Guidance

Notice to Traders 03/21

Updated 8 June 2021

Imports of Cereals under Statutory Instrument No. 2020/1432

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 quota amounts available in the February 2021 quota period for Maize, Low/Medium Common Wheat and Barley. Details of the quantities available are given in Annex 1 of this notice.

Proof of Trade

You must provide the following documents to prove that you are eligible for a cereal quota licence. If you do not have the proof of trade as detailed below, you are not eligible, and you cannot apply for a quota licence.

You must be established and registered for VAT in the UK. 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 copy of your current VAT certificate before the quota deadline.

If this is your first application in the quota year you must provide evidence to prove that you have imported at least 25 tonnes of cereals during:

  • The 12-month period ending two months before the first application can be submitted for the quota year (1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020); and
  • The 12-month period immediately before that (1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019.

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

Note: For details of the full procedures on providing proof of trade and applying for licences, please refer to Notice to Traders 42/20. If this notice is not available on the gov.uk website, you can obtain a copy by sending an email request to trader@rpa.gov.uk

If you do not follow the rules of the scheme, your application will be rejected.

Applications

Your quota application must be received during the first 5 days of February 2021. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application, all supporting documents and the security are correct at the time of submission and they are received by the RPA before 17:00 on the 5 February 2021.

Note: We will reject any applications where the application, security and / or proof of trade are received after 17:00 (UK time) on Friday 5 February 2021.

You must submit your licence applications 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. You must not lodge more than one import quota licence application for the same order number.

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

Any unused quota will be carried forward to the next application period in March.

Security

You must lodge a security of £30 per tonne with each licence application.

You can find further information on how to lodge your security on GOV.UK.

Completing a licence application

As part of the cereals import tariff quota, licence applications must include at least the following entries:

  • Box 20 of your application must contain the correct import tariff quota order number. You must also include “Statutory Instrument 2020/1432”.

Issuing Licences

As soon as the application period has closed, we will collate details of all valid quota applications we received and calculate the reduction coefficient applicable to each order number. Details of these reduction coefficients will be published on the gov.uk website. Licences will be issued electronically towards the end of February for use from 1 March 2021.

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 until the end of the 2021 quota period (31 December 2021). All licences will be issued electronically as they are only valid for imports into the UK. Where an electronic licence is issued an email can be sent to inform you of its issue. To receive this email notification, you must have already completed the appropriate sections of the il3 form.

Authority

You can find details of the arrangements in Statutory Instrument 2020/1432. You can obtain copies from Stationery Office bookshops and accredited agents, or order from the Stationery Office website.

You can also access Statutory Instruments electronically by visiting the UK’s Legislation website. The RPA is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the Legislation website. Whilst every care has been taken in producing this guidance, the Statutory Instrument as published is 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 1)
  • Email contact – trader@rpa.gov.uk
  • Our postal address is:

Import licencing Team
Rural Payments Agency
Lancaster House
Hampshire Court
Newcastle Business Park
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE4 7YH

Annex 1

Annual Quota from February 2021

Maize under CN Code 1005 1090 or 1005 9000 imported at zero duty as follows:

Country of Origin Order Number Feb
All Countries 05.4131 8,774,000 kg
Total   8,774,000 kg

Note: Quota quantities not allocated in February will be carried over to subsequent months.

Note: Licences are valid from the date of issue until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1005 1090 or 1005 9000):

  • You must lodge security of £30 per tonne.
  • Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.4131’
  • 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 (Statutory Instrument 2020/1432).

Maize under CN Code 1005 9000, Maize Flour under CN code 1102 2000, Maize Meal under CN code 1103 1300, Maize Pellets under CN code 1103 2040 or Hulled or Pearled Maize under CN code 1104 2300 imported at zero duty as follows:

Country of Origin Order Number Feb
Ukraine 05.4308 108,355,000 kg
Total   108,355,000 kg

Note: Quota quantities not allocated in February will be carried over to subsequent months.

Note: Licences are valid from the date of issue until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1005 1090 or 1005 9000):

  • You must lodge security of £25 per tonne.
  • Box 8 of your application must state the country of origin of the product and you must select this as ‘Yes’. Licences will carry an obligation to import from the country stated.
  • Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.4308’
  • 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 (Statutory Instrument 2020/1657).

Low/Medium Common Wheat under CN Code 1001 9099 imported with a reduced rate of duty as follows:

Country of Origin Order number Feb
United States 05.4123 57,000 kg
Countries other than the USA 05.4125 54,616,740 kg
Total   54,673,740 kg

Note: Quota quantities not allocated in the February sub-period will be carried over to subsequent months.

Note: Licences are valid from the date of issue until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1001 9099):

  • You must lodge security of £30 tonne.
  • For order number 05.4123, box 8 of your application must state the country of origin of the product and you must select this as ‘Yes’. Licences will carry an obligation to import from the country stated.
  • Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.41**’.
  • Box 24 (comments box) of your application must contain: ‘Reduced rate of duty up to the quantity indicated in boxes 17 and 18 of this licence (Statutory Instrument 2020/1432).

Low/Medium Common Wheat under CN Code 1001 9099, Wheat Flour under CN code 1101 0015, 1101 0090, or 1102 9090, Wheat Meal under CN code 103 1190 or Wheat Pellets under CN code 1103 2060 imported at zero duty as follows:

Country of Origin Order number Feb
Ukraine 05.4306 117,100,000 kg
Total   117,100,000 kg

Note: Quota quantities not allocated in the February sub-period will be carried over to subsequent months.

Note: Licences are valid from the date of issue until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1001 9099):

  • You must lodge security of £25 tonne.
  • Box 8 of your application must state the country of origin of the product and you must select this as ‘Yes’. Licences will carry an obligation to import from the country stated.
  • Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.4306’.
  • Box 24 (comments box) of your application must contain: ‘Reduced rate of duty up to the quantity indicated in boxes 17 and 18 of this licence (Statutory Instrument 2020/1657).

Barley under CN code 1003 9000, Barley Flour under CN code 1102 9010 or Barley Pellets under CN code 1103 2025 imported at zero duty as follows:

Country of Origin Order number Feb
Ukraine 05.4307 47,670,000 kg
Total   47,670,000 kg

Note: Quota quantities not allocated in the February sub-period will be carried over to subsequent months.

Note: Licences are valid from the date of issue until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1003 9000):

  • You must lodge security of £25 tonne.
  • Box 8 of your application must state the country of origin of the product and you must select this as ‘Yes’. Licences will carry an obligation to import from the country stated.
  • Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.4307.
  • 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 (Statutory Instrument 2020/1657).

Annex 2

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

Presenting a correct application will assist us in processing 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, which you have applied for?
  • Check the rate of security used is correct.
  • Does the security amount calculated cover the quantity applied for?
  • Is it 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:

  • Annex 1 of this Notice to Traders.
  • Import Licensing team contact details are given in this Notice to Traders