Notice to importers of certain products originating in the People's Republic of China subject to quantitative quotas - Second tranche 2004

(2003/C 280/03)

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), importers in the Community and in the Acceding States are informed of the following:

1. By Regulation (EC) No 2044/2003(2), the European Commission has laid down specific procedures for the administration in 2004 of certain Community quantitative quotas set forth in Council Regulation (EC) No 427/2003(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.

For the purposes of allocating the portion of each quota set aside for the traditional importers, "traditional" importers shall mean

- operators established in the Community before 1 May 2004, who can show that they have imported goods in the calendar years 1998 or 1999 into the Community,

- operators established in one of the Acceding States before 1 May 2004 who can show that they have imported goods in the calendar years 2001 or 2002 into the Acceding States.

3. In order to qualify for the allocation of these quotas, importers, no matter where they are established in the European Community may lodge with the competent authorities of the Member State of their choice a single license application for each quota, drawn up in the official language or languages of the State concerned. Importers established in the Acceding States may lodge with the competent authorities of the State where they are established a single license application for each quota, drawn up in the official language or languages of the 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. "May to December 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 or in one of the Acceding States, 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. The supporting documents referred to in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 520/94 shall relate to the release for free circulation during either calendar year 1998 or 1999 for traditional importers established in the Community and either calendar year 2001 or 2002 for traditional importers established in the Acceding States, as indicated by the importer, of products originating in the People's Republic of China which are covered by the quota in respect of which the application is made.

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 (for importers in the Community) or either the 2001 or 2002 calendar year (for importers in Acceding States).

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) of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) 2913/92(6) establishing the Community Customs Code, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 881/2003(7), 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 2044/2003 until 15.00, Brussels time, on 31 December 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 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).

- Council Regulation (EC) No 1985/2003 of 10 November 2003 (OJ L 295, 13.11.2003, p. 43).

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 2044/2003 of 20 November 2003 (OJ L 303, 21.11.2003, p. 3).

(1) OJ L 66, 10.3.1994, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 of 14 April 2003, (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).

(2) OJ L 303, 21.11.2003, p. 3.

(3) OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1985/2003 (OJ L 295, 13.11.2003, p. 43).

(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.

(7) OJ L 134, 29.5.2003, p. 1.

ANNEX I

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

>TABLE>

ANNEX II

List of the competent national authorities in the Member States

1. BELGIQUE//BELGÏE

Service public fédéral de l'économie, des PME, des classes moyennes & de l'énergie Administration du potentiel économique

Politiques d'accès aux marchés, Service "Licences"

Federale Overheidsdienst Economie, K.M.O., Middenstand & Energie Bestuur Economisch Potentieel

Markttoegangsbeleid, Dienst Vergunningen

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

2. DANMARK

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. IRELAND

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

Earlsfort Centre

Hatch Street

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

8. ITALIA

Ministero delle attività produttive Direzione generale Politica commerciale Div. VII

Viale Boston 25

I - 00144 Roma Tel. (39 06) 59 93 24 89 Fax (39 06) 592 55 56

9. LUXEMBOURG

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

10. NEDERLAND

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

11. 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

12. PORTUGAL

Ministério das Finanças Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas e dos Impostos Especiais sobre o Consumo, Edifício da Alfândega de Lisboa Largo do Terreiro do Trigo P - 1100 Lisboa Tel.: (351) 21 881 42 63 Fax: (351) 21 881 42 61

13. SUOMI

Tullihallitus/Tullstyrelsen Erottajankatu/Skillnadsgatan 2 FIN - 00120 Helsinki/Helsingfors P./Tel. (358-9) 61 41 F. (358-9) 614 28 52

14. SVERIGE

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

15. 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

List of the competent national authorities in the acceding countries

1. CYPRUS

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Trade Department 6 Andrea Araouzou Str. 1421 Nicosia Tel: ++357 2 867100 Fax: ++357 2 375120

2. CZECH REPUBLIC

Ministerstvo prumyslu a obchodu Licencní správa Na Frantisku 32 CZ - 110 15 Praha 1 Tel: (420) 22406 2206 Fax: (420) 22421 2133

3. ESTONIA

Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium Harju 11 15072 Tallinn Estonia Tel.: (372) 6256 400 Faks: (372) 6313 660

4. HUNGARY

Gazdasági és Közlekedési Minisztérium Engedélyezési és Közigazgatási Hivatala H - 1024 Budapest, Margit krt. 85. Postafiók: 1537 Budapest Pf. 345. Tel: (36-1) 336 7300 Fax: (36-1) 336 7302

5. LATVIA

Ekonomikas ministrija Brivibas iela 55 LV - 1519 Rïga Tel.: 00 371 701 3006 Fakss: 00 371 728 0882

6. LITHUANIA

Lietuvos Respublikos Ukio ministerija Gedimino pr. 38/2 LT - 2600 Vilnius tel.: 00 370 5 262 50 30/00 370 5 262 87 50 faksi.: 00 370 5 262 39 74

7. MALTA

Ministry for Economic Services Commerce Division Ministeru gnas-Servizzi Ekonomici Divizjoni tal- Kummerc Lascaris Valletta CMR02 Malta tel: 00 356 21 243 286 fax: 00 356 21 231 919

8. POLAND

Ministerstwo Gospodarki, Pracy i Polityki Spoecznej Pl. Trzech Krzyzy 3/5 00-950 Warszawa tel: 0048/22/693 55 53 fax: 0048/22/693 40 21

9. SLOVAKIA

Ministerstvo Hospodárstva SR Odbor výkonu obchodno-politických opatrení Mierová 19 SK - 827 15 Bratislava tel: 00 421 2 434 23 913/00 421 2 485 42 160 fax: 00 421 2 4342 3919

10. SLOVENIA

Ministrstvo za gospodarstvo Podrocje ekonomskih odnosov s tujino Kotnikova 5 1000 Ljubljana tel: +386(0)1/478 3600 fax: +386(0)1/478 3611