Commission Regulation (EC) No 1174/2000 of 31 May 2000 opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for processing (1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001) and amending certain other regulations in the beef sector
Date: 2000-05-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: CCT duties, beef, frozen product, import, import licence, tariff quota

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1174/2000

of 31 May 2000

opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for
processing (1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001) and amending certain other regulations in the beef sector

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17
May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef
and veal (1), and in particular Article 32(1) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1095/96 of 18
June 1996 on the implementation of the concessions set out in
Schedule CXL drawn up in the wake of the conclusion of the
GATT XXIV.6 negotiations (2), and in particular Article 1(1)
thereof,

(5)

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Pursuant to Schedule CXL, the Community has under-
taken to open an annual import tariff quota of 50 700
tonnes of frozen beef intended for processing. The rules
of application for the quota year 2000 to 2001 starting
1 July 2000 must be established.

The import of frozen beef under the tariff quota shall
qualify for the total suspension of the specific rate of
customs duty where the meat is intended for the manu-
facture of preserved food, which does not contain char-
acteristic components other than beef and jelly. Where
is intended for other processed products
the meat
containing beef
the import shall qualify for a 55 %
suspension of the autonomous specific rate of customs
duty. The breakdown of the tariff quota into each of the
arrangements referred to should be made taking into
account
the experience gained in respect of similar
imports in the past.

So as to avoid speculation, access to the quota should be
allowed only
carrying out
to active processors
processing in a processing establishment approved in
accordance with Article 8 of Council Directive 77/
99/EEC (3), as last amended by Directive 97/76/EC (4).

Imports into the Community under the present tariff
quota are subject to presentation of an import licence.
Licences may be issued following allocations of imports

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21.
(2) OJ L 146, 20.6.1996, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 26, 31.1.1977, p. 85.
(4) OJ L 10, 16.1.1998, p. 25.

rights on the basis of applications from eligible proces-
sors. Subject to the provisions of this Regulation the
provisions of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3719/88
of 16 November 1988 laying down common detailed
rules for the application of the system of import and
export licences and advance fixing certificates for agri-
cultural products (5), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 1127/1999 (6), and Commission Regulation (EC) No
1445/95 of 26 June 1995 on rules of application for
import and export licences in the beef and veal sector
and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2377/80 (7), as last
amended by Regulation (EC) No 2648/98 (8), shall apply
to import licences issued under this Regulation.

In order to prevent speculation, import licences should
be issued to traders solely for the quantities for which
they have been allocated import rights. This same prin-
ciple should be applied in the beef sector with regard to
other
import arrangements being based on import
rights. Consequently, the following Regulations should
be amended:

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1143/98 of 2 June
1998 laying down detailed rules for a tariff quota for
cows and heifers, other than for slaughter, of speci-
fied mountain breeds originating in various third
countries (9).

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1081/1999 of 26
May 1999 opening and providing for the administra-
tion of tariff quota for imports of bulls, cows and
heifers, other than for slaughter, of certain Alpine
and mountain breeds (10).

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1128/1999 of 28
May 1999 laying down detailed rules of application
for a tariff quota for calves weighing not more than
80 kilograms originating in certain third coun-
tries (11).

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 1247/1999 of 16
June 1999 laying down detailed rules for the applica-
tion of a tariff quota for
live bovine animals
weighing form 80 to 300 kilograms and originating
in certain third countries (12).

— Commission Regulation (EC) No 2684/1999 of 17
December 1999 laying down detailed rules for the
application in 2000 of the arrangements applicable
to imports of beef and veal provided for in the
Cooperation Agreement with the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (13).

(5) OJ L 331, 2.12.1988, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 135, 29.5.1999, p. 48.
(7) OJ L 143, 27.6.1995, p. 35.
(8) OJ L 335, 10.12.1998, p. 39.
(9) OJ L 159, 3.6.1998, p. 14.
(10) OJ L 131, 27.5.1999, p. 15.
(11) OJ L 135, 29.5.1999, p. 50.
(12) OJ L 150, 17.6.1999, p. 18.
(13) OJ L 326, 18.12.1999, p. 24.

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(6)

The application of the present tariff quota requires strict
surveillance of imports and effective checks as to their
use and destination. The processing should therefore be
authorised only in the establishment referred to in box
20 of the import licence. Furthermore, a security shall be
lodged in order to ensure that the imported meat is used
according to the tariff quota specifications. The amount
of security should be fixed taking into account the differ-
ence between the customs duties applicable inside and
outside the quota.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Beef and Veal,

pursuant to Article 8 of Directive 77/99/EEC. For each quantity
referred to in Article 1(2) only one application for import
rights may be accepted in respect of each approved processing
establishment.

Applications for import rights may be presented only in the
Member State in which the processor is registered for VAT
purposes.

Applicants no longer active in the meat processing
2.
industry on 1 May 2000 shall not qualify under the arrange-
ments provided for in this Regulation.

evidence,

Documentary

the
3.
competent authority, of compliance with the conditions of the
preceding paragraphs shall be lodged together with the applica-
tion.

satisfaction of

to the

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

frozen beef

An import tariff quota of 50 700 tonnes, bone-in equiva-
1.
lent of
falling within CN code 0202 20 30,
0202 30 10, 0202 30 50, 0202 30 90 or 0206 29 91 and
intended for processing in the Community is hereby opened
for the period 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001.

The overall quantity referred to in paragraph 1 shall be

2.
divided into two quantities:

(a) 38 000 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

of preserved food as defined in Article 7(a),

(b) 12 700 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

of products as defined in Article 7(b).

3.

The quota shall bear the following order Nos:

— 09.4057 for the quantity referred to in paragraph 2(a),

— 09.4058 for the quantity referred to in paragraph 2(b).

4.
The customs import duties to apply on frozen beef under
the present tariff quota are those referred to in order No 13 of
Annex 7 to Part Three of Commission Regulation (EC) No
2204/1999 of 12 October 1999 amending Annex I to Council
Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical
nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (1).

Article 2

1.
An application for import rights is valid only if it is
lodged by, or on behalf of a natural or legal person who, at
least once during the 12 months prior to the entry into force
of this Regulation, has been active in production of processed
products containing beef. Furthermore, the application shall be
lodged by, or on behalf of a processing establishment approved

(1) OJ L 278, 28.10.1999, p. 1.

Article 3

Each application for import rights for production of A-
1.
products or B-products shall be expressed in bone-in equiva-
lence and shall not exceed the available quantity under each of
the two categories.

Each application referring to either A-products or B-prod-

2.
ucts shall reach the competent authority by 9 June 2000.

3. Member States shall forward to the Commission by 21
June 2000 a list of applicants and quantities applied for under
each of the two categories together with the approval numbers
of the processing establishments concerned.

The Commission shall decide as soon as possible to what
extent applications may be accepted, where necessary as a
percentage of the quantity applied for.

Article 4

Any import of frozen beef for which import rights have
1.
been allocated pursuant to Article 3 shall be subject to presen-
tation of an import licence.

2. Within his allocated import rights a processor may apply
for import licences until 23 February 2001 at the latest.

3.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

— in the Member State in which the application for import

rights has been lodged, and

— by processors or on behalf of processors to whom import
rights allocated to
rights have been allocated.
processors entitle them to import licences for quantities
equivalent to the rights allocated.

Import

For the purpose of this paragraph 100 kilograms of bone-in
beef equals 77 kilograms of boneless beef.

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A security shall be lodged with the competent authority
4.
at the time of importation ensuring that the processor having
been allocated import rights processes the entire quantity of
meat imported into the required finished products in his estab-
lishment specified in the licence application, within three
months following the day of importation.

The amounts of the security are fixed in the Annex.

Article 5

On the licence application and on the licence itself shall

1.
be entered:

(a) in box 8, the country of origin,

(b) in box 16, one of the eligible CN codes,

(c) in box 20, at least one of the following endorsements:

destinada

— Certificado válido en … (Estado miembro expe-
transformación …
didor)/carne
[productos A]
(táchese lo que no
proceda) en … (designación exacta y número de
registro del establecimiento en el que vaya a efectuarse
a la transformación)/Reglamento (CE) no 1174/2000

la
[productos B]

a

— Licens gyldig i … (udstedende medlemsstat)/Kød
bestemt til forarbejdning til (A-produkter) (B-produkter)
(det ikke gældende overstreges) i … (nøjagtig betegnelse
forarbejdningen
for
sker)/forordning (EF) nr. 1174/2000

virksomhed,

hvor

den

— In … (ausstellender Mitgliedstaat) gültige Lizenz/Fleisch
für die Verarbeitung zu [A-Erzeugnissen]
[B-Erzeug-
nissen] (Unzutreffendes bitte streichen) in … (genaue
Bezeichnung des Betriebs,
in dem die Verarbeitung
erfolgen soll)/Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1174/2000

— Η άδεια ισχύει … (κράτος µέλος έκδοσης)/Κρέας που
προορίζεται για µεταποίηση [προϊόντα Α] [προϊόντα Β]
(διαγράφεται η περιττή ένδειξη) … (ακριβής περιγραφή και
αριθµός έγκρισης της εγκατάστασης όπου πρόκειται να
πραγµατοποιηθεί η µεταποίηση)/Κανονισµός (ΕΚ) αριθ.
1174/2000

— Licence valid in … (issuing Member State)/Meat
intended for processing … [A-products] [B-products]
(delete as appropriate) at … (exact designation and
approval No of the established where the processing is
to take place)/Regulation (EC) No 1174/2000

— Certificat valable … (État membre émetteur)/viande
destinée à la transformation de … [produits A]
[produits B] (rayer la mention inutile) dans … (désigna-
tion exacte et numéro d'agrément de l'établissement
dans lequel la transformation doit avoir lieu)/règlement
(CE) no 1174/2000

— Titolo valido in … (Stato membro di rilascio)/Carni
destinate alla trasformazione … [prodotti A] [prodotti
B] (depennare la voce inutile) presso … (esatta designa-
zione e numero di riconoscimento dello stabilimento
nel quale è prevista la trasformazione)/Regolamento
(CE) n. 1174/2000

voor

verwerking

— Certificaat geldig in … (lidstaat van afgifte)/Vlees
bestemd
(B-
producten) (doorhalen van niet van toepassing is) in …
(nauwkeurige aanduiding en toelatingsnummer van het
bedrĳf
plaats-
de
vinden)/Verordening (EG) nr. 1174/2000

(A-producten)

verwerking

waar

zal

tot

— Certificado

válido

em … (Estado-Membro
emissor)/carne destinada à transformação … [produtos
A] [produtos B] (riscar o que não interessa) em …
(designação exacta e número de aprovação do estabele-
cimento
efec-
transformação
tuada)/Regulamento (CE) n.o 1174/2000

em que

será

a

— Todistus on voimassa … (myöntäjäjäsenvaltio) / Liha on
(B-luokan tuotteet)
tarkoitettu (A-luokan tuotteet)
(tarkka
(tarpeeton poistettava)
ilmoitus laitoksesta,
jossa jalostus suoritetaan, hyväk-
syntänumero mukaan lukien) / Asetus (EY) N:o 1174/
2000

jalostukseen …:ssa

— Licensen är giltig i … (utfärdande medlemsstat)/Kött
avsett för bearbetning … (A-produkter) (B-produkter)
(stryk det som inte gäller) vid … (exakt angivelse av och
godkännandenummer för anläggningen där bearbet-
ningen skall ske)/Förordning (EG) nr 1174/2000

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of this Regulation,
Regulations (EEC) No 3719/88 and (EC) No 1445/95 shall
apply.

3.
Import licences shall be valid for 120 days from the date
of issue within the meaning of Article 21(1) of Regulation
(EEC) No 3719/88. However, no licence shall be valid after 30
June 2001.

In application of Article 45(1) of Regulation (EEC) No
4.
3719/88, the full Common Customs Tariff duty applicable on
the date of release for free circulation shall be collected in
respect of all quantities imported in excess of those shown on
the import licence.

Article 6

1.
Quantities for which import licence applications have not
been lodged by 23 February 2001 shall be subject to a further
allocation of import rights.

To that end, by 6 March 2001, Member States shall forward to
the Commission details of the quantities for which no applica-
tions have been received.

The Commission shall decide as soon as possible on the
2.
breakdown of those quantities into those intended for A-prod-
ucts and those intended for B-products. In doing so, the actual
utilisation of the import rights allocated pursuant to Article 3
under each of the two categories may be taken into account.

3.
For the purposes of this Article, Articles 2 to 5 shall
apply. However, the date for application referred to in Article
3(2) shall be 3 April 2001 and the date for communication
referred to in Article 3(3) shall be 10 April 2001.

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Article 7

Article 9

For the purposes of this Regulation:

(a) An A-product shall be defined as a processed product
falling within CN code 1602 10, 1602 50 31, 1602 50 39
or 1602 50 80, not containing meat other than that of
animals of the bovine species, with a collagen/protein ratio
of no more than 0,45 % (1) and containing by weight at
least 20 % (2) of lean meat excluding offal (3) and fat with
meat and jelly accounting for at least 85 % of the total net
weight.

The product must be subjected to a heat treatment suffi-
cient to ensure the coagulation of meat proteins in the
whole of the product which may not show any traces of a
pinkish liquid on the cut surface when the product is cut
along a line passing through its thickest part;

(b) A B-product shall be defined as a processed product

containing beef, other than:

— one specified in Article 1(1)(a) of Council Regulation

(EC) No 1254/1999, or

— one referred to under (a).

However, a processed product
falling within CN code
0210 20 90 which has been dried or smoked so that the
colour and consistency of the fresh meat has totally disap-
peared and with a water/protein ratio not exceeding 3,2
shall be considered to be a B-product.

Article 8

Member States shall set up a system of physical and documen-
tary supervision to ensure that all meat is processed into the
category of product specified on the import licence concerned.

The system must
include physical checks of quantity and
quality at the start of the processing, during the processing and
after the processing operation is completed. To this end,
processors shall at any time be able to demonstrate the identity
and use of the imported meat through appropriate production
records.

the production method by the
Technical verification of
competent authority may, to the extent necessary, make allow-
ance for drip losses and trimmings.

In order to verify the quality of the finished product and
establish its conformity with the processor's recipe Member
States shall proceed to representative samplings and analysis of
those products. The costs of such operations shall be born by
the processor concerned.

(1) Determination of collagen content:

the collagen content shall be
taken to mean the hydroxyproline content multiplied by the factor
8. The hydroxyproline content must be determined according to
ISO method 3496-1994.

(2) The lean bovine meat content excluding fat is determined in accor-
dance with the procedure laid down in the Annex to Commission
Regulation (EEC) No 2429/86 (OJ L 210, 1.8.1986, p. 39).

1.
The security referred to in Article 4(3) shall be released in
proportion to the quantity for which, within seven months,
proof has been furnished to the satisfaction of the competent
the imported meat has been
authority that all or part of
processed into the relevant products within three months
following the day of importation in the designated establish-
ment.

However,

(a) if processing took place after the abovementioned three-
month time limit, the security shall be released minus:

— 15 %, and

— 2 % of the remaining amount for each day by which

the time limit has been exceeded;

(b) if proof of processing is established within the abovemen-
tioned seven-month time limit and is produced within 18
months following those seven months the amount forfeited
less 15 % of the security amount, shall be repaid.

The amount of security not released shall be forfeited and

2.
retained as a customs duty.

Article 10

Article 6(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1143/98 is replaced
by the following text:

‘2.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

— in the Member State in which the application for

import rights has been lodged, and

— by traders to whom import rights have been allocated.
Import rights allocated to traders entitle them to import
licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.’

Article 11

Article 6(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1081/1999 is
replaced by the following text:

‘2.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

— in the Member State in which the application for

import rights has been lodged, and

— by traders to whom import rights have been allocated.
Import rights allocated to traders entitle them to import
licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.’

Article 12

Article 6(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1128/1999 is
replaced by the following text:

(3) Offal includes the following: heads and cuts thereof (including ears),
feet, tails, hearts, udders, livers, kidneys, sweetbreads (thymus glands
and pancreas), brains,
lungs, throats, thick skirts, spleens, tongues,
caul, spinal cords, edible skin, reproductive organs (i.e. uteri, ovaries
and testes), thyroid glands, pituitary glands.

‘2.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

— in the Member State in which the application for

import rights has been lodged, and

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— by traders to whom import rights have been allocated.
Import rights allocated to traders entitle them to import
licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.

3.
Licences may be issued until 31 December of the year
of import up to a maximum of 50 % of the allocated
import rights. Import licences for the remaining import
rights may be issued from 1 January in the year of import.’

Article 13

2. Article 5(4) is replaced by the following text:

‘4.
Licences may be issued until 31 December of the year
of import up to a maximum of 50 % of the allocated import
rights. Import licences for the remaining import rights may
be issued from 1 January to the year of import.’

Article 14

Article 5(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 2684/1999 is
replaced by the following text:

‘2.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

Regulation (EC) No 1247/1999 is amended as follows:

— in the Member State in which the application for

1. Article 5(2) shall be replaced by the following text:

‘2.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

— in the Member State in which the application for import

rights has been lodged, and

import rights has been lodged, and

— by traders to whom import rights have been allocated.
Import rights allocated to traders entitle them to import
licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.’

Article 15

— by traders to whom import rights have been allocated.
Import rights allocated to traders entitle them to import
licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.’

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the third day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 31 May 2000.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

AMOUNTS OF SECURITY (1)

For manufacture of A products

For manufacture of B products

(in EUR/1 000 kg net)

1 414
2 211
2 211
3 041
3 041

420
657
657
903
903

Product
(CN code)

0202 20 30
0202 30 10
0202 30 50
0202 30 90
0206 29 91

(1) The exchange rate to be applied shall be the exchange rate on the day preceding the lodging of the security.