Introductory text

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^f1, and in particular Article 32(1) thereof,

Whereas:

The WTO schedule CXL requires the Community to open an annual import tariff quota of 53 000 tonnes of frozen beef covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 0206 29 91 (order number 09.4003). Implementing rules should be laid down for the opening and administration of that quota every year for the period from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.

Pursuant to Article 29(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999, imports into the Community should be managed using import licences. However, it is appropriate to manage this quota by attributing import rights as a first step and issuing import licences as a second, as provided for in Article 6(3) of Commission 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^f2. In this way, operators that have obtained import rights should be able to decide, during the course of the quota period, the moment when they wish to apply for import licences, in view of their actual trade flows. That Regulation limits the period of validity of licences to the last day of the import tariff quota period.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products^f3 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 382/2008 of 21 April 2008 on rules of application for import and export licences in the beef and veal sector^f4 and should be applicable to import licences issued under this Regulation, save where derogations are appropriate.

The 2007/08 quota was managed in conformity with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 529/2007 of 11 May 2007 opening and providing for the administration of a tariff quota for frozen meat of bovine animals covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 0206 29 91 (1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008)^f5. That Regulation provided for a method of administration based on an import performance criterion ensuring that the quota is allocated to professional operators able to import beef without undue speculation.

The experience obtained from the application of that method shows that there are positive results and therefore it is appropriate to maintain the same method of administration for quota periods starting from 1 July 2008. It is therefore appropriate to determine a reference period for eligible imports which is long enough to provide for a representative performance while also sufficiently recent to reflect the latest development in trade.

Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 lays down in particular detailed provisions on applications for import rights, the status of applicants and the issue of import licences. The provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 should apply to import licences issued pursuant to this Regulation, without prejudice to additional conditions laid down in this Regulation.

In order to prevent speculation, a security relating to import rights should be fixed for each applicant under the quota.

To oblige operators to apply for import licences for all the import rights allocated, it should be established that such obligation constitutes 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^f6.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: