Commission Regulation (EC) No 2038/2005

of 14 December 2005

laying down rules for the management and distribution of textile quotas established for the year 2006 under Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94 of 7 March 1994 on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Community import rules [1], and in particular Article 17(3) and (6) and Article 21(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 517/94 established quantitative restrictions on imports of certain textile products originating in certain third countries to be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

(2) Under that Regulation it is possible, in certain circumstances, to use other allocation methods, to divide quotas into tranches, or to reserve a proportion of a specific quantitative limit exclusively for applications which are supported by evidence of the results of past import performance.

(3) Rules for management of the quotas established for 2006 should be adopted before the quota year begins so that the continuity of trade flows is not affected unduly.

(4) The measures adopted in previous years, such as those in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2171/2004 of 17 December 2004 laying down rules for the management and distribution of textile quotas established for the year 2005 under Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94 [2], proved to be satisfactory and it is therefore appropriate to adopt similar rules for 2006.

(5) In order to satisfy the greatest possible number of operators it is appropriate to make the "first come, first served" allocation method more flexible by placing a ceiling on the quantities which can be allocated to each operator by that method.

(6) To guarantee a degree of continuity in trade and efficient quota administration, operators should be allowed to make their initial import authorisation application for 2006 equivalent to the quantity which they imported in 2005.

(7) To achieve optimum use of the quantities, an operator who has used up at least one half of the amount already authorised should be permitted to apply for a further amount, provided that quantities are available in the quotas.

(8) For the sake of sound administration, import authorisations should be valid for nine months from the date of issue but only until the end of the year at the latest. Member States should issue licences only after being notified by the Commission that quantities are available and only if an operator can prove the existence of a contract and can certify, in the absence of a specific provision to the contrary, that he has not already been allocated a Community import authorisation under this Regulation for the categories and countries concerned. The competent national authorities should, however, be authorised, in response to importers' applications, to extend by three months and up to 31 March 2007 licences of which at least one half has been used by the application date.

(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Textile Committee established by Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 517/94,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The purpose of this Regulation is to lay down rules on the management of quantitative quotas for imports of certain textile products set out in Annexes IIIB and IV to Regulation (EC) No 517/94 for the year 2006.

Article 2

The quotas referred to in Article 1 shall be allocated according to the chronological order of receipt by the Commission of Member States' notifications of applications from individual operators, for amounts not exceeding the maximum quantities per operator set out in Annex I.

The maximum quantities shall not, however, apply to operators able to prove to the competent national authorities, when making their first application for 2006, that, in respect of given categories and given third countries, they imported more than the maximum quantities specified for each category pursuant to import licences granted to them for 2005.

In the case of such operators, the competent authorities may authorise imports not exceeding the quantities imported in 2005 from given third countries and in given categories, provided that enough quota capacity is available.

Article 3

Any importer who has already used up 50 % or more of the amount allocated to him under this Regulation may make a further application, in respect of the same category and country of origin, for amounts not exceeding the maximum quantities laid down in Annex I.

Article 4

1. The competent national authorities listed in Annex II may, from 10 a.m. on 4 January 2006, notify the Commission of the amounts covered by requests for import authorisations.

The time fixed in the first subparagraph shall be understood as Brussels time.

2. The competent national authorities shall issue authorisations only after being notified by the Commission pursuant to Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 517/94 that quantities are available for importation.

They shall issue authorisations only if an operator:

(a) proves the existence of a contract relating to the provision of the goods and,

(b) certifies in writing that, in respect of the categories and countries concerned:

(i) he has not already been allocated an authorisation under this Regulation, or

(ii) he has been allocated an authorisation under this Regulation but has used up at least 50 % of it.

3. Import authorisations shall be valid for nine months from the date of issue, but until 31 December 2006 at the latest.

The competent national authorities may, however, at the importer's request, grant a three-month extension for authorisations which are at least 50 % used up at the time of the request. Such extension shall in no circumstances expire later than 31 March 2007.

Article 5

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2006.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 14 December 2005.

For the Commission

Peter Mandelson

Member of the Commission

[1] OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 931/2005 (OJ L 162, 23.6.2005, p. 37).

[2] OJ L 371, 18.12.2004, p. 20.

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ANNEX I

Maximum amounts referred to in Articles 2 and 3

Country concerned | Category | Unit | Maximum amount |

North Korea | 1 | Kilograms | 10000 |

2 | Kilograms | 10000 |

3 | Kilograms | 10000 |

4 | Pieces | 10000 |

5 | Pieces | 10000 |

6 | Pieces | 10000 |

7 | Pieces | 10000 |

8 | Pieces | 10000 |

9 | Kilograms | 10000 |

12 | Pairs | 10000 |

13 | Pieces | 10000 |

14 | Pieces | 10000 |

15 | Pieces | 10000 |

16 | Pieces | 10000 |

17 | Pieces | 10000 |

18 | Kilograms | 10000 |

19 | Pieces | 10000 |

20 | Kilograms | 10000 |

21 | Pieces | 10000 |

24 | Pieces | 10000 |

26 | Pieces | 10000 |

27 | Pieces | 10000 |

28 | Pieces | 10000 |

29 | Pieces | 10000 |

31 | Pieces | 10000 |

36 | Kilograms | 10000 |

37 | Kilograms | 10000 |

39 | Kilograms | 10000 |

59 | Kilograms | 10000 |

61 | Kilograms | 10000 |

68 | Kilograms | 10000 |

69 | Pieces | 10000 |

70 | Pieces | 10000 |

73 | Pieces | 10000 |

74 | Pieces | 10000 |

75 | Pieces | 10000 |

76 | Kilograms | 10000 |

77 | Kilograms | 5000 |

78 | Kilograms | 5000 |

83 | Kilograms | 10000 |

87 | Kilograms | 10000 |

109 | Kilograms | 10000 |

117 | Kilograms | 10000 |

118 | Kilograms | 10000 |

142 | Kilograms | 10000 |

151A | Kilograms | 10000 |

151B | Kilograms | 10000 |

161 | Kilograms | 10000 |

Republic of Montenegro, Kosovo | 1 | Kilograms | 20000 |

2 | Kilograms | 20000 |

2a | Kilograms | 10000 |

3 | Kilograms | 10000 |

5 | Pieces | 10000 |

6 | Pieces | 10000 |

7 | Pieces | 10000 |

8 | Pieces | 10000 |

9 | Kilograms | 10000 |

15 | Pieces | 10000 |

16 | Pieces | 10000 |

67 | Kilograms | 10000 |

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ANNEX II

List of licensing offices referred to in Article 4

1. Belgium

Federale Overheidsdienst Economie

Algemene Directie Economisch Potentieel

Dienst Vergunningen

Leuvenseweg 44

B-1040 Brussel

Tel. (32-2) 548 64 69

Fax (32-2) 548 65 70

Service public fédéral 脡conomie

Direction générale du potentiel économique

Service des licences

Rue de Louvain 44

B-1000 Bruxelles

Tél. (32 2) 548 64 69

Fax (32 2) 548 65 70

2. Cyprus

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

Trade Department

6 Andrea Araouzou Str.

CY-1421 Nicosia

Tel.: (357-2) 867100

Fax: (357-2) 375120

3. Czech Republic

Ministerstvo pr暖myslu a obchodu

Licen膷n铆 spr谩va

Na Franti拧ku 32

CZ-110 15 Praha 1

Tel: (420-2) 24 90 71 11

Fax: (420-2) 24 21 21 33

4. Denmark

Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen

脴konomi- og Erhvervsministeriet

Vejls酶vej 29

DK-8600 Silkeborg

Tel.: (45) 35 46 64 30

Fax: (45) 35 46 64 01

5. Germany

Bundesamt f眉r Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAFA)

Frankfurter Str. 29‘�5

D-65760 Eschborn

Tel.: (49 61 96) 9 08-0

Fax: (49 61 96) 9 42 26

6. Greece

违蟺慰蠀蟻纬蔚委慰 螣喂魏慰谓慰渭委伪蟼 & 螣喂魏慰谓慰渭喂魏蠋谓

螕蔚谓喂魏萎 螖喂蔚蠉胃蠀谓蟽畏 危蠂蔚未喂伪蟽渭慰蠉 & 螖喂伪蠂蔚委蟻喂蟽畏蟼 螤慰位喂蟿喂魏萎蟼

螖喂蔚蠉胃蠀谓蟽畏 螖喂蔚胃谓蠋谓 螣喂魏慰谓慰渭喂魏蠋谓 巍慰蠋谓

螝慰蟻谓维蟻慰蠀 1

GR-105 63 螒胃萎谓伪

韦畏位.: (30) 210 328 60 31-5

桅伪尉: (30) 210 328 60 94

7. Spain

Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio

Secretar铆a General de Comercio Exterior

Paseo de la Castellana no 162

E-28046 Madrid

Tel.: (34 91) 349 38 17, 349 37 48

Fax: (34 91) 563 18 23, 349 38 31

8. Estonia

Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium

Harju 11

15072 Tallinn

Estonia

Tel.: (372) 6256 400

Fax: (372) 6313 660

9. France

Ministère de l'économie, des finances et de l'industrie

Direction générale des entreprises

Service des industries manufacturières et de la poste (SIMAP)

Bureau "Textile-Importations"

Le Bervil, 12 rue Villiot

F-75572 Paris Cedex 12

Tél. (33-1) 53 44 96 60

Fax (33-1) 53 44 91 81

10. Hungary

Magyar Kereskedelmi Engedélyezési Hivatal

H-1024 Budapest

Margit krt. 85.

Postafi贸k: 1537 Budapest, Pf. 345.

Tel: (36-1) 336 73 00

Fax: (36-1) 336 73 02

11. Ireland

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Internal Market

Kildare Street

Dublin 2

Ireland

Tel.: (353-1) 631 21 21

Fax: (353-1) 631 28 26

12. Italy

Ministero del Commercio con l'estero

Direzione generale per la Politica commerciale e per la gestione del regime degli scambi

DIV. III

Viale America, 341

I-00144 Roma

Tel. (39 6) 59 64 75 17, 59 93 22 02/22 15

Fax (39 6) 59 93 22 35/22 63

Telex (39 6) 59 64 75 31

13. Latvia

Ekonomikas ministrija

Br墨v墨bas iela 55

LV-1519 R墨ga

tel: (371) 701 30 06

fax: (371) 728 08 82

14. Lithuania

Lietuvos Respublikos 奴kio ministerija

Gedimino pr. 38/2

LT-01104 Vilnius

Tel.: (370) 5 262 87 50; (370) 5 261 94 88

faksas (370) 5 262 39 74

15. Luxembourg

Ministère des affaires étrangères

Office des licences

Bo卯te postale 113

L-2011 Luxembourg

Tél. (352) 47 82 371

Fax (352) 46 61 38

16. Malta

Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

Trade Services Directorate, Commerce Division

Lascaris

Valletta CMR02 Malta

tel: 00 356 21 246 800

fax: 00 356 21 251 515

17. Netherlands

Belastingdienst/Douane

Centrale dienst voor in- en uitvoer

Engelse Kamp 2

Postbus 30003

9700 RD Groningen

Nederland

Tel. (31-50) 523 91 11

Fax (31-50) 523 22 10

18. Poland

Ministerstwo Gospodarki

Pl. Trzech Krzy偶y 3/5

00-950 Warszawa

tel.: 0048/22/693 55 53

fax: 0048/22/693 40 21

19. Portugal

Ministério das Finanças

Direcç茫o Geral das Alf芒ndegas e dos Impostos Especiais sobre o Consumo

Rua Terreiro do Trigo

Edif铆cio da Alf芒ndega

PT-1149-060 LISBOA

Tel.: (351-1) 218 814 263

Fax: (351-1) 218 814 261

E-mail: dsl@dgaiec.min-financas.pt

20. Slovakia

Ministerstvo hospod谩rstva SR

Odbor licenci铆

Mierov谩 19

827 15 Bratislava

Slovensk谩 republika

Tel.: 00 421 2 48 54 20 21/00 421 2 48 54 71 19

Fax: 00 421 2 43 42 39 19

21. Slovenia

Ministrstvo za finance

Carinska uprava Republike Slovenije

Carinski urad Jesenice

Center za TARIC in kvote

Spodnji Plav啪 6c

SI-4270 Jesenice

Tel. (386-4) 297 44 70

Faks (386-4) 297 44 72

E-po拧ta: taric.cuje@gov.si

22. United Kingdom

Department of Trade and Industry

Import Licensing Branch

Queensway House

West Precinct

Billingham TS23 2NF

United Kingdom

Tel.: (44-1642) 36 43 33/36 43 34

Fax: (44-1642) 53 35 57

23. Austria

Bundesministerium f眉r Wirtschaft und Arbeit

Aussenwirtschaftsadministration

Abteilung C2/2

Stubenring 1

A-1011 Wien

Tel.: (43 1) 71100-0

Fax: (43 1) 71100-8386

24. Sweden

National Board of Trade (Kommerskollegium)

Box 6803

S-113 86 Stockholm

Tel (46 8) 690 48 00

Fax (46 8) 30 67 59

25. Finland

Tullihallitus

Erottajankatu 2

FIN-00101 Helsinki

Tel.: (358-9) 61 41

Fax: (358-20) 492 28 52

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