aicep Portugal Global Portugal - Country Profile (April 2012) it sees the biggest ratio between donation and return, in large measure because of its reduced financial participation. At the regional level, Portugal has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1986 and is part of the Council of Europe, the Western European Union (WEO) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Presently, the EU includes 27 members, but only 1750 , including Portugal, have adopted the common European currency, and thus are members of the Euro Area and comprise the European Economic and Monetary Union. of rules relating to transport, insurance, quality, and product technical specifications. Such rules exist, and in general, are already imposed through existing harmonized community legislation with the purpose of protecting the health and safety of consumers. The circulation of merchandise within the European Union must be accompanied by all documentation usually required by the national authorities and these include: transport documents; commercial invoice; and certificates of compliance as to quality, sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The inspection can occur at any time and place, 14. Legal Requirements for Market Access Portugal’s trade relations, and those of the other Member States of the EU, unfold at two levels: those that take place within the EU and thus are intra-community exchanges, and those that occur with third countries and are ruled by the EU’s Common Trade Policy. from the point that the goods were shipped up to the point of final consumption. In addition, there are a complex of intra-community transactions52 (threshold values defined by INE) that require companies to declare the respective value or amounts of goods (Intrastat Declaration). 14.2 General import procedures The Customs Union implies, besides the existence of a 14.1 Intra-EU exchange procedures Goods that originate within the European Union or are in free circulation51 in community territory (http://europa. eu/legislation_summaries/internal_market/single_market_ for_goods/free_movement_goods_general_framework/ index_pt.htm), are exempt from customs control, without prejudice, however, from any taxation regarding quality and technical characteristics. common customs union territory, the adoption of common legislation in this domain – Community Customs Code (http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/other/l11010_ pt.htm) – and the application of common custom duties to products coming from third countries – the Common External Tariff (CET)53. However, the Community grants customs advantages to goods originating from developing countries (those that are beneficiaries of the System of Generalized Preferences – SGP, or to countries with which the EU has preferential agreements) which result in the application of more favourable customs duties (or even exemption) compared with those adopted by the WTO, with the exception of products deemed sensitive in terms of community interests. In this manner, community economic operators can buy and sell freely, at any point within community space, without having to comply with any formalities at the time when goods pass across an internal frontier. The absence of customs controls does not imply, however, the elimination 50 Euro Area 17– Germany, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Slovakia (2009), Slovenia (2007), If the importer intends to benefit from these procedures he is obliged to present proof regarding the origin of the 52 53 Available at http://www.ine.pt The CET is based on the Harmonized System for Designation and Codification of Spain, Estonia (2011), Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta (2008), Netherlands and Portugal 51 Goods in “free circulation” are those which have already complied with import formalities (including payment of customs duties and other taxes that may be due) in one Member State, so that they can circulate freely throughout European Community territory without needing to comply with any additional formalities. Merchandise, with most import duties being “ad valorem”, calculated on the CIF value of merchandise. aicep Portugal Global – Trade & Investment Agency – Av. 5 de Outubro, 101, 1050-051 LISBOA Tel. Lisboa: + 351 217 909 500 Contact Centre: 808 214 214 aicep@portugalglobal.pt www.portugalglobal.pt 72
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