Considerations on COM(2000)503 - Opening and administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain fishery products

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dossier COM(2000)503 - Opening and administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain fishery products.
document COM(2000)503 EN
date December 14, 2000
 
(1) Community supplies of certain fishery products currently depend on imports from third countries. It is in the Community's interest to suspend in part or in whole the customs duties for the products in question, within Community tariff quotas of an appropriate volume. In order not to jeopardise the development prospects of this product in the Community and to ensure an adequate supply to satisfy user industries, such quotas should be opened, applying variable customs duties in accordance with the sensitivity of the various products on the Community market.

(2) Equal and uninterrupted access to the said quotas should be ensured for all Community importers and the rates laid down for the quotas should be applied without interruption to all imports of the products concerned into all Member States until the quotas have been used up.

(3) The decision on the opening of autonomous tariff quotas has to be taken by the Community. However, to ensure the efficiency of a common administration of these quotas, there is no obstacle to authorising the Member States to draw from the quota amount the necessary quantities corresponding to actual imports. However, this method of administration requires close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission and the latter must in particular be able to monitor the rate at which the quotas are used up and inform the Member States accordingly.

(4) Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code(1) codified the management rules for tariff quotas to be used by following the chronological order of the dates of acceptance of the declarations of release for free circulation.