Commission Regulation (EC) No 1146/2003 of 27 June 2003 opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for processing (1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004)
Date: 2003-06-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: beef, frozen product, import, processed foodstuff, tariff quota

28.6.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 160/59

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1146/2003

of 27 June 2003

opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended
for processing (1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004)

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), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/
2003 (2), and in particular Article 32(1) thereof,

(5)

Whereas:

The WTO schedule CXL requires the Community to
open an annual import tariff quota of 50 700 tonnes of
frozen beef intended for processing. Implementing rules
should be laid down for the quota year 2003/04, starting
1 July 2003.

export licences and advance fixing certificates for agri-
cultural products (7), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 325/2003 (8), 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 (9), as last
amended by Regulation (EC) No 852/2003 (10), shall
apply to import licences issued under this Regulation.

In order to prevent speculation, import licences should
be issued to processors solely for the quantities for
which they have been allocated import rights. Moreover,
for the same reason, security should be lodged together
with the application for import rights. The application
for import licences corresponding to the allocated rights
must be a primary requirement within the meaning of
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85 of 22 July
1985 laying down common detailed rules for the appli-
cation of
for agricultural
products (11), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No
1932/1999 (12).

the system of

securities

The import of
frozen beef under the tariff quota is
subject to customs import duties and to the conditions
laid down under serial number 13 of Annex 7 to the
third part of Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No
2658/87 (3), as last amended by Commission Regulation
(EC) No 2176/2002 (4). The breakdown of
the tariff
quota into each of the arrangements referred to above
should be made taking into account
the experience
gained in respect of similar imports in the past.

(6) With a view to using up quota quantities completely, a
closing date should be set for the submission of import
licence applications and provision should be made for a
further allocation of quantities not covered by licence
application submitted by that date. In the light of the
experience obtained, that allocation should be limited to
processors who have converted all their import rights
initially allocated into import licences.

So as to avoid speculation, access to the quota should be
allowed only to active processors carrying out proces-
sing in a processing establishment approved in accor-
dance with Article 8 of Council Directive 77/99/EEC of
21 December 1976 on health problems affecting intra-
Community trade in meat products (5), as last amended
by Regulation 807/2003/EC (6).

Imports into the Community under the tariff quota are
subject to presentation of an import licence in accor-
dance with the first subparagraph of Article 29(1) of
Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999. It must be possible to
issue licences following allocations of import rights on
the basis of applications from eligible processors. The
provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/
2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed
rules for the application of the system of import and

(7)

(8)

(9)

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 the
import licence.

A security shall be lodged in order to ensure that the
is used according to the tariff quota
imported meat
specifications. The amount of security should be fixed
taking into account the difference between the customs
duties applicable within and outside the quota.

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

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21.
(2) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 331, 7.12.2002, p. 3.
(5) OJ L 26, 31.1.1977, p. 85.
(6) OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36.

(7) OJ L 152, 24.6.2000, p. 1.
(8) OJ L 47, 21.2.2003, p. 21.
(9) OJ L 143, 27.6.1995, p. 35.
(10) OJ L 123, 17.5.2003, p. 9.
(11) OJ L 205, 3.8.1985, p. 5.
(12) OJ L 240, 10.9.1999, p. 11.

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HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(b) 10 700 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

of B-products;

Article 1

An import tariff quota of 50 700 tonnes, bone-in equivalent of
frozen beef 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 (the quota) is hereby opened for
the period 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 subject to the condi-
tions laid down in this Regulation.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Regulation, an A-product shall
1.
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 and
containing by weight at least 20 % of lean meat excluding offal
and fat with meat and jelly accounting for at least 85 % of the
total net weight.

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

The lean bovine meat content excluding fat shall be determined
in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Annex to
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2429/86 (1).

feet,

tails, hearts, udders,

Offal includes the following: heads and cuts thereof (including
livers, kidneys, sweetbreads
ears),
(thymus glands and pancreas), brains,
thick
skirts, spleens, tongues, caul, spinal cords, edible skin, repro-
ductive organs (i.e. uteri, ovaries and testes), thyroid glands,
pituitary glands.

throats,

lungs,

The product shall be subjected to a heat treatment sufficient 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.

For the purposes of this Regulation, a B-product shall be

2.
defined as a processed product containing beef, other than:

(a) the products specified in Article 1(1)(a) of Regulation (EC)

No 1254/1999, or

(b) the products referred to under paragraph 1.

a processed product

falling within CN code
However,
0210 20 90 which has been dried or smoked so that the colour
and consistency of the fresh meat has totally disappeared and
with a water/protein ratio not exceeding 3.2 shall be considered
to be a B-product.

Article 3

2.

The quota shall bear the following serial numbers:

— 09.4057 for the quantity referred to in paragraph 1(a),

— 09.4058 for the quantity referred to in paragraph 1(b).

The customs import duties to apply on frozen beef under
3.
the quota are fixed under serial number 13 of Annex 7 to Part
Three of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87.

Article 4

1.
Only those processing establishments approved under
Article 8 of Directive 77/99/EEC which have been active in
production of processed products containing beef at least once
since 1 July 2002 may qualify for the quota.

The application for import rights must be lodged by, or on
behalf of, an establishment meeting these conditions.

For each quantity referred to in Article 3(1) only one applica-
tion for import rights which shall not exceed 10 % of each
quantity available 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.

A security of EUR 6 per 100 kg shall be lodged together

2.
with the application for import rights.

The competent national authority shall decide what is
3.
acceptable documentary evidence of compliance with the
conditions laid down in paragraphs 1 and 2.

This evidence shall be submitted together with the application
for import rights.

Article 5

1.
Each application for import rights for production of A-
products or B-products shall be expressed in bone-in equiva-
lence.

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

Each application referring to either A-products or B-
2.
products shall reach the competent authority by 13.00 Brussels
time on 4 July 2003.

The overall quantity referred to in Article 1 shall be

1.
divided into two quantities:

(a) 40 000 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

3. Member States shall forward to the Commission by 11
July 2003 a list of applicants and quantities applied for under
each of the two categories together with the approval numbers
of the processing establishments concerned.

of A-products;

(1) OJ L 210, 1.8.1986, p. 39.

All communications, including nil returns, shall be sent by fax
using the forms set out in Annexes I and II.

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The Commission shall decide as soon as possible to what
4.
extent applications are accepted, where necessary as a percen-
tage of the quantity applied for.

Article 6

Any import of frozen beef for which import rights have
to Article 5(4) shall be subject to

1.
been allocated pursuant
presentation of an import licence.

2.
As to the security referred to in Article 4(2) the applica-
tion for import licences corresponding to the allocated import
rights shall be a primary requirement within the meaning of
Article 20(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85.

Where in application of Article 5(4) the Commission fixes a
reduction coefficient the security lodged shall be released in
respect of the import rights applied for which exceed the allo-
cated import rights.

3. Within the allocated import rights a processor may apply
for import licences until 20 February 2004 at the latest.

4.
Import rights allocated to processors entitle them to
import licences for quantities equivalent to the rights allocated.

Licence applications may be lodged solely:

(a) in the Member State in which the application for import

rights has been lodged, and

(b) by processors or on behalf of processors to whom import

rights have been allocated.

A security shall be lodged with the competent authority
5.
at the time of import ensuring that the processor having been
allocated import rights processes the entire quantity of meat
imported into the required finished products in his establish-
ment specified in the licence application, within three months
of the day of import.

The amounts of the security are fixed in Annex III.

Article 7

Regulations (EC) No 1291/2000 and (EC) No 1445/95 shall
apply, without prejudice to the provisions of this Regulation.

Article 8

The licence application and the licence shall contain the

1.
following information:

(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:

— Certificado válido en … (Estado miembro expedidor)/
carne destinada a la transformación... [productos A]
[productos B] (táchese lo que no proceda) en … (desig-
nación exacta y número de registro del establecimiento
en el que vaya a procederse a la transformación)/Regla-
mento (CE) no 1146/2003.

— Licens

gyldig

i … (udstedende medlemsstat)/Kød
bestemt til forarbejdning til [A-produkter] [B-produkter]
(det ikke gældende overstreges) i … (nøjagtig betegnelse
forarbejdningen sker)/
for den virksomhed, hvor
Forordning (EF) nr. 1146/2003.

die

Verarbeitung

— In … (ausstellender Mitgliedstaat) gültige Lizenz/Fleisch
für
[B-
zu
Erzeugnissen] (Nichtzutreffendes bitte streichen) in …
(genaue Bezeichnung des Betriebs, in dem die Verarbei-
tung erfolgen soll)/Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1146/2003.

[A-Erzeugnissen]

— 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.
1146/2003.

— 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 establishment where the processing
is to take place)/Regulation (EC) No 1146/2003.

— 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 1146/2003.

— 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. 1146/2003.

voor

verwerking

— Certificaat geldig in … (lidstaat van afgifte)/Vlees
bestemd
[B-
producten] (doorhalen wat niet van toepassing is) in …
(nauwkeurige aanduiding en toelatingsnummer van het
bedrijf waar de verwerking zal plaatsvinden)/Veror-
dening (EG) nr. 1146/2003.

[A-producten]

tot

— Certificado válido em … (Estado-Membro emissor)/
carne destinada à transformação … [produtos A]
[produtos B] (riscar o que não interessa) em … (desig-
nação exacta e número de aprovação do estabelec-
imento em que a transformação será efectuada)/Regula-
mento (CE) n.o 1146/2003.

— 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 1146/
2003.

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. 1146/2003.

2.
Import licences shall be valid for 120 days from the date
of issue within the meaning of Article 23(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 1291/2000. However, no licence shall be valid after 30
June 2004.

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In application of Article 50(1) of Regulation (EC) No
3.
1291/2000, 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 9

1.
Quantities for which applications for import rights have
not been lodged by the deadline referred to in Article 5(2) and
the quantities for which import licence applications have not
been lodged by 20 February 2004 shall be subject to a new
allocation of import rights.

To that end, by 27 February 2004, Member States shall forward
to the Commission details of the quantities for which no appli-
cations have been received.

2.
The Commission shall decide as soon as possible on the
breakdown of the quantities referred to in paragraph 1 into A-
products and B-products. In doing so, the actual utilisation of
the import rights allocated pursuant to Article 5(4) under each
of the two categories may be taken into account.

3.
The allocation of the remaining quantities shall be limited
to processors who have applied for import licences in respect
of all the import rights granted to him in application of Article
5(4).

Articles 4 to 8 shall apply to the import of the remaining

4.
quantities.

However,
in this case the date for application referred to in
Article 5(2) shall be 19 March 2004 and the date for communi-
cation referred to in Article 5(3) shall be 26 March 2004.

Article 10

include physical checks of quantity and
The system must
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.

Technical verification of the production method by the compe-
tent authority may, to the extent necessary, make allowance for
drip losses and trimmings.

In order to verify the quality of the finished product and estab-
lish its conformity with the processor's formula for the compo-
sition of the product, Member States shall take representative
samples and analyse those products. The costs of such opera-
tions shall be borne by the processor concerned.

Article 11

1.
The security referred to in Article 6(5) shall be released in
proportion to the quantity for which, within seven months,
proof has been furnished to the satisfaction of the competent
authority that all or part of
the imported meat has been
processed into the relevant products within three months
following the day of import in the designated establishment.

However, if processing took place after the above three-month
time limit, the security shall be released minus a 15 % reduc-
tion plus 2 % of the remaining amount for each day by which
the time limit has been exceeded.

If proof of processing is established within the above seven-
month time limit and 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, as referred to in

2.
Article 6(5), shall be forfeited and retained as a customs duty.

Member States shall set up a system of physical and documen-
tary checks to ensure that, within three months of the date of
import, all meat is processed in the processing establishment
and into the category of product specified on the import
licence concerned.

Article 12

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

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

Done at Brussels, 27 June 2003.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

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ANNEX II

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ANNEX III

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.