Article 16Force majeure

1.

The competent authority of the Member State that has issued the licence or extract may recognise a case of force majeure taking account of Article 50 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 908/201423 and decide to:

(a)

either cancel the obligation to have the products and quantity indicated on the licence be released for free circulation or exported during the period of validity of the licence, as referred to in Article 14(1) of this Regulation, and release the security, or extend the period of validity of the licence by a period of maximum 180 days following the expiry of the original period of validity of the licence, taking account of the circumstances of the case; or

(b)

extend the period for the submission of the proof of release for free circulation or export as referred to in Article 14(6) of this Regulation, within the limits set by that provision, without partial forfeiture of the security.

A decision taken pursuant point (a) shall relate only to the quantity of products that could not be released for free circulation or exported as a result of force majeure.

2.

In their notification pursuant to Article 50(4) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 908/2014, the competent authorities shall inform the Commission of the products concerned with their CN code and of the quantities involved and indicate whether it concerns release for free circulation or export and whether it concerns a cancellation of the licence or an extension of either the period of validity of the licence or the period for the submission of the proof of release for free circulation or export, specifying the new period. The Commission shall inform the other competent authorities thereof through its dedicated website accessible for licence issuing and customs authorities.

3.

If pending a decision on force majeure the titular holder or transferee expresses the need to further use the licence in relation to the quantity for which force majeure is not requested, the licence issuing authority shall issue an extract for that balance, marked with information as set out in the notice on import and export licences for agricultural products.

That extract shall not be transferable.