Brussels, 28/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 28 November the European Commission announced the conclusion an agreement with Thailand on a new regime for imports of salted poultrymeat and cooked chicken meat into the EU. From April 2007 the allocation for Thailand will be two Community quotas of 92,610 tonnes for cooked chicken meat, currently subject to a bound tariff rate of 10.9%, and 160,033 tonnes for prepared chicken subject to 8% duty. A similar agreement was concluded on 26 October with Brazil (EUROPE 9296). Total concessions offered by the Union to these two countries apply to around 600,000. The setting of quotas is the price to pay to get an end to unlimited tariff concessions that Brazil and Thailand benefit from on these market segments. "I am very pleased with the outcome of these negotiations, which ensures that our interests are safeguarded while at the same time successfully completing the necessary changes to our bound duties for poultry meat in accordance with WTO rules", said Mariann Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture.
For salted poultrymeat, currently subject to a bound tariff rate of 15.4% with no volume restrictions, the new concession will provide for a total ceiling of 264,245 tonnes imported at the same bound rate of 15.4% ad valorem. For quantities above this, the out-of-quota rate will be 1,300€/tonne. The allocation for Thailand will be 92,610 tonnes. For cooked poultrymeat, currently subject to a bound tariff rate of 10.9%, the concession will provide for a total tariff quota of 250,953 tonnes imported under a tariff of 8.0% ad valorem. The out-of-quota rate will be 1,024€/tonne. The volume attributed to Thailand will be 160,033 tonnes. The EU will manage the TRQs on the basis of an import licensing system.
The agreement modifies the current bound tariff rate concessions for these two items and foresees the creation of new tariff rate quotas (TRQs), in conformity with the procedure set out by GATT Article XXVIII. Under this procedure, a WTO Member has the right to withdraw a concession provided that compensation is offered to the main trade partners. (lc)