WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.12
13 October 1999
(99-4336)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement
on Import Licensing Procedures
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Addendum
Import Licensing Procedures for WTO Tariff Quotas
for Millet
Outline of system
1. The object of the import licensing system is to ensure a sound administration of the EC’s
WTO tariff rate quota for 1,300 tonnes of millet of tariff heading 1008 20 00. The relevant legislation
related to the import licensing system for this tariff quota is mentioned in reply 5.  As regards the
requirements for applicants for import licences see reply 6.
Purpose and coverage of licensing
2. See reply 1.3. The system applies in the European Community to the product mentioned in reply 1
originating in third countries.
4. See reply 1. As referred to in reply 1, the licensing system covers the relevant WTO tariff
quota. The EC considers the method adopted to be the most appropriate to administer this tariff rate
quota.
5. The relevant legislation for the administration of import licences for the tariff quota
mentioned in reply 1 is:
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1970/ 96 of 14 October 1996 (OJ L 261).
The licensing is statutorily required. The legislation does not leave designation of products to
be subjected to licensing to administrative discretion. The system cannot be abolished withoutlegislative approval.
Procedures
6. Answer to questions 6.I to VIII and to 6. XI. Questions 6.IX and X are not relevant.
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.12
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The information related to the allocation of the quota and the formalities for licence
application is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (see reply 5). There is
no derogation from the licensing requirement.
The tariff quota is an annual tariff quota.
Applications for import licences have to be accompanied by the proof that the applicant is a
natural or legal person who has carried out a commercial activity in the cereals sector for at least 12
months and who is registered in the Member State in which the application is submitted. Applications
for import licences have to be submitted to the competent authorities in the Member States on the
second working Monday of each month. If the quantities in respect of which licences have beenapplied for exceed the quantities available, the Commission shall fix a single percentage of acceptance
for the quantities applied for by the third working day following the submission of applications.
Import licences are issued by the competent authorities in the Member States on the fifth working day
following the day on which applications are submitted.
Imports are only known to the competent authority in the Member States to which the import
licence application has been submitted and to the Commission.
The applicant for an import licence must approach only one administrative organ.
7. Question 7 is not relevant in the present case.
8. The application for an import licence can only be refused if the relevant criteria are not
fulfilled. Applicants can appeal to courts in the Me mber States according to the legislation in force in
the respective Member States.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. See reply 6. Applicant must be entered in a VAT register and there is no registration fee.Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. A specimen of the import licence is set out at Annex XI to the Community’s general Article
7.3 notification for 1999 (G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2). Rega rding the information required, see the import
licence and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1970/96 of 14.10.96 (published in OJ L 261, page 34).
11. The import licence.12. No.13. The issuance of import licence is subject to a security in order to guarantee that the
undertaking to import will be fulfilled during the period of validity of the licence. The security isreleased when the obligation to import has been fulfilled.
Conditions of licensing
14. Import licences are valid from the day of their issue until the end of the third month following
that of issue. However, no licence is valid after 30 June of each marketing year. The period of validity
cannot be extended.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.12
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15. In case of non-utilisation of an import licence, the security is not released. In the case of
partial use of the import licence, the security is partially released.
16. Import licences are not transferable.
17. No.
Other procedural requirements
18. No.19. Not relevant.
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