WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.3
14 December 2000
(00-5424)
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
High-Quality Beef and Frozen Buffalo Meat
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 for 58,700 tonnes of high-quality fresh, chilled or frozen bovine meat and
2,250 tonnes of frozen boneless buffalo meat.  The relevant legislation related to the import licensingsystem for these tariff quotas is mentioned in the reply to question 5.  As regards the requirements 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 following tariff quotas are as follows:
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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------© 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:- Other
Edible 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 chilledBoneless meat of bovine animals, frozen:ex 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 00
ex 0202 30 90
ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ex 0201 30 00
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.3
Page 2
- 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
- bonelessThick  and thin bovine skirt, fresh or chilled
Thick and thin bovine skirt, frozenex 0202 30 90
ex 0206 10 95
ex 0206 29 91
ex 0201 20 90
ex 0201 30 00
ex 0202 20 90
ex 0202 30ex 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 answer to question 2 in Argentina, the US, Canada,
Australia and Uruguay, and as regards the tariff rate quota mentioned in (b) in answer to question 2 in
Australia.
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 the tariff quotas
mentioned in the answer to question 1 is:
Commission Regulation (EC) No 9 36/97 of 27 May 1997 (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 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.  For US/Canada 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 Memb er State.  The application for an import licence
must be lodged within the competent authorities in the Member States and accompanied by a
certificate of authenticity issued by the authorities  in exporting countries.  The competent authorities
in the Member States issue import licences only afte r they are satisfied that all the information on the
certificate of authenticity is correct and licences are issued immediately thereafter.
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.G/LIC/N/3/EEC/3/Add.3
Page 3
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. See answer to question 6.  Applicants for an import licence must 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 licence is included  in the EC Regulations set out in answer to
question 10 of the main notification for 2000.  Regarding the information required in applications, see
the import licence and Commission Regulation (EC) No 936/97 of 27.05.97 (published in OJ L 137,
page 10).
11. The import licence and, in case of US/Canada, the certificate of authenticity, plus appropriate
health certificates.
12. No.
13. The issuing of import licence is subject to a s ecurity 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 answer to question 13.16. Import licences are transferable without limitations.17. No.Other procedural requirements
18. No.19. Not relevant.
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