HL Deb 12 May 1998 vol 589 cc119-22WA
Lord Hooson

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will set out the agreed European Union import tariff quotas and arrangements for the importation of beef, veal and lamb from non-European Union countries between 1 July 1998 and 30 June 1999; what separate arrangements cover the importation from each country; and what estimate the Government have made of the quantity of these importations in the United Kingdom. [HL1685]

Lord Donoughue

Imports are forecast on a quarterly basis. It is provisionally forecast that 80,000 tonnes of beef and veal and 100,000 tonnes of mutton and lamb (both expressed in product weight) will be imported into the United Kingdom from non-EU countries between 1 July 1998 and 30 June 1999. However, the actual level of imports will depend on the prevailing market situation in the period up to July 1999.

Imports of beef, veal and sheepmeat into the European Union are subject to import tariffs. There are various concessionary import schemes which allow imports at reduced tariff rates. Not all of these schemes run on the WTO year (1 July to 30 June): some follow the calendar year. The details are as follows:

BEEF IMPORT QUOTAS

Bilateral or Multilateral Quotas (Calendar Year)

(i) The ACP Scheme—Boneless beef imports, limited as below, may be imported free of customs duties and at 8 per cent. of the EC import tariff from developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific:

  • Botswana: 18,916
  • Kenya: 142
  • Madagascar: 7,579
  • Namibia: 13,000
  • Swaziland: 3,363
  • Zimbabwe: 9,100
  • Total: 52,100 tonnes

(ii) Baby Beef Agreement—Imports of live cattle and fresh/chilled beef carcases, fores and hinds. Allocation is 10,900 tonnes at 20 per cent. import tariff:

  • Croatia: 9,400 tonnes
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1,500 tonnes

GATT Quotas (WTO Year)

(iii) Frozen Beef for Processing—Allocation is 50,700 tonnes at 20 per cent. Customs duty for 38,000 tonnes and 45 per cent. import tariff and 20 per cent. duty for 12,700 tonnes.

(iv) Young male animals for fattening—Young male cattle for fattening. Imports are subject to Customs duty but a reduced or nil rate of import tariff. 1997–98 quota set at 169,000 head, of which 143,650 may be sent to Italy, 21,970 to Greece and 3,380 into other member states.

(v) Frozen Beef and Veal—Total allocation is 53,000 tonnes of frozen beef at 20 per cent. customs duty and no import tariff.

(vi) Hilton Beef Quota—High quality beef at 20 per cent. customs duty but no import duty:

  • North America: 11,500
  • Argentina: 28,000
  • Brazil: 5,000
  • Australia: 7,000
  • Uruguay: 6,300
  • New Zealand: 300
  • Total 58,100 tonnes

(vii) Frozen Buffalo meat—2,250 tonnes of buffalo meat originating in Australia at 20 per cent. Customs duty but no import tariff.

(vii) Frozen Thin Skirt—1,500 tonnes at no import tariff and 4 per cent. duty, of which 700 tonnes allocated to Argentina, 800 tonnes to other third countries.

(viii) Alpine and Mountain Breeds—10,000 head of cattle for breeding. 5,000 head at 4 per cent. Customs duty and 5,000 head at 6 per cent. Customs duty.

East Europe Association Agreements

Live animals 80 kg to 300 kg—Imports from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are fixed at 76,500 head with a Customs duty of 15 per cent. and import tariff of 20 per cent.

Beef, Fresh and Frozen—Imports limited as below with a security of 12 ecu/100 kg and import tariff of 20 per cent:

  • Poland: 12,828
  • Hungary: 8,732
  • Czech Republic: 3,495
  • Slovakia: 2,020
  • Bulgaria: 310
  • Romania: 2,044
  • Total: 29,429 tonnes

Baltic States Quota—Imports of beef at 20 per cent. Customs duty from:

  • Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia = 1,650 tonnes fresh/frozen beef
  • Latvia = 220 tonnes processed beef

Alpine and Mountain Breeds quota—4,500 head of certain breeds not for slaughter may be imported from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia at 6 per cent. Customs duty.

Slovenia Quota—During 1998, 7,700 tonnes of chilled or frozen beef from Slovenia at 20 per cent. import tariff.

Sheepmeat Import Schemes
Country of Origin sheepmeat and goatmeat Tonnes, carcase weight equivalent Live animals Carcase weight equivalent Live animals and or meat Duty
Argentina 23,000 nil
Australia 18,650 nil
Chile 3,000 nil
New Zealand 226,700 nil
Uruguay 5,800 nil
Iceland 1,350 nil
Bosnia Herzegovina 850 nil
Croatia 450 nil
Slovenia 50 nil
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1,750 nil
Poland 9,200 nil
Romania 337.5 1,950 nil
Hungary 138,62.5 nil
Bulgaria 5,388 nil
Czech Republic 2,025 nil
Slovakia 4,050 nil
Other: of which 607.5 nil
Greenland 100 nil
Faroe Islands 20 nil
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania 107.5 nil
Turkey 200 nil
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 215 (tonnes liveweight) 10%
Others 105 (tonnes liveweight) 10%