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Date: 2025-04-04 Category: Not Applicable State: Union Government Country: Europe

Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway amending the Agreement of the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union

Issued by European Union · Norway

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Executive Summary & Key Takeaways

What it means

  • The gazette publishes an agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway.
  • This agreement amends the Agreement of 17 December 2020, pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994.
  • The amendment relates to the modification of concessions on tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Key Changes

  • The European Union has agreed with other WTO Members to change the shares of three erga omnes tariff-rate quotas for which the Kingdom of Norway has negotiating rights.
  • These tariff-rate quotas are numbers 015 and 017 on meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen, and number 030 on skimmed milk powder.
  • The Kingdom of Norway agrees with the modifications as set out in the Annex to the Letter and the resulting quantitative commitments taken on by the European Union, which no longer includes the United Kingdom.
  • The agreement will enter into force once both the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway have notified each other of the completion of their internal procedures.
  • The following are the updated TRQ quantities for the European Union that no longer includes the United Kingdom:
  • Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen (cuts of domestic swine, excluding tenderloin): 4,786 tonnes
  • Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen (boneless loins and hams of domestic swine): 5,720 tonnes
  • Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen (tenderloins of domestic swine): 3,780 tonnes
  • Skimmed-milk powder: 62,917 tonnes
  • Egg albumin: 15,500 tonnes (shell egg equivalent)
  • Herring: 33,496 tonnes

Impact Analysis

Stakeholders

  • Producers (EU and Norway): Domestic production of the goods affected by the tariff-rate quotas could be impacted by changes in import volumes.

Suggested Action Items

  • Monitor trade data to assess the effectiveness of the revised tariff-rate quotas in achieving their intended objectives.

Key Entities Referenced

European Union: One of the parties to the agreement, responsible for modifying concessions on tariff-rate quotas. Kingdom of Norway: One of the parties to the agreement, holding negotiating rights for specific tariff-rate quotas. GATT 1994: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, the framework under which the negotiations and agreement were conducted (Article XXVIII). WTO Members: Other members of the World Trade Organization with rights under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994. EU Schedule CLXXV: The European Union's tariff schedule that includes the tariff-rate quotas being modified. Agreement of 17 December 2020: The original agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway that is being amended by this new agreement.
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Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/684 4.4.2025 Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway amending the Agreement of the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway pursuant to Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in the EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union A. Letter from the European Union Sir/Madam, I would like to refer to the ongoing procedures under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994, which were initiated by the European Union by the notification contained in document G/SECRET/42 of 24 July 2018, proposing modifications of concessions on tariff-rate quotas included in the European Union Tariff Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. On 17 December 2020, the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway signed an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters to conclude the negotiations pursuant to Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 (the ‘Agreement of 17 December 2020’), which entered into force on 10 May 2021. As a result of negotiations between the European Union and other WTO Members with rights under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994, the European Union has agreed with those WTO Members to change the shares of three erga omnes tariff-rate quotas for which the Kingdom of Norway has negotiating rights (numbers 015 and 017 on meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen and number 030 on skimmed milk powder), as detailed in the last column of the Annex to this Letter. Following bilateral consultations, the Kingdom of Norway agrees with the modifications as set out in the Annex to this Letter and the resulting quantitative commitments taken on by the European Union, which no longer includes the United Kingdom. I have the honour to propose that this Letter and your Government’s confirmation shall together constitute an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway, amending the Agreement of 17 December 2020 with regard to the apportionment of the tariff-rate quotas for which the Kingdom of Norway holds negotiating rights. The European Union and the Kingdom of Norway shall notify each other of the completion of their internal procedures in respect of the entry into force of this Agreement. In the case of the European Union, the written notification shall be sent to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the last notification. This Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Norwegian languages, each text being equally authentic. Please accept, Sir/Madam, the assurance of my highest consideration. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/oj 1/6EN OJ L, 4.4.2025 ANNEX TARIFF RATE QUOTAS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION THAT NO LONGER INCLUDES THE UNITED KINGDOM Concession for TRQ Other the European Union sequence Description Unit terms and that no longer includes Number conditions the United Kingdom 015 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 4 786 – Cuts of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen, with or without bone, excluding tenderloin presented separately 017 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 5 720 – Boneless loins and hams of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen 019 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 3 780 – Tenderloins of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen 030 Skimmed-milk powder t Erga omnes 62 917 124 Egg albumin t (shell egg Erga omnes 15 500 equivalent) 002 Herring t Erga omnes 33 496 2/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/ojEN OJ L, 4.4.2025 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/oj 3/6EN OJ L, 4.4.2025 B. Letter from the Kingdom of Norway Sir/Madam, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of today’s date, which reads as follows: ‘I would like to refer to the ongoing procedures under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994, which were initiated by the European Union by the notification contained in document G/SECRET/42 of 24 July 2018, proposing modifications of concessions on tariff-rate quotas included in the European Union Tariff Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. On 17 December 2020, the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway signed an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters to conclude the negotiations pursuant to Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 (the “Agreement of 17 December 2020”), which entered into force on 10 May 2021. As a result of negotiations between the European Union and other WTO Members with rights under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994, the European Union has agreed with those WTO Members to change the shares of three erga omnes tariff-rate quotas for which the Kingdom of Norway has negotiating rights (numbers 015 and 017 on meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen and number 030 on skimmed milk powder), as detailed in the last column of the Annex to this Letter. Following bilateral consultations, the Kingdom of Norway agrees with the modifications as set out in the Annex to this Letter and the resulting quantitative commitments taken on by the European Union, which no longer includes the United Kingdom. I have the honour to propose that this Letter and your Government's confirmation shall together constitute an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway, amending the Agreement of 17 December 2020 with regard to the apportionment of the tariff-rate quotas for which the Kingdom of Norway holds negotiating rights. The European Union and the Kingdom of Norway shall notify each other of the completion of their internal procedures in respect of the entry into force of this Agreement. In the case of the European Union, the written notification shall be sent to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the last notification. This Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Norwegian languages, each text being equally authentic.’. I hereby have the honour to express my Government’s agreement with the above letter. 4/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/ojEN OJ L, 4.4.2025 ANNEX TARIFF RATE QUOTAS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION THAT NO LONGER INCLUDES THE UNITED KINGDOM Concession for the European TRQ sequence Other terms and Union that no longer Description Unit Number conditions includes the United Kingdom 015 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 4 786 – Cuts of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen, with or without bone, excluding tenderloin presented separately 017 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 5 720 – Boneless loins and hams of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen 019 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen: t Erga omnes 3 780 – Tenderloins of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen 030 Skimmed-milk powder t Erga omnes 62 917 124 Egg albumin t (shell egg Erga omnes 15 500 equivalent) 002 Herring t Erga omnes 33 496 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/oj 5/6EN OJ L, 4.4.2025 6/6 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2025/684/oj

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