WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.3
13 October 1999
(99-4326)
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 High-Quality Beef and Frozen Buffalo Meat
Outline of system
1. The object of the import licensing system is to ensure a sound administration of the EC’s
WTO tariff rate quotas mentioned in reply 2. The relevant legislation related to the import licensing
system for these tariff quotas 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 following tariff quotas are as follows:
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.3
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Description of products Tariff item number(s)
(a) Meat of bovine animals, fresh or chilled
Meat of bovine animals, frozen
Edible offal
- Of bovine animals, fresh or chilled
-- Thick skirt and thin skirt
- Of bovine animals, frozen--Thick skirt and thin skirt
-------------------------------------------------------
(b) Meat of bovine animals, frozen
- Boneless
-- Buffalo meat-------------------------------------------------------
(c) Boneless meat of bovine animals, fresh or
chilled
Edible offal of bovine animals: thick skirt
and thin skirt, fresh or chilled-------------------------------------------------------
(d) Boneless meat of bovine animals, fresh or
chilled
Boneless meat of bovine animals, frozen:
- OtherEdible offal of bovine animals:
- Thick skirt and thin skirt, fresh or chilled
- Thick skirt and thin skirt, frozen
-------------------------------------------------------
(e) Boneless meat of bovine animals, fresh or
chilled
Boneless meat of bovine animals, frozen:- Other
Edible offal of bovine animals:
- Thick skirt and thin skirt, fresh or chilled
- Thick skirt and thin skirt, frozen
 (f) Boneless meat of bovine animals, fresh or
chilled
Boneless meat of bovine animals, frozen:
- Other cuts with bone in, other
- bonelessMeat of bovines animals, frozen:
- Other cuts with bone in, other
- boneless
Thick  and thin bovine skirt, fresh or chilled
Thick and thin bovine skirt, frozenex 0201
ex 0202
ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
-------------------------------------------------------
ex 0202 30 90
-------------------------------------------------------
ex 0201 30 00
ex 0201 10 95
-------------------------------------------------------
ex 0201 30 00ex 0202 30 90ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
-------------------------------------------------------
ex 0201 30 00
ex 0202 30 90ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
ex 0201 20 90
ex 0201 30 00
ex 0202 20 90
ex 0202 30
ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
3. The system applies in the European Community to the above-mentioned products originating
as regards the tariff quota mentioned in (a) in reply 2 in Argentina, the US, Canada, Australia andG/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.3
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Uruguay, as regards the tariff rate quota mentioned in (b) in reply 2, in Australia and as regards all the
other tariff quotas mentioned in reply 2, in third countries.
4. See reply 1. As referred to in reply 1, the licensing system covers the relevant WTO tariff
quotas. The EC considers the method adopted to be the most appropriate to administer these tariff ratequotas.
5. The relevant legislation for the administration of import licences for the tariff quotas
mentioned in reply 1 is:
Commission Regulation (EC) No 9 36/97 of 27 May 1998 (OJ L 137).
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  and 6. X. Question 6.IX is not relevant.
The information related to the allocation of  the quotas and the formalities for licence
application is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (see reply 5). There isno derogation from the licensing requirement.
The tariff quotas are annual tariff quotas, opened on a monthly basis.Applicants for import licences must be natural or legal persons, who at the time applications
are submitted are registered in a VAT register in a Member State. The application for an import
licence must be lodged within the competent author ities in the Member States and accompanied by a
certificate of authenticity issued by the authorities in exporting countries. Consequently, the applicant
for an import licence must approach two administrative organs. The competent authorities in the
Member States issue import licences only after th ey are satisfied that all the information on the
certificate of authenticity is correct and licences are issued immediately thereafter. Not later than three
weeks after importation of the products covered by the import licence, importers must inform the
competent authority which issued the import licence of the quantity and origin of the products
imported. The competent authority has to transmit this information to the Commission at the
beginning of each months.
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. Applicants for an import licence mu st be registered in a VAT register in the
Member States and there is no registration fee.
Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. A specimen of the import licences 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 theG/LIC/N/3/EEC/2/Add.3
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import licence and Commission Regulation (EC) No 936/97 of 27.5.97 (published in OJ L 137,
page 10).
11. The import licence and the certificate of authenticity.
12. No.
13. The issuance of import licence is subject to a security in order to guarantee that the importer
transmits to the competent authority the quantity and origin of the products imported. The security is
released when the information has been transmitted. Otherwise the security is forfeit.
Conditions of licensing
14. Import licences are valid Three months. However, their validity expires at the latest on
30 June following the date of issue and the period of validity cannot be extended.
15. See reply 13.16. Import licences are not transferable.17. No.
Other procedural requirements
18. No.
19. Not relevant.
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