Notice

NOTICE TO TRADERS 09/20 - IMPORTS OF RICE UNDER COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) NO. 1273/2011

Published 23 March 2020

Introduction

This notice explains how the rules are applied to this quota and how to apply for a licence. It also advises you of the amounts available in the April quota sub-period for semi-milled and wholly milled rice. Details of the quantities available are outlined in Annex 1 of this notice.

Important: This notice also advises you what to do if you are submitting a licence application supported by export licences issued by Thailand, Australia or the United States of America following the outbreak of the Covid 19 Corona virus.

The original export licence(s) from Thailand, Australia or the United States would normally be presented with the import quota licence application. However if there are difficulties in obtaining the original export licence(s), or delays in providing these to us at the RPA, we will accept your e-mailed quota application, accompanied by a scanned copy of the export licence(s) if you can confirm that you will provide the original export licence(s) to us when they are available.

Your application should be sent by e-mail to trader@rpa.gov.uk along with a scanned copy of your export licence(s). When you send us the original export licence(s), please attach your quota application form, duly annotated with the date you submitted your electronic application.

Proof of Trade

The following proofs must be supplied to be eligible for a rice quota licence. If you do not have the proof of trade detailed below, you are not eligible and you cannot apply for a quota licence.

You must be established and registered for VAT in the Member State where you make your licence application. You must tell us your current VAT registration number. You can provide your VAT number on your quota licence application, or send us a copy of your current VAT certificate. However, if your company is part of a group VAT registration number, we will need to see a hard copy of your current VAT certificate before the quota deadline.

If this is your first application of the quota year, you must provide evidence to prove that you have imported rice at least once during:

• The 12 month period immediately prior to the time of application; and
• The 12 month period immediately before that.

HMRC agents or representatives cannot apply for import licences under these quota arrangements.

Note: Please refer to Notice to Traders 38/19 for details of the full procedures on providing proof of trade and applying for licences. If you do not follow the scheme rules, your application will be rejected.

Applications

Rice quota applications must be received within the first 10 working days of April 2020. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application, all supporting documentation, and your security are correct at the time of submission. They must be received by the RPA by no later than 12 noon on 14 April 2020.

Note: We will reject any applications where securities and / or proof of trade are received after 12 noon on 14 April 2020.

You must submit your licence application using an AGRIM import licence application form. We advise you to use the latest version of the application form. You can submit applications either by post or by email. The email address for licence applications is trader@rpa.gov.uk Your application must not exceed the quantity available in each sub-period for the country of origin and order number of the product for which you are applying.

Box 24 must contain an entry. Details of the required entry can be found in Annex 1 of this notice.

Applications for rice originating in Thailand, Australia of the United States, under Article 1(1)(a) and 1(1)(c) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 1273/2011, must be accompanied by the original export licence. The licence must have been completed in accordance with the model set out in Annexes II, III and IV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 1273/2011 and issued by the competent body in these countries.

The completion of sections 7, 8 and 9 of the Thai export licence is optional.

Applicants must not lodge more than one import licence application for the same quota order number in the same sub-period, unless each application is accompanied by an export licence.

Note: If you lodge more than one application for the same quota order number, all your applications will be rejected.

Security

Security of €46 must be lodged with each licence application. You can find further information on how to lodge your security on GOV.UK.

Issuing Licences

The European Commission will notify us of the quantities for which licences may be issued within 14 days of the close of the application period. Their decision may be to apply a reduction co-efficient to the quantities applied for, which will be published on the Europa website. This can result in the quantities applied for being reduced. Where the coefficient reduces the licence quantities to be issued to less than 20 tonnes, lots will be drawn.

If your licence quantity has been reduced to less than 20 tonnes, you may withdraw your licence application within two working days of the coefficient being set.

When the Commission has notified us of the quantities allocated, we will issue licences within three working days.

Your licence will have a 5% upward tolerance. However, the reduction in duty will only be valid for the quantities shown in sections 17 and 18 of your licence.

Import licences will be valid from the day of issue plus three months. Where an electronic licence is issued, an automatic e-mail will be sent to inform you of its issuance. To receive this e-mail notification you must have already completed the “E-mail Acknowledgements”.

Authority

You can find details of the arrangements in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) Nos 1273/2011 and 1301/2006, published in Official Journals L325 of 2011 and L238 of 2006. You can obtain copies from Stationery Office bookshops and accredited agents, or order from the Stationery Office website.

You can also access the Official journals electronically by visiting the Commission’s Europa website. We are not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of this website. Whilst every care has been taken in producing this guidance, the regulations as published are definitive.

Questions

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact the Import Licensing Team as follows:

• Our telephone helpline number – 03300 416 500 (Option 2)
• E-mail contact – trader@rpa.gov.uk

ANNEX 1

Annual Quota and Sub-Periods

1. Semi-milled or wholly milled rice under CN code 1006 30 imported at zero duty as follows:

Sub-Periods (April July September October) quantities in kilogrammes

Country of Origin	Order Number	April	July	September	October
United States	09.4127	25 571 725	9 680 000	–
Thailand	09.4128	9 979 421	5 364 000	–
Australia	09.4129	1 019 000	–	–
Other Origins**	09.4130	1 805 000	–	–
All Countries	09.4138				*(1)

Other Origins** - excluding the United States, Thailand and Australia.

*(1) Quota not allocated in the September sub-period will be carried over to October.

For this quota (CN code 1006 30):

• You must lodge security of €46 per tonne.
• Box 20 of your application must contain: “Order Number …………..”
• Box 24 (comments box) of your application must contain: “Exemption from customs duty up to the quantity indicated in boxes 17 and 18 of this licence (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1273/2011).”
• Applications from Thailand, Australia and the United States must be accompanied by an original copy of an export licence. Examples at Annexes II, III and IV of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1273/2011.
• To clear your goods under the quantities from Other Origins, you must present a certificate of origin to H M Revenue & Customs.
• Successful licence applications are valid from the date of issue until the end of the third month but not beyond 31 December.

ANNEX 2

Checklist for your reference prior to submission of a rice quota import licence application

Presenting a correct application will assist us in the processing of your quota import licence.

Before submitting your application, check that the following details are correct:

• Is the quota order number correct for the commodity code and country you have applied for?
• Check that the security rate used is correct; i.e. €46, €33 or €5 per tonne.
• Does the security amount calculated cover the quantity applied for?
• Is the correct description against the required commodity (CN) code?
• Has your proof of trade and a valid VAT certificate been supplied / submitted for the current quota year?
• Is the form signed and dated by an authorised individual?

If you are not sure of any details, then the following will provide further information:

• ET14 provides the list of CN descriptions.
• Annex 1 of this Notice to Traders.
• The Import Licensing Team contact details are shown this Notice to Traders.