WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.5
13 October 1999
(99-4338)
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
Covering Frozen Beef Intended for Processing
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 50,700 tonnes of frozen beef, intended for processing. 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. The products covered by the tariff quota mentioned in reply 1 are as follows:
Description of products Tariff item number(s)
Meat of bovine animals, frozen
- Unseparated or separated forequarters
- Boneless
Edible offal
- Of bovine animals, frozen-- Thick skirt and thin skirt0202 20 30
0202 30
0206 29 91
3. The system applies in the European Community to the above-mentioned products 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 1045/98 of 19 May 1998 (OJ L 149).
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.5
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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 without
legislative approval.
Procedures
6. Answer to questions 6.I to VIII and to 6. XI. Questions 6.IX and X are not relevant.
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, opened on 1 July of each year. The tariff quota is
divided into two quantities. 38,000 tonnes of beef intended for manufacture of preserved food and
12,700 tonnes of frozen beef intended for manufacture of products.
An application for import rights is valid only if it is lodged by, or on behalf of a natural or
legal person who, during 12 months prior to the op ening of the tariff quota, has been in business of
producing processed products containing beef and who is entered in a national VAT register.
Furthermore, the application has to be lodged  by, or on behalf of an approved processing
establishment. For each quantity referred to above only one application for import rights may be
accepted in respect of each approved processing establishment. Applications for import rights have tobe submitted by 8 June 1998 to the competent authority in the Member State. The competent authority
in the Member State has to forward to the Commission by 22 June 1998 a list of applicants and
quantities applied for. The Commission decides as soon as possible to what extent applications can be
accepted. If the quantities in respect of which applications are made exceed the quantities available, a
fixed reduction coefficient is applied. Within his allocation rights a processor may apply for an importlicences until 26 February 1999 at the latest. The application has to be lodged in the Member State
where the import rights are registered. Quantities for which import licence applications have not been
lodged within that date are subject to a further allocation of import rights. After the notification of
allocations from the Commission, import licences are issued as soon as possible by the competent
authority in the Member States. Licence applications can be lodged solely in the Member State where
the applicant has applied for import rights. Applicants have to approach only one administrative
organ. Imports are only known to the competent authority in the Member States and to the
Commission.
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. Importers must be registered in a national VAT register and there are no
registration  fees.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.5
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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/L IC/N/3/EEC/2). Regarding the information required, see the
import licence and Commission Regulation (EC) No  1045/98 of 19.5.98 (published in OJ L 149,
page 12).
11. The import licence.12. No.13. A security has to be lodged at the time of importation ensuring that the processor processes
the entire quantity of meat imported into the required finished products in the establishment specified
in the licence application, within three months following the day of importation. The security is
released when this requirement has been fulfilled.
Conditions of licensing
14. Import licences are valid 120 days from their date of issue. However, no licence is valid after
30 June 1999 and the period of validity cannot be extended.
15. The security is released in proportion to the quantity for which, within seven months, proof
has been furnished that all or part of the imported meat has been processed into the relevant products
within three months followin g the day of importation in the designed establishment.
16. Import licences are not transferable.
17. No.
Other procedural requirements
18. No.19. Not relevant.
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