Guidance

Notice to Traders 23/21 - Imports of Olive Oil from Tunisia under Statutory Instrument 2020 No. 1432

Updated 8 June 2021

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 amount available in the April 2021 quota application period for olive oil originating in Tunisia. Details of the quantity 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 an olive oil 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 olive oil 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 43/20. 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

Applications

Your quota application must be received during the first 7 days of April 2021. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application, all additional documentation and the security are correct at the time of submission and they are received by the RPA before 17:00 on the 7 April 2021.

Note: We will reject any applications where the security and / or proof of trade are received after 17:00 (UK time) on Wednesday 7 April 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 your licence application 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 May.

Security

You must lodge a security of £170 per tonne with your licence application.

You can find further information on how to lodge your security by searching for Licence securities for the import/export of agricultural products’ on GOV.UK

Completing a licence application

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

• 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 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. Details of the reduction coefficient will be published on the gov.uk website. Licences will be issued electronically towards the end of April for use from 1 May 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.

As licences will only be valid for imports into the UK, your licence will be issued electronically. We no longer issue paper import licences.

Import licences will be valid from 1 May until the end of the 2021 quota period (31 December 2021). 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 No 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. We are not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the Europa 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 section as follows:

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

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

ANNEX 1

Annual Quota from January 2021

Olive oil under CN Code 1509 1000 imported at zero duty as follows:

Country of Origin	Order Number	APRIL
Tunisia	05.4032	7,723,000 kg
Total		7,723,000 kg

Quota quantities not allocated in April will be carried over to subsequent months.

Licences are valid from 1 May until the end of the quota period (31 December 2021).

For this quota (CN Code 1509 1000):

• You must lodge security of £170 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 stated country.
• Box 20 of your application must contain: ‘Order Number 05.4032’
• 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).

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, i.e. £170 per tonne.
• 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