2002/973/EC: Council Decision of 10 December 2002 amending Decision 89/688/EEC concerning the dock dues in the French overseas departments

• Published date: 13 December 2002
• Subject Matter: French overseas departments,Taxation,Regional policy
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Communities, L 337, 13 December 2002

|

2002/973/EC: Council Decision of 10 December 2002 amending Decision 89/688/EEC concerning the dock dues in the French overseas departments

Official Journal L 337 , 13/12/2002 P. 0083 - 0084

Council Decision

of 10 December 2002

amending Decision 89/688/EEC concerning the dock dues in the French overseas departments

(2002/973/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 299(2),

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(1),

Whereas:

(1) Article 2(3) of Council Decision 89/688/EEC of 22 December 1989 concerning the dock dues in the French overseas departments(2) states that in the light of the special constraints on the French overseas departments partial or total exemptions from the charge may be authorised for local production activities for a period of not more than 10 years from the date of introduction of the system of charges. This period expires on 31 December 2002 having been introduced on 1 January 1993 under the French Law of 17 July 1992.

(2) Article 3 of the Decision requires the Commission to submit a report on the implementation of the arrangements in order to ascertain the impact of the measures taken and whether exemptions should be maintained. In the report it presented to the Council on 24 November 1999, the Commission concludes that the four French overseas departments are in a much more fragile economic and social situation than the rest of the Community because of their outlying geographical position and underlines the importance of the dock dues and exemptions from this charge for local production for these regions' social and economic development.

(3) According to the Commission report of 14 March 2000 on measures to implement Article 299(2) of the Treaty, that Article must be implemented in partnership with the Member States concerned on the basis of detailed requests from them.

(4) On 12 March 2002 France sent a detailed request to the Commission to extend exemptions from dock dues for a period of 10 years.

(5) The Commission has examined this request and considers that further details of the content of the exemptions which will apply when the current arrangements come to an end are required. Additional information must be provided by the French...