted by other goods and do not undergo handling other than normal operations designed to prevent their deterioration.

2. By means of an exemption to the provisions contained in paragraph 1, when products originating in the Community or Lebanon are imported into a free zone under cover of a proof of origin and undergo treatment or processing, the authorities concerned shall issue a new EUR.1 certificate at the exporter's request, if the treatment or processing undergone is in conformity with the provisions of this Protocol.

TITLE VII

CEUTA AND MELILLA

Article 36

Application of the Protocol

1. The term "Community" used in Article 2 does not cover Ceuta and Melilla.

2. Products originating in Lebanon, when imported into Ceuta or Melilla, shall enjoy in all respects the same customs regime as that which is applied to products originating in the customs territory of the Community under Protocol 2 of the Act of Accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic to the European Communities. Lebanon shall grant to imports of products covered by this Agreement and originating in Ceuta and Melilla the same customs regime as that which is granted to products imported from and originating in the Community.

3. For the purpose of the application of paragraph 2 concerning products originating in Ceuta and Melilla, this Protocol shall apply mutatis mutandis subject to the special conditions set out in Article 37.

Article 37

Special conditions

1. Providing they have been transported directly in accordance with the provisions of Article 13, the following shall be considered as:

1. products originating in Ceuta and Melilla:

(a) products wholly obtained in Ceuta and Melilla;

(b) products obtained in Ceuta and Melilla in the manufacture of which products other than those referred to in (a) are used, provided that:

(i) the said products have undergone sufficient working or processing within the meaning of Article 6 of this Protocol; or that

(ii) those products are originating in Lebanon or the Community within the meaning of this Protocol, provided that they have been submitted to working or processing which goes beyond the insufficient working or processing referred to in Article 7(1).

2. products originating in Lebanon:

(a) products wholly obtained in Lebanon;

(b) products obtained in Lebanon, in the manufacture of which products other than those referred to in (a) are used, provided that:

(i) the said products have undergone sufficient working or processing within the meaning of Article 6 of this Protocol; or that

(ii) those products are originating in Ceuta and Melilla or the Community within the meaning of this Protocol, provided that they have been submitted to working or processing which goes beyond the insufficient working or processing referred to in Article 7(1).

2. Ceuta and Melilla shall be considered as a single territory.

3. The exporter or his authorised representative shall enter "Lebanon" and "Ceuta and Melilla" in box 2 of movement certificates EUR.1 or on invoice declarations. In addition, in the case of products originating in Ceuta and Melilla, this shall be indicated in box 4 of movement certificates EUR.1 or on invoice declarations.

4. The Spanish customs authorities shall be responsible for the application of this Protocol in Ceuta and Melilla.

TITLE VIII

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 38

Amendments to the protocol

The Association Council may decide to amend the provisions of this Protocol.

Article 39

Implementation of the protocol

The Community and Lebanon shall each take the steps necessary to implement this Protocol.

Article 40

Goods in transit or storage

The provisions of this Agreement may be applied to goods which comply with the provisions of this Protocol and which on the date of entry into force of this Agreement are either in transit or are in the Community or in Lebanon in temporary storage, in bonded warehouses or in free zones, subject to the submission to the customs authorities of the importing State, within four months of that date, of a certificate EUR.1 issued retrospectively by the competent authorities of the exporting State together with the documents showing that the goods have been transported directly.

ANNEX I

INTRODUCTORY NOTES TO THE LIST IN ANNEX II

Note 1

The list sets out the conditions required for all products to be considered as sufficiently worked or processed within the meaning of Article 6 of the Protocol.

Note 2

2.1. The first two columns in the list describe the product obtained. The first column gives the heading number or chapter number used in the Harmonised System and the second column gives the description of goods used in that system for that heading or chapter. For each entry in the first two columns, a rule is specified in column 3 or 4. Where, in some cases, the entry in the first column is preceded by "ex", this signifies that the rules in column 3 or 4 apply only to the part of that heading as described in column 2.

2.2. Where several heading numbers are grouped together in column 1 or a chapter number is given and the description of products in column 2 is therefore given in general terms, the adjacent rules in column 3 or 4 apply to all products which, under the Harmonised System, are classified in headings of the chapter or in any of the headings grouped together in column 1.

2.3. Where there are different rules in the list applying to different products within a heading, each indent contains the description of that part of the heading covered by the adjacent rules in column 3 or 4.

2.4. Where, for an entry in the first two columns, a rule is specified in both columns 3 and 4, the exporter may opt, as an alternative, to apply either the rule set out in column 3 or that set out in column 4. If no origin rule is given in column 4, the rule set out in column 3 is to be applied.

Note 3

3.1. The provisions of Article 6 of the Protocol, concerning products having acquired originating status which are used in the manufacture of other products, shall apply, regardless of whether this status has been acquired inside the factory where these products are used or in another factory in the Community or in Lebanon.

Example

An engine of heading 8407, for which the rule states that the value of the non-originating materials which may be incorporated may not exceed 40 % of the ex-works price, is made from "other alloy steel roughly shaped by forging" of heading ex 7224.

If this forging has been forged in the Community from a non-originating ingot, it has already acquired originating status by virtue of the rule for heading ex 7224 in the list. The forging can then count as originating in the value-calculation for the engine, regardless of whether it was produced in the same factory or in another factory in the Community. The value of the non-originating ingot is thus not taken into account when adding up the value of the non-originating materials used.

3.2. The rule in the list represents the minimum amount of working or processing required, and the carrying-out of more working or processing also confers originating status; conversely, the carrying-out of less working or processing cannot confer originating status. Thus, if a rule provides that non-originating material, at a certain level of manufacture, may be used, the use of such material at an earlier stage of manufacture is allowed, and the use of such material at a later stage is not.

3.3. Without prejudice to note 3.2, where a rule uses the expression "Manufacture from materials of any heading", then materials of any heading(s) (even materials of the same description and heading as the product) may be used, subject, however, to any specific limitations which may also be contained in the rule.

However, the expression "Manufacture from materials of any heading, including other materials of heading ..." or "Manufacture from materials of any heading, including other materials of the same heading as the product" means that materials of any heading(s) may be used, except those of the same description as the product as given in column 2 of the list.

3.4. When a rule in the list specifies that a product may be manufactured from more than one material, this means that one or more materials may be used. It does not require that all be used.

Example

The rule for fabrics of headings 5208 to 5212 provides that natural fibres may be used and that chemical materials, among other materials, may also be used. This does not mean that both have to be used; it is possible to use one or the other, or both.

3.5. Where a rule in the list specifies that a product must be manufactured from a particular material, the condition obviously does not prevent the use of other materials which, because of their inherent nature, cannot satisfy the rule (see also note 6.2 below in relation to textiles).

Example

The rule for prepared foods of heading 1904, which specifically excludes the use of cereals and their derivatives, does not prevent the use of mineral salts, chemicals and other additives which are not products from cereals.

However, this does not apply to products which, although they cannot be manufactured from the particular materials specified in the list, can be produced from a material of the same nature at an earlier stage of manufacture.

Example

In the case of an article of apparel of ex chapter 62 made from non-woven materials, if the use of only non-originating yarn is allowed for this class of article, it is not possible to start from non-woven cloth - even if non-woven cloths cannot normally be made from yarn. In such cases, the starting material would normally be at the stage before yarn - that is, the fibre stage.

3.6. Where, in a rule in the list, two percentages are given for the maximum value of non-originating materials that can be used, then these percentages may not be added together. In other words, the maximum value of all the non-originating materials used may never exceed the higher of the percentages given. Furthermore, the individual percentages must not be exceeded, in relation to the particular materials to which they apply.

Note 4

4.1. The term "natural fibres" is used in the list to refer to fibres other than artificial or synthetic fibres. It is restricted to the stages before spinning takes place, including waste, and, unless otherwise specified, includes fibres which have been carded, combed or otherwise processed, but not spun.

4.2. The term "natural fibres" includes horsehair of heading 0503, silk of headings 5002 and 5003, as well as wool fibres and fine or coarse animal hair of headings 5101 to 5105, cotton fibres of headings 5201 to 5203, and other vegetable fibres of headings 5301 to 5305.

4.3. The terms "textile pulp", "chemical materials" and "paper-making materials" are used in the list to describe the materials, not classified in chapters 50 to 63, which can be used to manufacture artificial, synthetic or paper fibres or yarns.

4.4. The term "man-made staple fibres" is used in the list to refer to synthetic or artificial filament tow, staple fibres or waste, of headings 5501 to 5507.

Note 5

5.1. Where, for a given product in the list, reference is made to this note, the conditions set out in column 3 shall not be applied to any basic textile materials used in the manufacture of this product and which, taken together, represent 10 % or less of the total weight of all the basic textile materials used (see also notes 5.3 and 5.4 ).

5.2. However, the tolerance mentioned in note 5.1 may be applied only to mixed products which have been made from two or more basic textile materials.

The following are the basic textile materials:

- silk,

- wool,

- coarse animal hair,

- fine animal hair,

- horsehair,

- cotton,

- paper-making materials and paper,

- flax,

- true hemp,

- jute and other textile bast fibres,

- sisal and other textile fibres of the genus Agave,

- coconut, abaca, ramie and other vegetable textile fibres,

- synthetic man-made filaments,

- artificial man-made filaments,

- current-conducting filaments,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polypropylene,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polyester,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polyamide,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polyacrylonitrile,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polyimide,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of polytetrafluoroethylene,

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of poly(phenylene sulphide),

- synthetic man-made staple fibres of poly(vinyl chloride),

- other synthetic man-made staple fibres,

- artificial man-made staple fibres of viscose,

- other artificial man-made staple fibres,

- yarn made of polyurethane segmented with flexible segments of polyether, whether or not gimped,

- yarn made of polyurethane segmented with flexible segments of polyester, whether or not gimped,

- products of heading 5605 (metallised yarn) incorporating strip consisting of a core of aluminium foil or of a core of plastic film whether or not coated with aluminium powder, of a width not exceeding 5 mm, sandwiched by means of a transparent or coloured adhesive between two layers of plastic film,

- other products of heading 5605.

Example

A yarn, of heading 5205, made from cotton fibres of heading 5203 and synthetic staple fibres of heading 5506, is a mixed yarn. Therefore, non-originating synthetic staple fibres which do not satisfy the origin-rules (which require manufacture from chemical materials or textile pulp) may be used, provided that their total weight does not exceed 10 % of the weight of the yarn.

Example

A woollen fabric, of heading 5112, made from woollen yarn of heading 5107 and synthetic yarn of staple fibres of heading 5509, is a mixed fabric. Therefore, synthetic yarn which does not satisfy the origin rules (which require manufacture from chemical materials or textile pulp), or woollen yarn which does not satisfy the origin-rules (which require manufacture from natural fibres, not carded or combed or otherwise prepared for spinning), or a combination of the two, may be used, provided that their total weight does not exceed 10 % of the weight of the fabric.

Example

Tufted textile fabric, of heading 5802, made from cotton yarn of heading 5205 and cotton fabric of heading 5210, is a only mixed product if the cotton fabric is itself a mixed fabric made from yarns classified in two separate headings, or if the cotton yarns used are themselves mixtures.

Example

If the tufted textile fabric concerned had been made from cotton yarn of heading 5205 and synthetic fabric of heading 5407, then, obviously, the yarns used are two separate basic textile materials and the tufted textile fabric is, accordingly, a mixed product.

5.3. In the case of products incorporating "yarn made of polyurethane segmented with flexible segments of polyether, whether or not gimped", this tolerance is 20 % in respect of this yarn.

5.4. In the case of products incorporating "strip consisting of a core of aluminium foil or of a core of plastic film whether or not coated with aluminium powder, of a width not exceeding 5 mm, sandwiched by means of a transparent or coloured adhesive between two layers of plastic film", this tolerance is 30 % in respect of this strip.

Note 6

6.1. Where, in the list, reference is made to this note, textile materials (with the exception of linings and interlinings), which do not satisfy the rule set out in the list in column 3 for the made-up product concerned, may be used, provided that they are classified in a heading other than that of the product and that their value does not exceed 8 % of the ex-works price of the product.

6.2. Without prejudice to note 6.3, materials, which are not classified within chapters 50 to 63, may be used freely in the manufacture of textile products, whether or not they contain textiles.

Example

If a rule in the list provides that, for a particular textile item (such as trousers), yarn must be used, this does not prevent the use of metal items, such as buttons, because buttons are not classified within chapters 50 to 63. For the same reason, it does not prevent the use of slide-fasteners, even though slide-fasteners normally contain textiles.

6.3. Where a percentage rule applies, the value of materials which are not classified within chapters 50 to 63 must be taken into account when calculating the value of the non-originating materials incorporated.

Note 7

7.1. For the purposes of headings ex 2707, 2713 to 2715, ex 2901, ex 2902 and ex 3403 the "specific processes" are the following:

(a) vacuum-distillation;

(b) redistillation by a very thorough fractionation process;

(c) cracking;

(d) reforming;

(e) extraction by means of selective solvents;

(f) the process comprising all of the following operations: processing with concentrated sulphuric acid, oleum or sulphuric anhydride; neutralisation with alkaline agents; decolourisation and purification with naturally-active earth, activated earth, activated charcoal or bauxite;

(g) polymerisation;

(h) alkylation;

(i) isomerisation.

7.2. For the purposes of headings 2710, 2711 and 2712, the "specific processes" are the following:

(a) vacuum-distillation;

(b) redistillation by a very thorough fractionation-process;

(c) cracking;

(d) reforming;

(e) extraction by means of selective solvents;

(f) the process comprising all of the following operations: processing with concentrated sulphuric acid, oleum or sulphuric anhydride; neutralisation with alkaline agents; decolourisation and purification with naturally-active earth, activated earth, activated charcoal or bauxite;

(g) polymerisation;

(h) alkylation;

(ij) isomerisation;

(k) in respect of heavy oils of heading ex 2710 only, desulphurisation with hydrogen, resulting in a reduction of at least 85 % of the sulphur-content of the products processed (ASTM D 1266-59 T method);

(l) in respect of products of heading 2710 only, deparaffining by a process other than filtering;

(m) in respect of heavy oils of heading ex 2710 only, treatment with hydrogen, at a pressure of more than 20 bar and a temperature of more than 250 °C, with the use of a catalyst, other than to effect desulphurisation, when the hydrogen constitutes an active element in a chemical reaction. The further treatment, with hydrogen, of lubricating oils of heading ex 2710 (e.g. hydrofinishing or decolourisation), in order, more especially, to improve colour or stability shall not, however, be deemed to be a specific process;

(n) in respect of fuel oils of heading ex 2710 only, atmospheric distillation, on condition that less than 30 % of these products distils, by volume, including losses, at 300 °C, by the ASTM D 86 method;

(o) in respect of heavy oils other than gas oils and fuel oils of heading ex 2710 only, treatment by means of a high-frequency electrical brush discharge;

(p) in respect of crude products (other than petroleum jelly, ozokerite, lignite wax or peat wax, paraffin wax containing by weight less than 0,75 % of oil) of heading ex 2712 only, de-oiling by fractional crystallisation.

7.3. For the purposes of headings ex 2707, 2713 to 2715, ex 2901, ex 2902 and ex 3403, simple operations, such as cleaning, decanting, desalting, water separation, filtering, colouring, marking, obtaining a sulphur content as a result of mixing products with different sulphur contents, or any combination of these operations or like operations, do not confer origin.

ANNEX II

LIST OF WORKING OR PROCESSING REQUIRED TO BE CARRIED OUT ON NON-ORIGINATING MATERIALS IN ORDER THAT THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURED CAN OBTAIN ORIGINATING STATUS

The products mentioned in the list may not be all covered by the Agreement. It is, therefore, necessary to consult the other parts of the Agreement.

>TABLE>

ANNEX IIA

LIST OF WORKING OR PROCESSING REQUIRED TO BE CARRIED OUT ON NON-ORIGINATING MATERIALS IN ORDER THAT THE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 6(2) CAN OBTAIN ORIGINATING STATUS

>TABLE>

ANNEX III

LIST OF PRODUCTS ORIGINATING IN TURKEY TO WHICH THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 4 DO NOT APPLY, LISTED IN THE ORDER OF HS CHAPTERS AND HEADINGS

>TABLE>

ANNEX IV

SPECIMENS OF MOVEMENT CERTIFICATE EUR.1 AND APPLICATION FOR A MOVEMENT CERTIFICATE EUR.1

Printing instructions

1. Each form shall measure 210 x 297 mm; a tolerance of up to minus 5 mm or plus 8 mm in the length may be allowed. The paper used must be white, sized for writing, not containing mechanical pulp and weighing not less than 25 g/m2. It shall have a printed green guilloche pattern background making any falsification by mechanical or chemical means apparent to the eye.

2. The competent authorities of the Member States of the Community and of Lebanon may reserve the right to print the forms themselves or may have them printed by approved printers. In the latter case, each form must include a reference to such approval. Each form must bear the name and address of the printer or a mark by which the printer can be identified. It shall also bear a serial number, either printed or not, by which it can be identified.

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ANNEX V

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ANNEX VI

JOINT DECLARATIONS

Joint Declaration on the transitional period concerning the issuing or making out of documents relating to the proof of origin

1. During 12 months following the entry into force of this Agreement, the competent customs authorities of the Community and of Lebanon shall accept as valid proof of origin within the meaning of Protocol 4, movement certificates EUR.1 and EUR.2 forms, issued within the context of the Cooperation Agreement signed on 3 May 1977.

2. Requests for subsequent verification of documents referred to above shall be accepted by the competent customs authorities of the Community and of Lebanon for a period of two years after the issuing and making out of the proof of origin concerned. These verifications shall be carried out in accordance with Title VI of Protocol 4 to this Agreement.

Joint Declaration concerning the Principality of Andorra

1. Products originating in the Principality of Andorra falling within Chapters 25 to 97 of the Harmonised System shall be accepted by Lebanon as originating in the Community within the meaning of this Agreement.

2. Protocol 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis for the purpose of defining the originating status of the abovementioned products.

Joint Declaration concerning the Republic of San Marino

1. Products originating in the Republic of San Marino shall be accepted by Lebanon as originating in the Community within the meaning of this Agreement.

2. Protocol 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis for the purpose of defining the originating status of the abovementioned products.

PROTOCOL 5

on mutual administrative assistance in customs matters

Article 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a) "customs legislation" shall mean any legal or regulatory provisions adopted by the Community or Lebanon governing the import, export and transit of goods and their placing under any other customs regime or procedure, including measures of prohibition, restriction and control;

(b) "applicant authority" shall mean a competent administrative authority which has been designated by a Contracting Party for this purpose and which makes a request for assistance on the basis of this Protocol;

(c) "requested authority" shall mean a competent administrative authority which has been designated by a Contracting Party for this purpose and which receives a request for assistance on the basis of this Protocol;

(d) "personal data" shall mean all information relating to an identified or identifiable individual;

(e) "operation in breach of customs legislation" shall mean any violation or attempted violation of customs legislation.

Article 2

Scope

1. The Contracting Parties shall assist each other, in the areas within their competence, in the manner and under the conditions laid down in this Protocol, to ensure the correct application of the customs legislation, in particular by preventing, investigating and combating operations in breach of that legislation.

2. Assistance in customs matters, as provided for in this Protocol, shall apply to any administrative authority of the Contracting Parties which is competent for the application of this Protocol. It shall not prejudice the rules governing mutual assistance in criminal matters. Nor shall it cover information obtained under powers exercised at the request of a judicial authority, except where communication of such information is authorised by that authority.

3. Assistance to recover duties, taxes or fines is not covered by this Protocol.

Article 3

Assistance on request

1. At the request of the applicant authority, the requested authority shall provide it with all relevant information which may enable it to ensure that customs legislation is correctly applied, including information regarding activities noted or planned which are or could be operations in breach of customs legislation.

2. At the request of the applicant authority, the requested authority shall inform it:

(a) whether goods exported from the territory of one of the Contracting Parties have been properly imported into the territory of the other Contracting Party, specifying, where appropriate, the customs procedure applied to the goods;

(b) whether goods imported into the territory of one of the Contracting Parties have been properly exported from the territory of the other Party, specifying, where appropriate, the customs procedure applied to the goods.

3. At the request of the applicant authority, the requested authority shall, within the framework of its legal or regulatory provisions, take the necessary steps to ensure special surveillance of:

(a) natural or legal persons in respect of whom there are reasonable grounds for believing that they are or have been involved in operations in breach of customs legislation;

(b) places where stocks of goods have been or may be assembled in such a way that there are reasonable grounds for believing that these goods are intended to be used in operations in breach of customs legislation;

(c) goods that are or may be transported in such a way that there are reasonable grounds for believing that they are intended to be used in operations in breach of customs legislation;

(d) means of transport that are or may be used in such a way that there are reasonable grounds for believing that they are intended to be used in operations in breach of customs legislation.

Article 4

Spontaneous assistance

The Contracting Parties shall assist each other, at their own initiative and in accordance with their legal or regulatory provisions, if they consider that to be necessary for the correct application of customs legislation, particularly by providing information obtained pertaining to:

- activities which are or appear to be operations in breach of customs legislation and which may be of interest to the other Contracting Party,

- new means or methods employed in carrying out operations in breach of customs legislation,

- goods known to be subject to operations in breach of customs legislation,

- natural or legal persons in respect of whom there are reasonable grounds for believing that they are or have been involved in operations in breach of customs legislation,

- means of transport in respect of which there are reasonable grounds for believing that they have been, are, or may be used in operations in breach of customs legislation.

Article 5

Delivery/Notification

At the request of the applicant authority, the requested authority shall, in accordance with legal or regulatory provisions applicable to the latter, take all necessary measures in order:

- to deliver any documents, or

- to notify any decisions,

emanating from the applicant authority and falling within the scope of this Protocol, to an addressee residing or established in the territory of the requested authority.

Requests for delivery of documents or notification of decisions shall be made in writing in an official language of the requested authority or in a language acceptable to that authority.

Article 6

Form and substance of requests for assistance

1. Requests pursuant to this Protocol shall be made in writing. They shall be accompanied by the documents necessary to enable compliance with the request. When required because of the urgency of the situation, oral requests may be accepted, but must be confirmed in writing immediately.

2. Requests pursuant to paragraph 1 shall include the following information:

(a) the applicant authority;

(b) the measure requested;

(c) the object of and the reason for the request;

(d) the legal or regulatory provisions and other legal elements involved;

(e) indications as exact and comprehensive as possible on the natural or legal persons who are the target of the investigations;

(f) a summary of the relevant facts and of the enquiries already carried out.

3. Requests shall be submitted in an official language of the requested authority or in a language acceptable to that authority. This requirement shall not apply to any documents that accompany the request under paragraph 1.

4. If a request does not meet the formal requirements set out above, its correction or completion may be requested; in the meantime precautionary measures may be ordered.

Article 7

Execution of requests

1. In order to comply with a request for assistance, the requested authority shall proceed, within the limits of its competence and available resources, as though it were acting on its own account or at the request of other authorities of that same Contracting Party, by supplying information already possessed, by carrying out appropriate enquiries or by arranging for them to be carried out. This provision shall also apply to any other authority to which the request has been addressed by the requested authority when the latter cannot act on its own.

2. Requests for assistance shall be executed in accordance with the legal or regulatory provisions of the requested Contracting Party.

3. Duly authorised officials of a Contracting Party may, with the agreement of the other Contracting Party and subject to the conditions laid down by the latter, be present to obtain in the offices of the requested authority or any other concerned authority in accordance with paragraph 1, information relating to activities that are or may be operations in breach of customs legislation which the applicant authority needs for the purposes of this Protocol.

4. Duly authorised officials of a Contracting Party may, with the agreement of the other Contracting Party and subject to the conditions laid down by the latter, be present at enquiries carried out in the latter's territory.

Article 8

Form in which information is to be communicated

1. The requested authority shall communicate results of enquiries to the applicant authority in writing together with relevant documents, certified copies or other items.

2. This information may be in computerised form.

3. Original documents shall be transmitted only upon request in cases where certified copies would be insufficient. These originals shall be returned at the earliest opportunity.

Article 9

Exceptions to the obligation to provide assistance

1. Assistance may be refused or may be subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions or requirements, in cases where a Party is of the opinion that assistance under this Protocol would:

(a) be likely to prejudice the sovereignty of Lebanon or that of a Member State which has been requested to provide assistance under this Protocol; or

(b) be likely to prejudice public policy, security or other essential interests, in particular in the cases referred to under Article 10(2); or

(c) violate an industrial, commercial or professional secret.

2. Assistance may be postponed by the requested authority on the ground that it will interfere with an ongoing investigation, prosecution or proceeding. In such a case, the requested authority shall consult with the applicant authority to determine if assistance can be given subject to such terms or conditions as the requested authority may require.

3. Where the applicant authority seeks assistance which it would itself be unable to provide if so requested, it shall draw attention to that fact in its request. It shall then be for the requested authority to decide how to respond to such a request.

4. For the cases referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the decision of the requested authority and the reasons therefor must be communicated to the applicant authority without delay.

Article 10

Information exchange and confidentiality

1. Any information communicated in whatsoever form pursuant to this Protocol shall be of a confidential or restricted nature, depending on the rules applicable in each of the Contracting Parties. It shall be covered by the obligation of official secrecy and shall enjoy the protection extended to similar information under the relevant laws of the Contracting Party that received it and the corresponding provisions applying to the Community authorities.

2. Personal data may be exchanged only where the Contracting Party which may receive it undertakes to protect such data in at least an equivalent way to the one applicable to that particular case in the Contracting Party that may supply it. To that end, contracting parties shall communicate to each other information on their applicable rules, including, where appropriate, legal provisions in force in the Member States of the Community.

3. The use, in judicial or administrative proceedings instituted in respect of operations in breach of customs legislation, of information obtained under this Protocol, is considered to be for the purposes of this Protocol. Therefore, the Contracting Parties may, in their records of evidence, reports and testimonies and in proceedings and charges brought before the courts, use as evidence information obtained and documents consulted in accordance with the provisions of this Protocol. The competent authority which supplied that information or gave access to those documents shall be notified of such use.

4. Information obtained shall be used solely for the purposes of this Protocol. Where one of the Contracting Parties wishes to use such information for other purposes, it shall obtain the prior written consent of the authority which provided the information. Such use shall then be subject to any restrictions laid down by that authority.

Article 11

Experts and witnesses

An official of a requested authority may be authorised to appear, within the limitations of the authorisation granted, as an expert or witness in judicial or administrative proceedings regarding the matters covered by this Protocol, and produce such objects, documents or certified copies thereof, as may be needed for the proceedings. The request for appearance must indicate specifically before which judicial or administrative authority the official will have to appear, on what matters and by virtue of what title or qualification the official will be questioned.

Article 12

Assistance expenses

The Contracting Parties shall waive all claims on each other for the reimbursement of expenses incurred pursuant to this Protocol, except, as appropriate, for expenses to experts and witnesses, and those to interpreters and translators who are not public service employees.

Article 13

Implementation

1. The implementation of this Protocol shall be entrusted on the one hand to the customs authorities of Lebanon and on the other hand to the competent services of the Commission of the European Communities and the customs authorities of the Member States as appropriate. They shall decide on all practical measures and arrangements necessary for its application, taking into consideration the rules in force in particular in the field of data protection. They may recommend to the competent bodies amendments which they consider should be made to this Protocol.

2. The Contracting Parties shall consult each other and subsequently keep each other informed of the detailed rules of implementation which are adopted in accordance with the provisions of this Protocol.

Article 14

Other agreements

1. Taking into account the respective competencies of the European Community and the Member States, the provisions of this Protocol shall:

- not affect the obligations of the Contracting Parties under any other international agreement or convention,

- be deemed complementary to agreements on mutual assistance which have been or may be concluded between individual Member States and Lebanon, and

- not affect the Community provisions governing the communication between the competent services of the Commission of the European Communities and the customs authorities of the Member States of any information obtained under this Protocol which could be of interest to the Community.

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, the provisions of this Protocol shall take precedence over the provisions of any bilateral agreement on mutual assistance which has been or may be concluded between individual Member States and Lebanon in so far as the provisions of the latter are incompatible with those of this Protocol.

3. In respect of questions relating to the applicability of this Protocol, the Contracting Parties shall consult each other to resolve the matter in the framework of the (ad hoc Committee) set up by the Association Council under Article 12 of the Association Agreement.

Final act

The Plenipotentiaries of THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, hereinafter referred to as "the Community",

of the one part, and

the Plenipotentiaries of THE REPUBLIC OF LEBANON, hereinafter referred to as "Lebanon",

of the other part,

meeting in Luxembourg on the seventeenth of June, two thousand and two for the signature of the Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Community, of the one part, and the Republic of Lebanon, of the other part, hereinafter referred to as "the Interim Agreement",

have at the time of signature adopted the following texts:

the Interim Agreement,

its Annexes 1 and 2, namely:

>TABLE>

and Protocols 1 to 5, namely:

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The Plenipotentiaries of the Community and the Plenipotentiaries of Lebanon have also adopted the following Declarations attached to this Final Act:

JOINT DECLARATIONS

Joint Declaration relating to Article 9 of the Interim Agreement (aa14)

Joint Declaration relating to Article 23 of the Interim Agreement (aa27)

Joint Declaration relating to Article 24 of the Interim Agreement (aa28)

Joint Declaration relating to Article 27 of the Interim Agreement (aa35)

Joint Declaration relating to Article 30 of the Interim Agreement (aa38)

Joint Declaration relating to Article 37 of the Interim Agreement (aa86)

DECLARATIONS BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

Declaration by the European Community on Turkey

Declaration by the European Community relating to Article 27 of the Interim Agreement (aa35)

Hecho en Luxemburgo, el diecisiete de junio de dos mil dos./Udfærdiget i Luxembourg den syttende juni to tusind og to./Geschehen zu Luxemburg am siebzehnten Juni zweitausendzwei./Έγινε στο Λουξεμβούργο, στις δέκα εφτά Ιουνίου δύο χιλιάδες δύο./Done at Luxembourg, on the seventeenth day of June in the year two thousand and two./Fait à Luxembourg, le dix-sept juin deux mille deux./Fatto a Lussemburgo, addì diciassette giugno duemiladue./Gedaan te Luxemburg, de zeventiende juni tweeduizend en twee./Feito no Luxemburgo, em dezassete de Junho do dois mil e dois./Tehty Luxemburgissa seitsemäntenätoista päivänä kesäkuuta vuonna kaksituhattakaksi./Som skedde i Luxemburg den sjuttonde juni tjugohundratvå./

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Por la Comunidad Europea/For Det Europæiske Fællesskab/Für die Europäische Gemeinschaft/Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα/For the European Community/Pour la Communauté européenne/Per la Comunità europea/Voor de Europese Gemeenschap/Pela Comunidade Europeia/Euroopan yhteisön puolesta/På Europeiska gemenskapens vägnar

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JOINT DECLARATIONS

Joint Declaration relating to Article 9 of the Interim Agreement

(aa14)

Both Parties agree to negotiate with a view to granting each other concessions in the trade of fish and fishery products on the basis of reciprocity and mutual interest, with the objective of reaching agreement on the details no later than two years after the signature of this Agreement.

Joint Declaration relating to Article 23 of the Interim Agreement

(aa27)

The Parties confirm their intention to prohibit the export of toxic waste and the European Community confirms its intention to assist Lebanon in seeking solutions to the problems posed by such waste.

Joint Declaration relating to Article 24 of the Interim Agreement

(aa28)

In order to take account of the timescale necessary for setting up the free trade areas between Lebanon and the other Mediterranean countries, the Community undertakes to give favourable consideration to requests presented to it for anticipated application of the diagonal cumulation with those countries.

Joint Declaration relating to Article 27 of the Interim Agreement

(aa35)

The implementation of cooperation mentioned in Article 27(2) is conditional upon the entry into force of a Lebanese competition law and of the taking up of the duties of the authority responsible for its application.

Joint Declaration relating to Article 30 of the Interim Agreement

(aa38)

The Parties agree that for the purpose of the Agreement, intellectual, industrial and commercial property includes in particular copyright, including the copyright in computer programs, and neighbouring rights, the rights relating to databases, the rights relating to patents, industrial designs, geographical indications, including designations of origin, trademarks and service marks, topographies of integrated circuits, as well as protection against unfair competition as referred to in Article 10a of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and protection of undisclosed information on know-how.

The provisions of Article 30 shall not be interpreted in a manner to oblige either Party to accede to international conventions other than those referred to in Annex 2.

The Community will grant technical assistance to the Lebanese Republic in its endeavour to comply with its obligations under Article 30.

Joint Declaration relating to Article 37 of the Interim Agreement

(aa86)

(a) The Parties agree, for the purposes of the correct interpretation and practical application of this Agreement, that the term "cases of special urgency" in Article 37 means a case of the material breach of the Agreement by one of the Parties. A material breach of the Agreement consists in:

- repudiation of the Agreement not sanctioned by the general rules of international law,

- violation of the essential element of the Agreement, namely its Article 1.

(b) The Parties agree that the "appropriate measures" referred to in Article 37 are measures taken in accordance with international law. If a Party takes a measure in a case of special urgency as provided for under Article 37, the other Party may avail itself of the procedure relating to settlement of disputes.

DECLARATIONS BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

Declaration by the European Community on Turkey

The Community recalls that according to the customs union in force between the Community and Turkey, this country has the obligation, in relation to countries which are not members of the Community, to align itself on the Common Customs Tariff and, progressively, with the preferential customs regime of the Community, taking the necessary measures and negotiating agreements on mutually advantageous basis with the countries concerned. Consequently, the Community invites Lebanon to enter into negotiations with Turkey as soon as possible.

Declaration by the European Community relating to Article 27 of the Interim Agreement

(aa35)

The European Community declares that, in the context of the interpretation of Article 27(1), it will assess any practice contrary to that article on the basis of the criteria resulting from the rules contained in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, including secondary legislation.