Notice to Community importers of certain products originating in the People's Republic of China subject to quantitative quotas

(2003/C 180/02)

In accordance with Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 520/94 of 7 March 1994 establishing a Community procedure for administering quantitative quotas(1), Community importers are informed of the following:

1. By Regulation (EC) No 1351/2003(2), the European Commission has laid down specific procedures for the administration in 2004 of certain Community quantitative quotas introduced in respect of the People's Republic of China by Council Regulation (EC) No 519/94 of 7 March 1994(3).

2. These quotas will be administered using the method based on traditional trade flows (Article 2(2)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 520/94). Under this method, the quotas are divided into two parts, one reserved for traditional importers and the other for non-traditional importers. The part reserved for non-traditional importers will, however, be allocated on a pro-rata basis according to the quantities requested; the quantity requested by a non-traditional importer may not exceed the quantity or value indicated for each product in Annex I to this notice.

Traditional importers are those able to show that they imported into the Community the product or products covered by the quotas in question in either the calendar year 1998 or 1999.

3. In order to qualify for the allocation of these quotas, Community importers, no matter where they are established in the Community, may lodge with the competent authorities of the Member State of their choice a single licence application for each quota, drawn up in the official language or languages of the Member State concerned. The list of competent authorities can be found in Annex II to this notice.

4. In accordance with Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 738/94(4) of 30 March 1994 laying down certain rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 520/94, the import licence application shall state only:

(a) the applicant's full name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and any identification number registered with the competent national authorities) and VAT registration number, if liable for VAT;

(b) the quota period in question, i.e. "January to April 2004";

(c) where applicable, the full name and address of the declarant or the applicant's representative (including telephone and fax numbers);

(d) a description of the goods, giving:

- their trade description,

- combined nomenclature (CN) code,

- details of their origin and place of consignment;

(e) the quantities requested, expressed in the unit used to set the quota;

(f) where the licence application relates to footwear and the quantitative quota covers two CN codes, a breakdown by CN code of the quantities requested;

(g) the following statement followed by the date, the applicant's signature and his name printed in capital letters:

"I, the undersigned, declare that the information given in this application is correct and is given in good faith, that I am established in the European Community, and that this application is the only one made by me or on my behalf for the quota relating to the goods described in this application.

I undertake to return the licence to the issuing authority within ten working days of its expiry."

5. To qualify for the allocation of that part of the quota reserved for traditional importers, importers shall enclose with their licence applications certified copies of the entries for release for free circulation made out during either the 1998 or 1999 calendar year in their name or that of the operator whose activities they have taken over in respect of the release for free circulation of the products originating in the People's Republic of China covered by the quantitative quota referred to in the licence application.

Alternatively, applicants may enclose with their licence applications documents drawn up and certified by the competent national authorities on the basis of the customs information available to them showing that the applicants or the operators whose activities they have taken over imported the products concerned during either the 1998 or 1999 calendar year.

Alternatively, applicants already holding import licences issued under Community legislation for the products covered by the quantitative quota concerned by the licence application may enclose with their licence applications a copy of their previous licences. In that case, they shall state in their import licence applications the aggregate volume of the actual imports of the product concerned in either 1998 or 1999.

6. When applying for the allocation of the part of the quota reserved for non-traditional importers, operators that are deemed to be related persons as defined by Article 143 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93(5) (laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92(6) establishing the Community Customs Code) may only submit a single license application for the goods described in the application. In addition to the statement required by Article 3(2)(g) of Regulation (EC) No 738/94, the license application for the non-traditional quota shall contain a statement that the applicant is not related to any other operator applying for the non-traditional quota line in question.

7. Applications for import licences may be lodged from the day after the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1351/2003 until 3 pm, Brussels time, on 20 September 2003.

8. The provisions governing the quotas referred to in this notice result from the following Regulations:

- Council Regulation (EC) No 520/94 of 7 March 1994 (OJ L 66, 10.3.1994, p. 1).

- Council Regulation (EC) No 519/94 of 7 March 1994 (OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 89).

- Council Regulation (EC) No 138/96 of 22 January 1996 (OJ L 21, 27.1.1996, p. 6).

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 738/94 of 30 March 1994 (OJ L 87, 31.3.1994, p. 47).

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 983/96 of 31 May 1996 (OJ L 131, 1.6.1996, p. 47).

- Council Regulation (EC) No 427/2003 of 3 March 2003 (OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1).

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1351/2003 of 30 July 2003 (OJ L 192, 31.7.2003, p. 8).

(1) OJ L 66, 10.3.1994, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 138/96 of 22 January 1996 (OJ L 21, 27.1.1996, p. 6).

(2) OJ L 192, 31.7.2003, p. 8.

(3) OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 89, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 427/2003 of 3 March 2003 (OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1).

(4) OJ L 87, 31.3.1994, p. 47, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 983/96 of 31 May 1996 (OJ L 131, 1.6.1996, p. 47).

(5) OJ L 253, 11.10.1993, p. 1.

(6) OJ L 302, 19.10.1992, p. 1.

ANNEX I

Maximum quantity which may be requested by each non-traditional importer

>TABLE>

ANNEX II

List of the competent national authorities

BELGIQUE//BELGÏE

Service public fédéral économie, PME Classes moyennes & énergie Administration du potentiel économique

Politiques d'accès aux marchés, Service licences

Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, KMO, Middenstand & Energie Bestuur Economisch Potentieel

Markttoegangsbeleid, Dienst Vergunningen

Generaal Lemanstraat 60, Rue Général Leman 60 B - 1040 Brussel/Bruxelles Téléphone/Tel. (32-2) 206 58 16 Télécopieur/Fax (32-2) 230 83 22/231 14 84

DANMARK

Erhvervs- og Boligstyrelsen Vejlsøvej 29 DK - 8600 Silkeborg Tlf. (45) 35 46 60 30 Fax (45) 35 46 64 01

DEUTSCHLAND

Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAFA) Frankfurter Straße 29-35 D - 65760 Eschborn Tel. (49) 619 69 08-0 Fax (49) 619 69 42 26/(49) 6196 908-800

GREECE

Ministry of Economy & Finance General Directorate of Policy Planning & Implementation

Directorate of International Economic Issues

1, Kornarou Street GR - Athens 105-63 Tel. (30-1) 328-60 31/328 60 32 Fax: (30-1) 328 60 94/328 60 59

ESPAÑA

Ministerio de Economía y Hacienda Dirección General de Comercio Exterior Paseo de la Castellana, 162 E - 28046 Madrid Tel. (34) 913 49 38 94/913 49 37 78 Fax (34) 913 49 38 32/913 49 37 40

FRANCE

Service des titres du commerce extérieur 8, rue de la Tour-des-Dames F - 75436 Paris Cedex 09 Téléphone (33-1) 55 07 46 69/95 Télécopieur (33-1) 55 07 48 32/34/35

IRELAND

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Licencing Unit, Block C

Earlsfort Centre

Hatch Street

Dublin 2 Ireland Tel. (353-1) 631 25 41 Fax (353-1) 631 25 62

ITALIA

Ministero del Commercio con l'estero DG per la Politica commerciale e la gestione del regime degli scambi - Divisione VII Viale America 341 I - 00144 Roma Tel. (39) 06 599 31 - 06 59 93 24 19 - 06 59 93 24 00 Fax (39) 06 592 55 56

LUXEMBOURG

Ministère des affaires étrangères Office des licences Boîte postale 113 L - 2011 Luxembourg Téléphone (352) 22 61 62 Télécopieur (352) 46 61 38

NEDERLAND

Belastingdienst/Douane Engelse Kamp 2 Postbus 30003 9700 RD Groningen Nederland Tel. (31-50) 523 91 11 Fax (31-50) 523 22 10

ÖSTERREICH

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit Außenwirtschaftsadministration

Abteilung C2/2

Stubenring 1 A - 1011 Wien Tel. (43) 1 711 00 0 Fax (43) 1 711 00 83 86

PORTUGAL

Ministério das Finanças Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas e dos Impostos Especiais sobre o Consumo, Edificio da Alfândega de Lisboa Largo do Terreiro do Trigo P - 1100 Lisboa Tel. (351-21) 881 4263 Fax (351-21) 881 4261

SUOMI/FINLAND

Tullihallitus/Tullstyrelsen Erottajankatu/Skillnadsgatan 2 FIN - 00101 Helsinki/Helsingfors P./Tel. (358-9) 6141 F. (358-9) 614 28 52

SVERIGE

Kommerskollegium Box 6803 S - 113 86 Stockholm Tfn (46-8) 690 48 00 Fax (46-8) 30 67 59

UNITED KINGDOM

Department of Trade and Industry Import Licensing Branch Queensway House

West Precinct

Billingham TS23 2NF United Kingdom Tel. (44-1642) 36 43 33/36 43 34 Fax (44-1642) 53 35 57