# 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, Introduction: Introductory text

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

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
THE 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 1234/2007, 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) 2020/753. 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 80 000 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 1301/2006, (EC) No 1342/2003 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237 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 rice, concluded by Council Decision 2005/476/EC 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 1994, concluded by Council Decision 2005/953/EC.
(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) 2017/1183.
(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:

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2020/991/introduction (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2020-991/introduction
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.