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.

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.

PURPOSE: to amend Regulation (EU) 2019/216 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards Union tariff rate quota for high quality beef from Paraguay.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, the Union and the UK notified the other Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that their current market access level will be maintained but apportioned respectively between the Union and the United Kingdom. The methodology for this apportionment, as well as the new EU-27 volumes, are laid down 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 quotas was erroneously included in the apportionment exercise and thus reduced to 711 tonnes on the EU-27 side without any corresponding volume being opened on the UK side.

This means Paraguay’s market access has been reduced from 1 000 tonnes to 711 tonnes with application as of 1 January 2021. It is therefore appropriate to restore this tariff quota to its original volume.

This initiative is in line with the EU’s ongoing actions to ensure that the consequences of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU are dealt with in an orderly manner.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes to amend Regulation (EU) 2019/216 in order to restore the correct volume (1000 tonnes) of tariff quota No 094455 for EU-27.

The row relating to order number 094455 (High quality meat of bovine animals, fresh, chilled or frozen from Paraguay) would thus be deleted from the Annex, Part A of Regulation (EU) 2019/216.