WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.7
14 December 2000
(00-5437)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
REPLIES TO THE 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
Live Sheep and Goats and Meat of Sheep and Goats
Outline of systems
1. The object of the import licensing system is to ensure a sound administration of the EC’s
WTO tariff rate quotas mentioned in the answer to question 2.  The relevant legislation related to the
import licensing system for these tariff quotas is mentioned in the reply to question 5.  As regards therequirements for applicants for import licences see reply to question 6.
Purpose and coverage of licensing
2. See answer to question 1. The products covered by the tariff rate quotas are as follows:
Description of products Tariff item number(s) Quota volume Country allocation
Live sheep and goats, other than
pure-breeding animals
-------------------------------------------
Live sheep and goats, other thanpure-bred breeding animals
Meat of sheep or goats, fresh
chilled or frozen-------------------------------------------
Meat of sheep or goats, fresh,
chilled or frozenex 0104 10
ex 0104 20
---------------------------
ex 0104 10ex 0104 20
0204
---------------------------
020439.310 t
-----------------
800 t
-----------------
283,854 tPoland, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria,
FYROM, other countries.
-------------------------------------------------------
Czech Republic and Slovak Republic
-------------------------------------------------------
Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand,
Uruguay, Iceland, Poland, Rumania,Hungary, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia, Slovenia, FYROM, Greenland, other
countries.
3. The system applies in the European Community  to the products mentioned in the answer to
question 2 and originating in the above-mentioned countries.
4. See answer to question 1.  As referred to in the answer to question 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 rate quotas.
5. The relevant legislation for the administration of import licences for these tariff rate quotas
mentioned in the answer to question 2 is:
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.7
Page 2
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1439/95 of 26 June 1995 (OJ L 143), as last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) 2709/99 of 17 December 1999 (OJ L 327).
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 answer to question 5).  There is
no derogation from the licensing requirement.  The tariff quotas are annual tariff quotas.
a) Country-specific WTO tariff quotas: The application for an import licence is subject to the
submission of a certificate of origin issued by an  empowered authority in the exporting country.  The
import licence has to be issued by the competent authorities in the Member States not later than one
working day following that on which the application is lodged.  The quota allocations are made on the
basis first come first served.
b) Non-country-specific WTO tariff quotas: Import licences are issued by the competent authorities in
the Member States.  The tariff quotas are administered on a quarterly basis.  During each of the first
three-quarters of each year, import licences are issued within the limits of one quarter of the quota
quantity.  During September of each year the competent authorities in the Member States have to
issue import licences within the remaining balance of these quantities.  Applications for licences canbe lodged only during the first three-quarters of the year and during the first 10 days of September.
Applications for licences have to be forwarded by  the competent authorities in the Member States to
the Commission no later than the sixteenth day of each of the first three-quarters and by 16
September.  The Commission has to decide before the twenty-sixth day of each of the three quarters
and before 26 September to what extent applications may be accepted.  If the quantities in respect of
which applications are made exceed the quantities available, the Commission fixes a single
percentage reduction to be applied to the quantities applied for.  Following the Commission’s decisionon acceptance of applications, licences are issued on the thirtieth day of each of the first three-quarters
and on 30 September by the competent authorities in the Member States.
7. Question 7 related to no quantitative limits 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 answer to question 6.  There is no specific system of registration necessary for the
application of an import licence.
Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. A specimen of the import licence is included  in the EC Regulations set out in answer to
question 10 of the main notification for 2000.  Regarding the information required, see the import
licence and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1439/95 of 26 June 1995 (published in OJ L 143, pageG/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.7
Page 3
7), as last amended by Commission Regulation (E C) 2709/99 of 17 December 1999 (published in OJ
L 327, page 20).
11. The import licence and, in the case of country-specific WTO tariff quotas, the certificate of
origin.
12. No.13. In the case of WTO country-specific tariff quotas no security is required.  In the case of non-
country-specific WTO tariff quotas the issuance of the 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 is released when the obligation to import has been fulfilled.
Conditions of licensing
14. Import licences are valid three months from their date of issue and in the case of WTO
country-specific tariff quotas the import licence is not valid beyond 31 December and in duly justifiedexceptional cases, the competent authorities in the Member States can extend the validity of an import
licence for a period up to 25 January of the following year.
15. As regards non-country-specific WTO tariff quotas the non-utilisation of an import licence
implies that the security is not released.  In the cas e 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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