An import tariff quota of 63 703 tonnes bone-in equivalent of frozen beef falling within CN code 0202 20 30 , 0202 30 10 , 0202 30 50 , 0202 30 90 or 0206 29 91 and intended for processing in the Union (hereinafter ‘ the quota ’ ) is hereby opened every year for the period from 1 July to 30 June of the following year (hereafter ‘ import tariff quota period ’ ) subject to the conditions laid down in this Regulation.

For the purposes of this Regulation, an A-product shall mean a processed product falling within CN code 1602 10, 1602 50 31 or 1602 50 95, not containing meat other than that of animals of the bovine species, with a collagen/protein ratio of no more than 0,45 and containing by weight at least 20 % of lean meat excluding offal and fat with meat and jelly accounting for at least 85 % of the total net weight.

The collagen content shall be considered to be the hydroxyproline content multiplied by the factor 8. The hydroxyproline content shall be determined according to ISO method 3496-1994.

The lean bovine meat content excluding fat shall be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Annex to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2429/86

OJ L 210, 1.8.1986, p. 39.

Offal includes the following: heads and cuts thereof (including ears), feet, tails, hearts, udders, livers, kidneys, sweetbreads (thymus glands), pancreas, brains, lungs, throats, thick skirts, spleens, tongues, caul, spinal cords, edible skin, reproductive organs (i.e. uteri, ovaries and testes), thyroid glands, pituitary glands.

The product shall be subjected to a heat treatment sufficient to ensure the coagulation of meat proteins in the whole of the product which may not show any traces of a pinkish liquid on the cut surface when the product is cut along a line passing through its thickest part.

The customs import duties to apply on frozen beef under the quota are set out in Annex I.

The quota shall be managed by attributing import rights as a first step and issuing import licences as a second.

Regulations (EC) No 1291/2000, (EC) No 1301/2006 and (EC) No 382/2008 shall apply, save as otherwise provided for in this Regulation.

By way of derogation from Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006, instead of providing proof of their engagement in trade with third countries, the applicants for import rights shall prove that they are approved as processing establishments under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and shall demonstrate that they have been active in production of processed products containing beef during each of the two reference periods referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006.

An application for import rights may not exceed 10 % of each quantity referred to in Article 3(1) of this Regulation.

The evidence of compliance with the conditions laid down in paragraph 1 shall be submitted together with the application for import rights.

By way of derogation from the second paragraph of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006, the competent national authority shall decide what documents shall be furnished as proof of compliance with those conditions.

Each application for import rights for production of A-products or B-products shall be expressed in bone-in equivalence.

For the purpose of this paragraph 100 kilograms of bone-in beef equals 77 kilograms of boneless beef.

Applications for import rights for production of either A-products or B-products shall be submitted in the first seven days of the month preceding each subperiod, referred to in Article 1(2), and in any case no later than 13.00, Brussels time, of the relevant seventh day.

A security of EUR 6 per 100 kg shall be lodged together with the application for import rights.

No later than 13.00, Brussels time, on the 14th day of the month in which applications are submitted in accordance with paragraph 1, Member States shall notify the Commission of the total quantities applied for under each of the two categories of products, expressed in kilograms bone-in equivalence, in respect of the subperiod concerned.

Import rights shall be awarded from the 23rd day of the month in which applications are submitted in accordance with Article 6(1) and at the latest on the last day of that month. Import rights shall be valid from the first day of the subperiod for which the application has been submitted and until 30 June of the import tariff quota period concerned.

If application of the allocation coefficient referred to in Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 results in fewer import rights to be allocated than had been applied for, the security lodged in accordance with Article 6(3) of this Regulation shall be released proportionally without delay.

The Commission shall suspend the submission of applications for import rights until the end of the import tariff quota period for the order numbers for which the available quantities are exhausted.

The release into free circulation of the quantities awarded under the quota is subject to the presentation of an import licence.

Import licence applications shall cover the total quantity allocated. This obligation shall constitute a primary requirement within the meaning of Article 20(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85.

Licence applications may be lodged solely in the Member State where the applicant has applied and obtained import rights under the quota.

Each issuing of import licence shall result in a corresponding reduction of the import rights obtained and the security lodged in accordance with Article 6(3) shall be released proportionally without delay.

Import licences shall be issued in the name of the operator who has obtained the import rights.

Import licences shall be valid for 120 days from the actual date of issue within the meaning of Article 23(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000.

A security shall be lodged with the competent authority at the time of import ensuring that the processor having been allocated import rights processes the entire quantity of meat imported into the required finished products in his establishment specified in the licence application, within three months of the day of import.

The amounts of the security are fixed in Annex III.

The security referred to in paragraph 1 shall be released in proportion to the quantity for which, within seven months of the day of import, proof has been furnished to the satisfaction of the competent authority that all or part of the imported meat has been processed into the relevant products within three months following the day of import in the designated establishment.

However, if processing took place after the three-month time limit referred to in the first subparagraph, the security shall be released minus a 15 % reduction plus 2 % of the remaining amount for each day by which the time limit has been exceeded.

If proof of processing is established within the seven-month time limit referred to in the first subparagraph and produced within 18 months following those seven months, the amount forfeited, less 15 % of the security amount, shall be repaid.

The amount not released of the security referred to in paragraph 1 shall be forfeited.

No later than 31 October following the end of each import tariff quota period, Member States shall notify to the Commission the quantities of products, which were actually released into free circulation during the preceding import tariff quota period.

In the notifications referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the quantities shall be expressed in kilograms of product weight and per product category as set out in Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 382/2008.