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TITLE IIIU.K.TRADE WITH THIRD COUNTRIES

CHAPTER 1U.K.Common provisions on imports and exports

Article 21U.K.Combined Nomenclature

The general rules for interpreting the Combined Nomenclature and the special rules for its application shall apply to the tariff classification of products covered by this Regulation. The tariff nomenclature resulting from the application of this Regulation shall be included in the Common Customs Tariff.

Article 22U.K.General principles

Unless otherwise provided for in this Regulation or in provisions adopted pursuant thereto, the following shall be prohibited in trade with third countries:

(a)

the levying of any charge having equivalent effect to a customs duty;

(b)

the application of any quantitative restriction or measure having equivalent effect.

Article 23U.K.Export and import licences

1.Imports into the Community, or exports therefrom, of any of the products listed in Article 1(1), except those under point (h), shall be subject to presentation of an import or export licence. However, derogations may be provided for if licences are not required for the management of certain imports of sugar.

2.Licences shall be issued by the Member States to any applicant, irrespective of his place of establishment in the Community, and without prejudice to measures taken for the application of Articles 28 and 32 of this Regulation, of Article 12(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 980/2005 of 27 June 2005 applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences(1) and the application of agreements concluded in accordance with Article 133 or Article 300 of the Treaty.

3.Import and export licences shall be valid throughout the Community.

Licences shall be issued subject to the lodging of a security guaranteeing that the products are imported or exported during the term of validity of the licence. Except in cases of force majeure, the security shall be forfeited in whole or in part if the import or export is not carried out, or is carried out only partially, within that period.

4.The terms of validity of the licences shall be fixed in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 39(2).

Article 24U.K.Inward processing arrangements

To the extent necessary for the proper functioning of the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector, the use of inward processing arrangements for the products listed in Article 1(1) may be fully or partially prohibited in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 39(2).

Article 25U.K.Safeguard measure

1.If, by reasons of imports or exports, the Community market in one or more of the products listed in Article 1(1) is affected by, or is threatened with, serious disturbance likely to jeopardise the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 33 of the Treaty, appropriate measures respecting the Communities' international engagements may be applied in trade until such disturbance or threat has ceased.

2.If the situation referred to in paragraph 1 arises, the Commission shall, at the request of a Member State or on its own initiative, decide upon the necessary measures.

If the Commission receives a request from a Member State, it shall take a decision thereon within three working days following receipt of the request.

The Member States shall be notified of such measures, which shall be immediately applicable.

3.Measures decided on by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 2 may be referred to the Council by any Member State within three working days of the date on which they were notified. The Council shall meet without delay. It may, acting by qualified majority, amend or repeal the measures in question within one month following the date on which they were referred to the Council.

4.However measures applying to Members of the WTO adopted pursuant to this Article shall be applied on the basis of Council Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 of 22 December 1994 on the common rules for imports(2).

(2)

OJ L 349, 31.12.1994, p. 53. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2200/2004 (OJ L 374, 22.12.2004, p. 1).