TITLE IIFACTORS ON THE BASIS OF WHICH IMPORT OR EXPORT DUTY AND OTHER MEASURES IN RESPECT OF TRADE IN GOODS ARE APPLIED

CHAPTER 1Common Customs Tariff and tariff classification of goods

Article 56Common Customs Tariff and surveillance

1

Import and export duty due shall be based on the Common Customs Tariff.

Other measures prescribed by Union provisions governing specific fields relating to trade in goods shall, where appropriate, be applied in accordance with the tariff classification of those goods.

2

The Common Customs Tariff shall comprise all of the following:

a

the Combined Nomenclature of goods as laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87;

b

any other nomenclature which is wholly or partly based on the Combined Nomenclature or which provides for further subdivisions to it, and which is established by Union provisions governing specific fields with a view to the application of tariff measures relating to trade in goods;

c

the conventional or normal autonomous customs duty applicable to goods covered by the Combined Nomenclature;

d

the preferential tariff measures contained in agreements which the Union has concluded with certain countries or territories outside the customs territory of the Union or groups of such countries or territories;

e

preferential tariff measures adopted unilaterally by the Union in respect of certain countries or territories outside the customs territory of the Union or groups of such countries or territories;

f

autonomous measures providing for a reduction in, or exemption from, customs duty on certain goods;

g

favourable tariff treatment specified for certain goods, by reason of their nature or end-use, in the framework of measures referred to under points (c) to (f) or (h);

h

other tariff measures provided for by agricultural or commercial or other Union legislation.

3

Where the goods concerned fulfil the conditions included in the measures laid down in points (d) to (g) of paragraph 2, the measures referred to in those provisions shall apply, upon application by the declarant, instead of those provided for in point (c) of that paragraph. Such application may be made retrospectively, provided that the time-limits and conditions laid down in the relevant measure or in the Code are complied with.

4

Where application of the measures referred to in points (d) to (g) of paragraph 2, or the exemption from measures referred to in point (h) thereof, is restricted to a certain volume of imports or exports, such application or exemption shall, in the case of tariff quotas, cease as soon as the specified volume of imports or exports is reached.

In the case of tariff ceilings such application shall cease by virtue of a legal act of the Union.

5

The release for free circulation or the export of goods, to which the measures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 apply, may be made subject to surveillance.

Article 57Tariff classification of goods

1

For the application of the Common Customs Tariff, tariff classification of goods shall consist in the determination of one of the subheadings or further subdivisions of the Combined Nomenclature under which those goods are to be classified.

2

For the application of non-tariff measures, tariff classification of goods shall consist in the determination of one of the subheadings or further subdivisions of the Combined Nomenclature, or of any other nomenclature which is established by Union provisions and which is wholly or partly based on the Combined Nomenclature or which provides for further subdivisions to it, under which those goods are to be classified.

3

The subheading or further subdivision determined in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be used for the purpose of applying the measures linked to that subheading.

4

The Commission may adopt measures to determine the tariff classification of goods in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2.

Article 58Conferral of implementing powers

1

The Commission shall adopt, by means of implementing acts, measures on the uniform management of the tariff quotas and the tariff ceilings referred to in Article 56(4) and on the management of the surveillance of the release for free circulation or export of goods, referred to in Article 56(5).

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 285(4).

2

The Commission shall adopt, by means of implementing acts, the measures referred to in Article 57(4).

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 285(4).

On imperative grounds of urgency relating to such measures, duly justified by the need to rapidly ensure the correct and uniform application of the Combined Nomenclature, the Commission shall adopt immediately applicable implementing acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 285(5).

Where the opinion of the committee referred to in Article 285(1) is to be obtained by written procedure, Article 285(6) shall apply.