Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/991 of 13 May 2020 opening and providing for the administration of import tariff quotas for rice originating in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/991of 13 May 2020opening and providing for the administration of import tariff quotas for rice originating in the Socialist Republic of VietnamTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671., and in particular points (a) to (d) of the first paragraph of Article 187 thereof,Whereas:(1)The Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam ("the Agreement") was approved by Council Decision (EU) 2020/753Council Decision (EU) 2020/753 of 30 March 2020 on the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (OJ L 186, 12.6.2020, p. 1).. Article 2.7 of the Agreement provides, in particular, for the reduction or elimination of customs duties on goods originating in the other Party in accordance with the Schedules set out in Annex 2-A thereto.(2)In accordance with points 5 to 10 of Sub-Section 1 of Section B of Annex 2-A to the Agreement, the Union is to open tariff rate quotas for the import of 80000 tonnes of rice originating in Vietnam.(3)Consequently, tariff quotas for imports of rice originating in Vietnam should be opened. To ensure the proper management of these tariff quotas, imports should be made subject to the issue of import licences, for which a security should be lodged. The Commission should administer these tariff quotas according to the method referred to in Article 184(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. In addition, Commission Regulations (EC) No 1301/2006Commission Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 of 31 August 2006 laying down common rules for the administration of import tariff quotas for agricultural products managed by a system of import licences (OJ L 238, 1.9.2006, p. 13)., (EC) No 1342/2003Commission Regulation (EC) No 1342/2003 of 28 July 2003 laying down special detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences for cereals and rice (OJ L 189, 29.7.2003, p. 12). and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237 of 18 May 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the rules for applying the system of import and export licences and supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the rules on the release and forfeit of securities lodged for such licences, amending Commission Regulations (EC) No 2535/2001, (EC) No 1342/2003, (EC) No 2336/2003, (EC) No 951/2006, (EC) No 341/2007 and (EC) No 382/2008 and repealing Commission Regulations (EC) No 2390/98, (EC) No 1345/2005, (EC) No 376/2008 and (EC) No 507/2008 (OJ L 206, 30.7.2016, p. 1). should apply, save as otherwise provided for in this Regulation.(4)To prevent imports under those tariff quotas from causing disturbance in the normal marketing of Union-grown rice, the quota period should be divided in sub-periods for each separate quota and the imports should be divided among these sub-periods so they can be absorbed more easily by the Union market.(5)To ensure the proper management of these quotas, deadlines for the lodging of import licence applications should be laid down and the information to be included in applications and licences should be specified. Product weight should be indicated separately for husked and milled rice in order to comply with the requirement set out in the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the United States of America relating to the method of calculation of applied duties for husked riceOJ L 170, 1.7.2005, p. 67., concluded by Council Decision 2005/476/ECCouncil Decision 2005/476/EC of 21 June 2005 on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the United States of America relating to the method of calculation of applied duties for husked rice and amending Decisions 2004/617/EC, 2004/618/EC and 2004/619/EC (OJ L 170, 1.7.2005, p. 67). and in the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 relating to the modification of concessions with respect to rice provided for in EC Schedule CXL annexed to GATT 1994OJ L 346, 29.12.2005, p. 26., concluded by Council Decision 2005/953/ECCouncil Decision 2005/953/EC of 20 December 2005 on the conclusion of an agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Thailand pursuant to Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 relating to the modification of concessions with respect to rice provided for in EC Schedule CXL annexed to GATT 1994 (OJ L 346, 29.12.2005, p. 24)..(6)Applications for import licences and notifications by Member States of the quantities covered by these applications should refer to the real product weight in kilograms. Thus, the Commission will transform the quantities notified in the type of equivalent specified for each quota, which is either husked rice equivalent or milled rice equivalent, in order to verify if they exceed the quota and, in such case, calculate the allocation coefficient.(7)Protocol 1 to the Agreement concerning the definition of the concept of "originating products" and methods of administrative cooperation sets out the rules to be applied as regards the proof of origin. It is therefore appropriate to lay down provisions on the presentation of a proof of origin in accordance with that Protocol.(8)In the interest of efficient administration, when notifying the Commission, Member States should use the information systems provided for in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1183Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1183 of 20 April 2017 on supplementing Regulations (EU) No 1307/2013 and (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the notifications to the Commission of information and documents (OJ L 171, 4.7.2017, p. 100)..(9)This Regulation should apply from the date of entry into force of the Agreement.(10)The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: