Commercial Information Circulars

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e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/5/4/10

27 April 2007

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 188/2007

European Union (EU)* : Tariff Quotas for Garlic

Further to Commercial Information Circular No. 490/2005 of 30 November 2005, the European Commission (the Commission) has adopted a Regulation to replace the original Regulation on the administration of tariff quotas for garlic imported from third countries, including China. Details are set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 341/2007 (the Regulation), which can be accessed through the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_090/l_09020070330en00120022.pdf.

DETAILS

2. The Regulation lays down the rules for managing tariff quota for garlic (CN code 0703 2000) and certain other agricultural products set out in Annex II to the Regulation. The tariff quotas allow garlic to be imported into the EU at reduced duty rate up to the quota limit. Under the Regulation, the ad valorem duty applicable to garlic imported under the tariff quotas shall be maintained at 9.6%. The normal duty will resume when imports reach the quota limit. The volume of tariff quota available for each of the three origins (viz. Argentina, China and other countries), the period for which the tariff quota applies and the respective order numbers are specified in Annex I to the Regulation. The tariff quota will be apportioned between traditional and new importers in the ratio of 70:30. Definitions of traditional and new importers are set out in Article 4 of the Regulation.
3. Any release for free circulation in the Community of imported garlic shall also be subject to the presentation of an import licence. For full details of the licensing arrangements, please refer to the Regulation.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning the contents of this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5500.

Yours faithfully,

 

(K H NG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.