1.
EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences
(GSP+)
European Union Delegation
Agricultural export promotion Workshop
Bishkek, 19 October 2016

2.
1. Main features of the GSP+
2. What GSP+ means for Kyrgyzstan
3. What the export helpdesk offers
4. How to use GSP+?
Table of content

3.
1. Main features of the GSP+
Overall Definition
GSP+: Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable
Development and Good Governance. Complete duty
suspension for the same product categories. Granted
to countries which ratify and implement core
international conventions relating to human and labour
rights, environment and good governance

4.
14 Beneficiary Countries
Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala,
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.
Total Population : Estimated 335 Million People
Total GSP 'Eligible' Exports to EU (2014): Estimated €9.8bn
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1. Main features of the GSP+

5.
Beneficiary Status – Criteria (1)
• Application: Getting GSP+ preferences is not automatic. Countries
must apply for the arrangement and fulfil certain criteria.
• Standard GSP Beneficiary: The country must meet the criteria to
benefit from the standard GSP arrangement.
• Vulnerable: The country must be considered 'vulnerable'. A
vulnerable country means a country
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1. Main features of the GSP+

6.
Beneficiary Status – Criteria (2)
• Ratification: The country must have ratified the 27 core
international conventions in the fields of human and labour
rights, the environment, and good governance
• Implementation: The country must not present a serious failure
in the implementation of the 27 core international conventions
• Binding Undertaking : The country must commit in writing to:
1. maintain ratification of the conventions and ensure their
effective implementation;
2. accept the reporting and monitoring requirements imposed
by the conventions; and
3. accept and cooperate with the EU monitoring procedure.
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1. Main features of the GSP+

7.
Loss of Preferences
There are three different ways in which a country can lose some or all of
its GSP+ preferences:
1. Safeguards
2. Temporary Withdrawal
3. Other Preferential Arrangements or Higher Level of
Development
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1. Main features of the GSP+

8.
GSP+ Monitoring
–Beneficiary countries are expected to effectively implement the GSP+
conventions during the whole period of GSP+
• In practice, that means real commitment to continuously
improve the situation
–Continuous dialogue between the EU and the beneficiary country
–Basic documents:
• Scorecards (= list of issues)
• Biennial public reports
–Two year cycles for the whole duration of GSP+
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1. Main features of the GSP+

9.
2. What GSP+ means for Kyrgyzstan?
GSP+ status for Kyrgyzstan granted by EU in
January 2016:
offers opportunities for Kyrgyzstan to increase and
diversify its export and strengthen its economy
Kyrgyz exporters will be able supply to the EU at zero
tariff rate agricultural products, food products,
tobacco, and textiles, felt products, clothing, including
leather, and carpet
This is a unilateral measure taken by the EU, the
customs tariffs imposed by Kyrgyzstan on imports from
the EU will remain in place.

10.
2. What GSP+ means for Kyrgyzstan?
6,200 products eligible with no duties
Complete list is Annex IX, EU Reg. 978/2012
Market reach, 28 countries without borders,
500 mio. consumers
1st
trading power, 16% of world exports and
imports

11.
2. What GSP+ means for Kyrgyzstan?
- Agricultural products covered:
• fruits, processed fruits (canned goods, juice), dried
fruits and nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios), raw
materials (beans, peas), food products, tobacco etc.
• - Need to implement 27 international
conventions on human rights, good governance,
labour and environmental standards
(responsibility from the Gvt)
• - Business community can play a significant role
• - Improving human rights, including labour
standards, is win-win situation for both
Kyrgyzstan and the EU

12.
Import conditions for each product exported to the EU market
Health, safety, technical standards, marketing standards
Custom duties, duty discounts, quota database (link)
How to make use of reduced duties? (trade preferences)
Rules and proofs of origin
Who to contact for advice?
Competent authorities in MS, customs offices, chambers of commerce
Trade statistics – how much of my product is already
exported to the EU?
All trade flows – product by product, country by country – from 2002 till 2014
3. What the export helpdesk offers

13.
Available online
All information free of charge!
Our data are "real life data" – frequent updates
Trade figures are at hand (total or product-specific)
Contact form to lodge individual requests – we respond within 3 working
days
3. What the export helpdesk offers

14.
http://exporthelp.europa.eu/thdapp/index.htm
(Export Helpdesk)
•Step 1: Check general import requirements
• Health, safety, technical standards, marketing standards
•Step 2: Check GSP+ product coverage
•Step 3: Check rules of origin criteria
•Step 4: Prepare documentary evidence (Proof of origin)
4. But how to use GSP+?

15.
EU Import Requirements
• General requirements = the import procedures to respect
(customs declarations, commercial invoice, freight insurance, etc)
• Specific requirements on what the product, its label and its
packaging needs to fulfill for EU market access (health and safety,
technical standards, labelling & packaging, food safety, product-specific
marketing standards, etc)
• Harmonised for all 28 Member States

16.
How does it work?

17.
1ST
STEP
Go to "My export" and define the product code for
your product

18.
My export form
19

19.
The system helps you find the code
20

20.
2ND
STEP
Fill in the search form

21.
What? Where from? Where to?
22

22.
YOUR SEARCH RESULTS

23.
The results on screen

24.
Requirements
25
EU requirements for "edible fruits and
nuts"
-explained
-with legal references & links to EurLex
-the competent authorities dealing with
the
requirement in the EU member state

25.
Internal taxes
26
What you can find in this section of the result page?
•VAT rate
•VAT provisions applying in Germany
•VAT provisions for the EU
•Import procedures Germany
•Import procedures EU
•Authority contact points

26.
Tariffs
27
• Thanks to GSP+ the custom duty went
down from 4% to 0%

27.
28
Rules of origin
• Rules of origin differ from product to
product
• Links leading to detailed rules and
explanations

28.
3RD
STEP
Statistics – trade figures

29.
Trade statistics
30

30.
More questions?
31
• Contact the
EU Delegation
to Kyrgyzstan
Or
• lodge an
enquiry via
the website

31.
More information on GSP and Export helpdesk
(Including the GSP Report)
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/development/generali
http://exporthelp.europa.eu/thdapp/index.htm
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