Union tariff rate quota for high quality beef from Paraguay

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Jordi CAÑAS (Renew Europe, ES) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2019/216 of the European Parliament and of the

Council as regards Union tariff rate quota for high quality beef from Paraguay.

The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament adopt its position at first reading by taking over the Commission proposal.

As a reminder, the UK's decision to withdraw from the EU made it necessary to 'apportion' the quantitative commitments contained in the EU-28 WTO schedule for the 143 EU agricultural, fish and industrial WTO tariff rate quotas (TRQs).

The basis of this approach has been to fully maintain the existing volume of each TRQ in the future, but split across two separate customs territories: the EU-27 and the UK. The agreed methodology of the apportionment is described in detail in Regulation (EU) 2019/216 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Paraguay has a tariff rate quota of 1 000 tonnes for high quality bovine meat (order number 094455), which is not included in the EU’s WTO schedule. This tariff rate quota was erroneously included in the apportionment exercise carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/216, and thus reduced to 711 tonnes on the EU-27 side without any corresponding volume being opened on the UK side.

As a result, Paraguay’s market access has been reduced from 1 000 tonnes to 711 tonnes with application as of 1 January 2021.

This proposal aims at restoring the correct EU-27 volume (1 000 tonnes) for the TRQ 094455.