1.The importation into the Community of the steel products listed in Annex I originating in the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be subject to the quantitative limits laid down in Annex V. The release for free circulation in the Community of the products set out in Annex I originating in the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be subject to the presentation of a certificate of origin, set out in Annex II, and of an import licence issued by the Member States’ authorities in accordance with Article 4.
2.In order to ensure that quantities for which import licences are issued do not exceed at any moment the total quantitative limits for each product group, the competent authorities listed in Annex IV shall issue import licences only upon confirmation by the Commission that there are still quantities available within the quantitative limits for the relevant product group of steel products in respect of the supplier country, for which an importer or importers have submitted applications to the said authorities.
3.The authorised imports shall be counted against the relevant quantitative limit set out in Annex V. Shipment of products shall be considered as having taken place on the date on which they were loaded onto the exporting means of transport.