Union tariff rate quota for high quality beef from Paraguay

The European Parliament adopted by 562 votes to 6, with 121 abstentions, a legislative resolution 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.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading by taking over the Commission's proposal.

As a reminder, the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU has created the need 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 agreed allocation method is set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/216 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the allocation of tariff quotas in the Union's WTO schedule following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1149/2002 opened an import tariff quota of 1 000 tonnes, expressed in product weight, of high-quality fresh, chilled or frozen beef.

Despite not being part of the WTO schedule of the Union, that tariff quota was incorrectly apportioned by Regulation (EU) 2019/216. As a result, Paraguay's market access was reduced from 1 000 tonnes to 711 tonnes, with application from 1 January 2021.

This proposal aims to restore the correct volume (1 000 tonnes) of tariff quota No 094455 for the EU-27.