Commission Regulation (EC) No 412/2008 of 8 May 2008 opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for processing
Date: 2008-05-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: CCT duties, beef, food processing, frozen product, import (EU), tariff quota

9.5.2008

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Official Journal of the European Union

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 412/2008

of 8 May 2008

opening and providing for the administration of an import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for
processing

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

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,

Whereas:

licence

an import

to presentation of

Imports into the Community under the tariff quota are
subject
in
accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 29(1)
of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999. The provisions of
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June
2000 laying down common detailed rules for the appli-
cation of the system of import and export licences and
advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (5) and
of Commission Regulation (EC) No 382/2008 of
21 April 2008 on rules of application for import and
licences in the beef and veal sector (6) should
export
apply to import licences issued under this Regulation,
without prejudice to additional conditions laid down in
this Regulation.

(1)

(2)

(3)

the

Letters

between

Exchange

The WTO schedule CXL requires the Community to open
an annual import tariff quota of 50 700 tonnes of frozen
beef intended for processing. Moreover, as a result of the
negotiations which led to the Agreement in the form of
European
of
an
Community and Australia pursuant
to Article XXIV:6
and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of
concessions in the schedules of the Czech Republic, the
Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic
the Republic of
of Latvia,
the Republic of
Hungary,
and the Slovak
Poland,
accession to the
Republic
European Union (2),
approved by Council Decision
2006/106/EC (3),
the Community undertook to incor-
porate in its schedule for all Member States an increase
of 4 003 tonnes of that import tariff quota as of 1 July
2006.

the Republic of Lithuania,
the Republic of Malta,
the Republic of Slovenia
their

course of

in the

Implementing rules should be laid down for the opening
and administration of this quota every year for the period
from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.

The import of
frozen beef under the tariff quota is
subject to customs import duties and to the conditions
laid down under order number 12 of Annex 7 to Part
three of Annex I
to Council Regulation (EEC) No
2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical
nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (4).

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21. Regulation as last amended by
Commission Regulation (EC) No 98/2008 (OJ L 29, 2.2.2008,
p. 5). Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 will be replaced by Regulation
(EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1) as from 1 July
2008.

(2) OJ L 47, 17.2.2006, p. 54.
(3) OJ L 47, 17.2.2006, p. 52.
(4) OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1. Regulation as

Commission Regulation
21.11.2007, p. 3).

(EC) No 1352/2007 (OJ

last amended by
L 303,

(5)

(6)

(7)

import

(EC) No

1301/2006

Commission Regulation
of
31 August 2006 laying down common rules for the
tariff quotas for agricultural
administration of
licences (7)
products managed by a system of
import
lays down in particular detailed provisions on appli-
cations for import rights, the status of applicants and
the issue of import licences. The provisions of Regulation
(EC) No 1301/2006 should apply to imports licences
issued pursuant to this Regulation, without prejudice to
additional conditions laid down in this Regulation.

It is appropriate to manage this import tariff quota by
attributing import rights as a first step and issuing import
licences as a second, as provided for in Article 6(3) of
Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006. In this way, operators
that have obtained import rights should be able to
the
decide, during the course of
moment when they wish to apply for import licences,
in view of their actual trade flows. It should be possible
to issue licences following allocations of import rights on
the basis of applications from eligible processors. In any
the Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 limits the
case,
period of validity of
the
import tariff quota period.

licences to the last day of

the quota period,

So as to avoid speculation, access to the quota should be
allowed only to active processors carrying out processing
in a processing establishment approved in accordance
with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April
2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of
animal origin (8).

(5) OJ L 152, 24.6.2000, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 1423/2007 (OJ L 317, 5.12.2007, p. 36).

(6) OJ L 115, 29.4.2008, p. 10.
(7) OJ L 238, 1.9.2006, p. 13. Regulation as amended by Regulation

(EC) No 289/2007 (OJ L 78, 17.3.2007, p. 17).

(8) OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55. Regulation as amended by Regulation

(EC) No 1243/2007 (OJ L 281, 25.10.2007, p. 8).

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(8)

(9)

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 should 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 application of the
system of securities for agricultural products (1).

The collagen content shall be considered to be the hydroxy-
proline 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 (2).

the

tariff quota

application of

strict
The
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.

requires

feet,

tails, hearts, udders,

Offal includes the following: heads and cuts thereof (including
livers, kidneys, sweetbreads
ears),
(thymus glands), 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.

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

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.

(11)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

An import tariff quota of 54 703 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 (hereinafter the quota) is hereby
opened every year for the period from 1 July to 30 June of the
following year (hereafter import tariff quota period) subject to
the conditions laid down in this Regulation.

Article 2

For the purposes of this Regulation, an A-product shall
1.
mean a processed product falling within CN code 1602 10,
1602 50 31 or 1602 50 95, 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.

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

2.
mean a processed product containing beef, other than:

(a)

the products
(EC) No 1254/1999; or

specified in Article 1(1)(a) of Regulation

(b) the products referred to under paragraph 1 of this Article.

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

The overall quantity referred to in Article 1 shall be

1.
divided into two quantities:

(a) 43 000 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

of A-products;

(b) 11 703 tonnes of frozen beef intended for the manufacture

of B-products.

(1) OJ L 205, 3.8.1985, p. 5. Regulation as last amended by Regulation

(EC) No 1913/2006 (OJ L 365, 21.12.2006, p. 52).

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

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2.

The quota shall bear the following order numbers:

(a) 09.4057 for the quantities referred to in paragraph 1(a);

Applications for import rights for production of either A-
2.
products or B-products shall be lodged no later than 13.00,
Brussels time, on 8 June preceding the yearly import
tariff
quota period.

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

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

3.
with the application for import rights.

The customs import duties to apply on frozen beef under

3.
the quota are set out in Annex I.

Article 4

The quota shall be managed by attributing import rights

1.
as a first step and issuing import licences as a second.

4.
No later than 13.00, Brussels time, on the second Friday
following the end of the period for the submission of appli-
cations referred to in paragraph 2, Member States shall notify
the Commission of the total quantities applied for under each of
the two categories of products.

2.
Regulations (EC) No 1291/2000, (EC) No 1301/2006 and
(EC) No 382/2008 shall apply, save as otherwise provided for in
this Regulation.

1.
Import rights shall be awarded as from the 7th and no
later than the 16th working day following the end of the period
for the notifications referred to in Article 6(4).

Article 7

Article 5

1.
By way of derogation from Article 5 of Regulation (EC)
No 1301/2006, instead of providing proof of their engagement
in trade with third countries, the applicants for import rights
shall prove that they are approved as processing establishments
under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and shall
they have been active in production of
demonstrate that
processed products containing beef during each of
the two
reference periods referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EC)
No 1301/2006.

An application for import rights may not exceed 10 % of each
quantity referred to in Article 3(1) of this Regulation.

2.
The evidence of compliance with the conditions laid down
in paragraph 1 shall be submitted together with the application
for import rights.

If application of the allocation coefficient referred to in
2.
Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 results in fewer
import rights to be allocated than had been applied for, the
security lodged in accordance with Article 6(3) of this Regu-
lation shall be released proportionally without delay.

Article 8

The release into free circulation of the quantities awarded
1.
under the quota is subject to the presentation of an import
licence.

2.
Import licence applications shall cover the total quantity
allocated. This obligation shall constitute a primary requirement
within the meaning of Article 20(2) of Regulation (EEC) No
2220/85.

By way of derogation from the second paragraph of Article 5 of
competent national
Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006,
authority shall decide what documents shall be furnished as
proof of compliance with those conditions.

the

Article 9

Licence applications may be lodged solely in the Member
1.
State where the applicant has applied and obtained import
rights under the quota.

Article 6

Each application for import rights for production of A-
expressed in bone-in

shall be

1.
products or B-products
equivalence.

Each issuing of import licence shall result in a corresponding
reduction of the import rights obtained and the security lodged
in accordance with Article 6(3) shall be released proportionally
without delay.

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

Import

2.
operator who has obtained the import rights.

licences shall be issued in the name of

the

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The licence application and the licence shall contain the

3.
following information:

(a)

in Box 8, the country of origin;

The security referred to in paragraph 1 shall be released in
2.
proportion to the quantity for which, within seven months of
the day of import, 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 estab-
lishment.

(b) in Box 16, one of the eligible CN codes referred to in

Article 1;

(c)

in box 20, the order number of the quota, at least one of
the entries listed in Annex II and the name and address of
the processing establishment.

However, if processing took place after the three-month time
limit referred to in the first subparagraph, the security shall be
released minus a 15 % reduction plus 2 % of the remaining
amount
for each day by which the time limit has been
exceeded.

Import licences shall be valid for 120 days from the actual
4.
date of issue within the meaning of Article 23(2) of Regulation
(EC) No 1291/2000.

If proof of processing is established within the seven-month
time limit referred to in the first subparagraph and produced
within 18 months following those seven months, the amount
forfeited, less 15 % of the security amount, shall be repaid.

Article 10

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

The system shall 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.

Technical verification of
competent authority may,
allowance for drip losses and trimmings.

the production method by the
to the extent necessary, make

In order to verify the quality of
the finished product and
establish its conformity with the processor’s formula for the
composition of the product, Member States shall take represen-
tative samples and analyse those products. The costs of such
operations shall be borne by the processor concerned.

Article 11

1.
A security shall be lodged with the competent authority 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 estab-
specified in the licence application, within three
lishment
months of the day of import.

The amounts of the security are fixed in Annex III.

The amount not released of the security referred to in

3.
paragraph 1 shall be forfeited.

Article 12

By way of derogation from the second subparagraph of
1.
Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006, Member States
shall notify to the Commission:

(a) no later than the 10th day of each month, the quantities of
including nil returns, for which import licences

products,
were issued in the previous month;

(b) no later than 31 October following the end of each import
tariff quota period, the quantities of products, including nil
returns, covered by unused or partly used import licences
and corresponding to the difference between the quantities
entered on the back of the import licences and the quan-
tities for which they were issued.

2.
No later than 31 October following the end of each
import tariff quota period, Member States shall notify to the
Commission the quantities of products, which were actually
released into free circulation during the preceding import
tariff quota period.

3.
In the notifications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of
this Article, the quantities shall be expressed in kilograms of
product weight and per product category as set out in Annex V
to Regulation (EC) No 382/2008.

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

Article 13

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

Done at Brussels, 8 May 2008.

For the Commission

Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission

ANNEX I

IMPORT DUTIES

Product
(CN code)

0202 20 30

0202 30 10

0202 30 50

0202 30 90

0206 29 91

For manufacture of A products

For manufacture of B products

20 %

20 %

20 %

20 %

20 %

20 % + 994,5 EUR/1 000 kg/net

20 % + 1 554,3 EUR/1 000 kg/net

20 % + 1 554,3 EUR/1 000 kg/net

20 % + 2 138,4 EUR/1 000 kg/net

20 % + 2 138,4 EUR/1 000 kg/net

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ANNEX II

Entries referred to in Article 9(3)(c)

— in Bulgarian:

Лицензия, валидна в … (държава-членка издател)
/ месо, предназначено за преработка в
…[продукти А] [продукти Б] (ненужното се зачертава) в … (точно наименование и номер
на одобрението на предприятието, където ще се извърши преработката)
/ Регламент (ЕО)
№ 382/2008

— in Spanish:

— in Czech:

— in Danish:

— in German:

— in Estonian:

— in Greek:

— in English:

— in French:

— in Italian:

— in Latvian:

— in Lithuanian:

— in Hungarian:

Certificado válido en … (Estado miembro expedidor) / carne destinada a la transformación …
[productos A] [productos B] (táchese lo que no proceda) en … (designación exacta y número
de registro del establecimiento en el que vaya a procederse a la transformación) / Reglamento
(CE) no 382/2008

Licence platná v … (vydávající členský stát) / Maso určené ke zpracování … [výrobky A]
[výrobky B] (nehodící se škrtněte) v (přesné určení a číslo schválení zpracovatelského zařízení,
v němž se má zpracování uskutečnit) / nařízení (ES) č. 382/2008

Licens gyldig i … (udstedende medlemsstat) / Kød bestemt til forarbejdning til (A-produkter)
(B-produkter) (det ikke gældende overstreges) i … (nøjagtig betegnelse for den virksomhed,
hvor forarbejdningen sker) / forordning (EF) nr. 382/2008

In … (ausstellender Mitgliedstaat) gültige Lizenz / Fleisch für die Verarbeitung zu [A-Erzeug-
in … (genaue Bezeichnung des
nissen]
(Unzutreffendes bitte streichen)
Betriebs, in dem die Verarbeitung erfolgen soll) / Verordnung (EG) Nr. 382/2008

[B-Erzeugnissen]

Litsents on kehtiv … (välja andev liikmesriik) / Liha töötlemiseks … [A toode] [B toode]
(kustuta mittevajalik) … (ettevõtte asukoht ja loanumber, kus toimub töötlemine / määrus
(EÜ) nr 382/2008

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. 382/2008

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 establish-
ment where the processing is to take place) / Regulation (EC) No 382/2008

Certificat valable … (État membre émetteur) / viande destinée à la transformation de …
[produits A] [produits B] (rayer la mention inutile) dans … (désignation exacte et numéro
d’agrément de l’établissement dans lequel la transformation doit avoir lieu) / règlement (CE)
no 382/2008

Titolo valido in … (Stato membro di rilascio)
/ Carni destinate alla trasformazione …
[prodotti A] [prodotti B] (depennare la voce inutile) presso … (esatta designazione e numero
di riconoscimento dello stabilimento nel quale è prevista la trasformazione) / Regolamento
(CE) n. 382/2008

Atļauja derīga … (dalībvalsts, kas izsniedz ievešanas atļauju) / pārstrādei paredzēta gaļa …
[A produktu] [B produktu] ražošanai (nevajadzīgo nosvītrot) … (precīzs tā uzņēmuma apzī-
mējums un apstiprinājuma numurs, kurā notiks pārstrāde)
/ Regula (EK) Nr. 382/2008

Licencija galioja … (išdavusioji valstybė narė) / Mėsa skirta perdirbimui … [produktai A]
[produktai B] (ištrinti nereikalingą) … (tikslus įmonės, kurioje bus perdirbama, pavadinimas
ir registracijos Nr.) / Reglamentas (EB) Nr. 382/2008

Az engedély … (kibocsátó tagállam)
/ Feldolgozásra szánt hús …
[A-termék][Btermék] (a nem kívánt törlendő) … (pontos rendeltetési hely és a feldolgozást
végző létesítmény engedélyezési száma) 382/2008/EK rendelet

területén érvényes.

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— in Maltese:

— in Dutch:

— in Polish:

— in Portuguese:

— in Romanian:

— in Slovak:

— in Slovenian:

— in Finnish:

— in Swedish:

Liċenzja valida fi … (Stat Membru tal-ħruġ) / Laħam maħsub għall-ipproċessar … [Prodotti-A]
[Prodotti-B] (ħassar skond kif ikun xieraq) fi … (deżinjazzjoni eżatta u Nru ta' l-istabbiliment
fejn se jsir l-ipproċessar) / Ir-Regolament (KE) Nru 382/2008

Certificaat geldig in … (lidstaat van afgifte) / Vlees bestemd voor verwerking tot [A-producten]
in … (nauwkeurige aanduiding en
[B-producten] (doorhalen wat niet van toepassing is)
toelatingsnummer van het bedrijf waar de verwerking zal plaatsvinden) / Verordening (EG)
nr. 382/2008

Pozwolenie ważne w … (wystawiające państwo członkowskie) / mięso przeznaczone do
przetworzenia … [produkty A]
(niepotrzebne skreślić) w … (dokładne
miejsce przeznaczenia i nr zatwierdzenia zakładu, w którym ma mieć miejsce przetwarzanie)
/ rozporządzenie (WE) nr 382/2008

[produkty B]

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 estabelecimento em que a transformação será efectuada) / Regulamento (CE)
n.o 382/2008

Licență valabilă în … (statul membru emitent) / Carne destinată procesării … [produse-A]
[produse-B] (se șterge unde este cazul) la … (desemnarea exactă și nr. de aprobare al stabi-
limentului unde va avea loc procesarea) / Regulamentul (CE) nr. 382/2008

Licencia platná v … (vydávajúci členský štát) / Mäso určené na spracovanie … [výrobky A]
[výrobky B] (nehodiace sa prečiarknite) v … (presné určenie a číslo schválenia zariadenia, v
ktorom spracovanie prebehne) / nariadenie (ES) č. 382/2008

Dovoljenje velja v … (država članica, ki ga je izdala) / Meso namenjeno predelavi … [proiz-
vodi A] [proizvodi B] (črtaj neustrezno) v … (točno namembno območje in št. odobritve
obrata, kjer bo predelava potekala) / Uredba (ES) št. 382/2008

Todistus on voimassa … (myöntäjäjäsenvaltio)
/ Liha on tarkoitettu [A-luokan tuotteet]
[B-luokan tuotteet] (tarpeeton poistettava) jalostukseen … :ssa (tarkka ilmoitus laitoksesta,
jossa jalostus suoritetaan, hyväksyntänumero mukaan lukien) / Asetus (EY) N:o 382/2008

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 bearbetningen skall ske) / Förordning (EG) nr 382/2008

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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.