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

(2004/C 46/02)

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 308/2004(2), the European Commission has laid down specific procedures for the redistribution in 2004 of portions unused in 2003 of certain Community quantitative quotas provided by 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.

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 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. "unused quantities of 2003";

(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 and any additional details needed for the administration of the quota (e.g. Taric 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. 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, 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.

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 the year of the reference period chosen.

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 308/2004 until 10 March 2004 at 3 p.m., Brussels time.

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),

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 428/2003 of 12 February 2003 (OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 12),

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

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 308/2004 of 21.2.2004 (OJ L 52, 21.2.2004, p. 37).

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

(2) OJ L 52, 21.2.2004, p. 37.

(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 (OJ L 131, 1.6.1996, p. 47).

(5) OJ L 253, 11.10.1993, p. 1, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 881/2003 (OJ L 134, 29.5.2003, 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 in the Member States

1. BELGIQUE//BELGÏE

Service Public Fédéral Economie, P.M.E., Classes Moyennes and Energie Administration du Potentiel économique

Politiques d'accès aux marchés, Service Licences

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

Markttoegangsbeleid, Dienst Vergunningen

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

2. DANMARK

Erhvervs -og Boligstyrelsen Vejlsøvej 29 DK - 8600 Silkeborg Tel. (45) 35 46 64 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) 619 69 08-800

4. GREECE

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

Directorate of International Economic Issues

1, Kornarou Street GR - 105-63 Athens Tel. (30-210) 328 60 31/328 60 32 Fax (30-210) 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 Tel. (33-1) 55 07 46 69/95 Fax (33-1) 55 07 48 32/34/35

7. 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

8. ITALIA

Ministero Attività Produttive Direzione Generale Politica Commerciale e la Gestione del regime degli scambi Div. VII

Viale Boston 25

I - 00144 Roma Tel. (39-06) 599 32 489/(39-06) 599 32 487 Fax (39-06) 592 55 56

9. LUXEMBOURG

Ministère des affaires étrangères Office des licences Boîte postale 113 L - 2011 Luxembourg Tel. (352) 22 61 62 Fax (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) 171 100 0 Fax (43) 171 100 83 86

12. 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 42 63 Fax (351-21) 881 42 61

13. SUOMI

Tullihallitus/Tullstyrelsen Erottajankatu/Skillnadsgatan 2 FIN - 00101 Helsinki/Helsingfors Tel. (358-9) 61 41 Fax (358-9) 614 28 52

14. SVERIGE

Kommerskollegium Box 6803 S - 113 86 Stockholm Tel. (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