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

(2003/C 75/07)

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 538/2003(2), the European Commission has laid down specific procedures for the redistribution in 2003 of portions unused in 2002 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. "unused quantities of 2002";

(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 10 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 for 2003 under Commission Regulation (EC) No 2077/2002(5), for products covered by the licence application may enclose a copy of their previous licences with their licence applications. In that case, they shall indicate in their licence application the aggregate quantity of imports of the product in question 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(6) (laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 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 538/2003 until 9 May 2003 at 15.00, 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 519/94 of 7 March 1994 (OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 89),

- Council Regulation (EC) No 538/95 of 6 March 1995 (OJ L 55, 11.3.1995, 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),

- Commission Regulation (EC) No 538/2003 of 26 March 2003 (OJ L 80, 27.3.2003, p. 3).

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

(2) OJ L 80, 27.3.2003, p. 3.

(3) OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 89, 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, last amended by Regulation (EC) No 983/96 of 31 May 1996 (OJ L 131, 1.6.1996, p. 47).

(5) OJ L 319, 23.11.2002, p. 12.

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

ANNEX I

MAXIMUM QUANTITY WHICH MAY BE REQUESTED BY EACH IMPORTER OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL

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ANNEX II

LIST OF THE COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITIES

1. BELGIQUE//BELGÏE

Service public fédéral économie, PME, Classes moyennes & Energie 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 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 26/619 69 08-800

4. GREECE

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

Directorate of International Economic Issues

1, Kornarou Street GR - 105-63 Athens 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 Tél. (33-1) 55 07 46 69/95 Télécopieur (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 del Commercio con l'estero D.G. 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

9. LUXEMBOURG

Ministère des affaires étrangères Office des licences Boîte postale 113 L - 2011 Luxembourg Tél. (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 Landstrasser Hauptstraße 55/57 A - 1031 Wien Tel. (43) 171 100 83 45 Fax (43) 171 100 83 86

12. PORTUGAL

Ministério da Economia Direcção-Geral das Relações Económicas Internacionais Avenida da República, 79 P - 1069-059 Lisboa Tel. (351-21) 791 18 00/19 43 Fax (351-21) 793 22 10, 796 37 23 Telex: 13 418

13. SUOMI

Tullihallitus/Tullstyrelsen Erottajankatu/Skillnadsgatan 2 FIN - 00101 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