1. This notice is to advise you of changes to the licensing rules for the import and export of certain agricultural products.
2. These changes will come into effect from 1 July 2008 for the following sectors:
- cereals;
- flax and hemp;
- olive oil;
- fruit and vegetables (fresh or processed);
- seeds;
- beef and veal;
- sheepmeat and goatmeat;
- pigmeat;
- milk and milk products;
- eggs;
- poultrymeat; and
- ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin.
They will come into effect from:
- 1 August 2008 for the wine sector;
- 1 September 2008 for the rice sector; and
- 1 October 2008 for the sugar sector.
3. The Commission has examined the existing licensing rules in the different market sectors with a view to simplification and has amended some of them for import and export licences and advance fixing certificates.
4. Details of the licensing changes can be found in the Annexes listed below. For products which still require a licence, you will also find information on the amount of security required and licence validity periods.
5. Please refer to the index below for information relevant to each commodity area.
6. Tariff quota licences for which the tariff quota period has not yet expired will not be affected when the changes come into effect for the relevant sectors listed in paragraph 2.
7. You can ask for your licence security to be released for import or export licences or advance fixing certificates if the following three conditions apply:
- the validity period of the licence or certificate has not expired on the date referred to in paragraph 2; and
- the licences or certificates are no longer required for the products concerned from that date; and
- the licences or certificates have been used only partially or not at all on that date.
8. The Block Guarantee statement that is emailed to traders to allow them to monitor licence security debits and credits can, on this occasion, be used to notify us of the licences upon which you require the security to be released. You can register to receive Block Guarantee statements by email by contacting Steve Delaney on 0118 9531723. You will be asked to supply your email address and state whether you wish the statements to be sent weekly or monthly.
9. You will find details of these changes in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 514/2008 published in Official Journal L150. Copies can be obtained from Stationery Office bookshops and accredited agents, or ordered from the Stationery Office website (www.tso.co.uk). You can also access Official Journals electronically by visiting the Commission’s website at (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm). Please note that the Rural Payments Agency cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the Europa website. Whilst every care has been taken in producing this guidance, the regulation as published is definitive.
10. If you have any general enquiries concerning paragraphs 1-8 of this notice, please contact Trader Scheme Operations Policy section of the Rural Payments Agency Newcastle on the following:
| Suzanne Ridley | 0191 226 5249 |
| Julia Murch | 0191 226 5238 |
11. If you have any enquiries on the information contained in the Annexes please contact the relevant commodity section of the Rural Payments Agency Newcastle as listed in paragraph 5.
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
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