Commission Regulation (EC) No 325/2003 of 20 February 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products
Date: 2003-02-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural product, export licence, import licence

21.2.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 325/2003

of 20 February 2003

amending Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application
of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural
products

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 of 30
June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in
cereals (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1666/
2000 (2), and in particular Article 9(2) and Article 13(11)
thereof, and the corresponding provisions of the other Regula-
tions on the common organisation of the markets in agricul-
tural products,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Article 50(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/
1999 of 15 April 1999 laying down common detailed
rules for the application of the system of export refunds
on agricultural products (3), as last amended by Regula-
tion (EC) No 1253/2002 (4), provides that if the 60-day
time limit by which the products must have left the
Community's customs territory, referred to in Article
7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 800/1999, or the 30-day
time limit by which the goods must have been placed in
a victualling warehouse, referred to in Article 40(1) of
that Regulation, is not complied with, then the refund is
to be reduced by 15 %, followed by a further reduction
for each day by which the time limit concerned is
exceeded.

In addition, where these time limits are exceeded, the
second subparagraph of Article 32(1) of Commission
Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 (5), as last amended by
Regulation (EC) No 2299/2001 (6), provides for a penalty
consisting in the forfeiture of part of the security on the
export
followed by forfeiture of a further
amount for each day by which the time limit concerned
is exceeded.

licence,

The cumulation of penalties thus imposed on both the
refund and the licence security when one and the same
time limit is exceeded is a heavy burden on exporters
and does not seem indispensable. The rules should there-
fore be simplified, and the penalty provided for in the
second subparagraph of Article 32(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 1291/2000 involving the export-licence security
should not be applied in such cases.

(4)

Article 35(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 provides
that if the licence is returned to the issuing body within
the initial two thirds of its term of validity, the corre-

(1) OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21.
(2) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 102, 17.4.1999, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 183, 12.7.2002, p. 12.
(5) OJ L 152, 24.6.2000, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 308, 27.11.2001, p. 19.

sponding amount of security to be forfeited is reduced
by 40 %, and if the licence is returned during the last
third of
its term of validity or during the month
following the expiry date, the corresponding amount of
the security to be forfeited is reduced by 25 %. The
mechanism introduced by Article 35(3) of Regulation
(EC) No 1291/2000 is intended to encourage exporters
to return unused export licences with advance fixing of
the refund to the issuing body rapidly so that export
opportunities for agricultural products qualifying for
refunds may be used to the full.

In cases where there is a substantial
increase in the
refund, application of the mechanism provided for in
Article 35(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 could
lead to speculation by encouraging exporters not to use
their licences and to return them to the issuing body if
the difference between the new refund which can be
received for the product concerned and the refund fixed
in advance for the same product is greater than the
amount of security to be forfeited. Appropriate steps
should therefore be taken to prevent improper applica-
tion of that provision.

Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000, which sets
the maximum quantities of agricultural products for
which import or export licences or advance fixing certi-
ficates need not be presented under the fourth indent of
Article 5(1) of that Regulation, should be updated.

Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 should be amended
accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of all
the Management
Committees concerned,

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 is hereby amended as follows:

1. the following subparagraph is added to Article 32(1):

‘The security shall not be forfeited under the second subpar-
agraph in the case of quantities for which the refund is
reduced in accordance with Article 50(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 800/1999 for failure to meet the deadlines referred to in
Article 7(1) and Article 40(1) of that Regulation.’;

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2. the following subparagraphs are added to Article 35(3):

3. Annex III shall be replaced by the text in the Annex to this

‘The first subparagraph shall apply unless it is temporarily
suspended. Where the refund for one or more products is
increased, the Commission, acting in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 38 of Regulation No 136/
66/EEC or the corresponding Articles of the other Regula-
tions on the common organisation of the markets, they may
suspend application of the first subparagraph for licences
applied for before the refund is increased and not returned
to the issuing body until the day before the increase.

Licences lodged under Article 25 shall be deemed to have
been returned to the issuing body on the date on which the
latter receives an application from the licence holder for the
security to be released.’;

Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Union.

It shall apply to licences applied for from its entry into force.

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

Done at Brussels, 20 February 2003.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

‘ANNEX III

Maximum quantities (1) of products for which import or export licences or advance fixing certificates need not
be presented pursuant to the fourth indent of Article 5(1) (provided import or export does not take place under
preferential arrangements subject to a licence (2))

Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

A.

CEREALS AND RICE (Regulation (EC) No 1162/95)

Import licence:

with the exception of subheading 0714 20 10

5 000 kg

with the exception of subheading 1006 10 10

1 000 kg

with the exception of subheading 1108 20 00

with the exception of subheading 2302 50

0709 90 60

0712 90 19

0714

1001 10

1001 90 91

1001 90 99

1002 00 00

1003 00

1004 00

1005 10 90

1005 90 00

1007 00 90

1006 10

1006 20

1006 30

1006 40 00

1008

1101 00 11

1101 00 15

1101 00 90

1102

1103

1104

1106 20

1107

1108

1109 00 00

1702 30 51

1702 30 59

1702 30 91

1702 30 99

1702 40 90

1702 90 50

1702 90 75

1702 90 79

2106 90 55

2302

2303 10

2303 30 00

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

2306 70 00

2308 00 40

2308 10 00

ex 2309

Containing starch, glucose, maltodextrine, glucose syrup or
maltodextrine syrup falling within subheadings 1702 30 51 to
1702 30 99, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 or milk
products (3) except preparations and feedingstuffs containing
50 % or more by weight of milk products

Export licence with or without advance fixing of the refund:

with the exception of subheading 0714 20 10

5 000 kg

with the exception of subheading 1006 10 10

500 kg

with the exception of subheading 1108 20 00

with the exception of subheading 2302 50

0709 90 60

0712 90 19

0714

1001 10

1001 90 91

1001 90 99

1002 00 00

1003 00

1004 00

1005 10 90

1005 90 00

1007 00 90

1006 10

1006 20

1006 30

1006 40 00

1008

1101 00 11

1101 00 15

1101 00 90

1102

1103

1104

1106 20

1107

1108

1109 00 00

1702 30 51

1702 30 59

1702 30 91

1702 30 99

1702 40 90

1702 90 50

1702 90 75

1702 90 79

2106 90 55

2302

2303 10

2303 30 00

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

2306 70 00
2308 00 40
2308 10 00

ex 2309

Containing starch, glucose, maltodextrine, glucose syrup or
maltodextrine syrup falling within subheadings 1702 30 51 to
1702 30 99, 1702 40 90, 1702 90 50 and 2106 90 55 or milk
products (4) except preparations and feedingstuffs containing
50 % or more by weight of milk products

100 kg

100 kg

2 000 kg

B

OILS AND FATS:

Import licence (Regulation (EC) No 1476/95)

0709 90 39
0711 20 90
1509
1510 00
1522 00 31
1522 00 39
2306 90 19

Export licence with or without advance fixing of the refund (Regulation (EC) No 2543/95)

1509
1510 00

C.

SUGAR (Regulation (EC) No 1464/95)

Import licence:

1212 91 20
1212 91 80
1212 99 20
1701 11 10
1701 11 90
1701 12 10
1701 12 90
1701 91 00
1701 99 10
1701 99 90
1702 20 10
1702 20 90
1702 30 10
1702 40 10
1702 60 10
1702 60 80
1702 60 95
1702 90 30
1702 90 60
1702 90 71
1702 90 80

1702 90 99
1703 10 00
1703 90 00
2106 90 30
2106 90 59

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

Export licence with or without advance fixing of the refund:

2 000 kg

150 kg

1212 91 20

1212 91 80

1212 99 20

1701 11 10

1701 11 90

1701 12 10

1701 12 90

1701 91 00

1701 99 10

1701 99 90

1702 20 10

1702 20 90

1702 30 10

1702 40 10

1702 60 10

1702 60 80

1702 60 95

1702 90 30

1702 90 60

1702 90 71

1702 90 80

1702 90 99

1703 10 00

1703 90 00

2106 90 30

2106 90 59

D. MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS

Import licence (Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001)

0401

0402

0403 10 11 to
0403 10 39

0403 90 11 to
0403 90 69

0404

0405 10

0405 20 90

0405 90

0406

1702 11 00

1702 19 00

2106 90 51

2309 10 15

2309 10 19

2309 10 39

2309 10 59

Preparations of a kind used in animal feed; preparations and
foodstuffs containing products to which Regulation (EC) No
1255/1999 (5) applies, directly or under Regulation (EEC) No
2730/75 (6), with the exception of preparations and foodstuffs to
which Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 (7) applies

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

2309 10 70
2309 90 35
2309 90 39
2309 90 49
2309 90 59
2309 90 70

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund (Regulation (EC) No 174/1999)

0401
0402
0403 10 11 to
0403 10 39
0403 90 11 to
0403 90 69
0404
0405 10
0405 20 90
0405 90
0406
2309 10 15
2309 10 19
2309 10 70
2309 90 35
2309 90 39
2309 90 70

Preparations of a kind used in animal feed; preparations and
foodstuffs containing products to which Regulation (EC) No
1255/1999 (5) applies, directly or under Regulation (EEC) No
2730/75 (6), with the exception of preparations and foodstuffs to
which Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 (7) applies

E.

BEEF AND VEAL (Regulation (EC) No 1445/95)

Import licence:

0102 90 05 to
0102 90 79

0201
0202
0206 10 95
0206 29 91
0210 20
0210 99 51
0210 99 90
1602 50 10
1602 50 31
1602 50 39
1602 50 80
1602 90 61
1602 90 69

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund:

0102 10
0102 90 05 to
0102 90 79

0201
0202
0206 10 95
0206 29 91

150 kg

One animal

200 kg

One animal

200 kg

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

0210 20
0210 99 51
0210 99 90
1602 50 10
1602 50 31
1602 50 39
1602 50 80
1602 90 61
1602 90 69

Export licence without refund (Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1445/95)

0102 10
0102 90 05 to
0102 90 79

0201
0202
0206 10 95
0206 29 91
0210 20
0210 99 51
0210 99 90
1602 50 10
1602 50 31
1602 50 39
1602 50 80
1602 90 61
1602 90 69

F.

SHEEPMEAT AND GOATMEAT

Import licence (Regulation (EC) No 1439/95)

0204
0210 99 21
0210 99 29
1602 90 72
1602 90 74
1602 90 76
1602 90 78

0104 10 30
0104 10 80
0104 20 90

G.

PIGMEAT

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund (Regulation (EC) No 1370/95)

ex 0203
ex 1601
ex 1602

0210

Nine animals

2 000 kg

100 kg

Five animals

250 kg

150 kg

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

H.

POULTRYMEAT

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund and ex-post export licence (Regulation (EC) No
1372/95)

0105 11 11 9000
0105 11 19 9000
0105 11 91 9000
0105 11 99 9000

0105 12 00 9000
0105 19 20 9000

ex 0207

I.

EGGS

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund and ex-post export licence (Regulation (EC) No
1371/95)

0407 00 11 9000

0407 00 19 9000

0407 00 30 9000

0408 11 80 9100
0408 91 80 9100

0408 19 81 9100
0408 19 89 9100
0408 99 80 9100

J.

SEEDS

Import licence (Regulation (EEC) No 1119/79)

1005 10 11 to
1005 10 19
1007 00 10

K. WINE (Regulation (EC) No 883/2001)

Import licence

2009 61
2009 69

2204 10
2204 21
2204 29
2204 30

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund:

2009 61
2009 69

2204 21
2204 29
2204 30

4 000 chicks

2 000 chicks

250 kg

2 000 eggs

4 000 eggs

400 kg

100 kg

250 kg

100 kg

3 000 kg

30 hl

10 hl

10 hl

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Product (Combined Nomenclature code)

Net quantity

L.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund (Regulation (EC) No 1961/2001)

0702 00
ex 0802 08 05
0806 10 10
0808
0809

M.

PRODUCTS PROCESSED FROM FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Export licence with advance fixing of the refund (Regulation (EC) No 1429/95)

0806 20
ex 0812 20 02
ex 2006 00
ex 2008
ex 2009

300 kg

300 kg

(1) Maximum quantities of products which may be imported or exported without licences, corresponding to an eight-figure combined-
nomenclature (CN) subheading and, in the case of exports with refunds, a 12-figure subheading under the export refund nomenclature
for agricultural products.

(2) For example, the quantities indicated in this document do not cover imports under quantitative quotas or preferential arrangements, for
which licences are always required for all quantities. The quantities indicated here refer to imports under normal arrangements, i.e. with
payment of full duties and with no limits on quantities.

(3) For the purposes of this subheading, “milk products” means products falling within headings 0401 to 0406 and subheadings 1702 10

and 2106 90 51.

(4) For the purposes of this subheading, “milk products” means products falling within headings 0401 to 0406 and subheadings 1702 10

and 2106 90 51.

(5) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48.
(6) OJ L 281, 1.11.1975, p. 20.
(7) OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21.’