MOFCOM Announcement No.65, 2014 on Wool & Wool Top Import Tariff Quotas of 2015

In accordance with China's Provisional Measures on Agricultural Product Import Tariff Quotas (MOFCOM-NDRC Decree No.4 of 2003), the MOFCOM has formulated China's Implementation Rules for 2015 on Wool & Wool Top Import Tariff Quotas as follow:

1. For 2015, wool import-tariff quota totals 287,000 tons and wool top import-tariff quota totals 80,000 tons.

2. The import tariff quota of 2015 will be allocated in the way of "first come, first served". The applicant shall apply for the import tariff quota by presenting import contracts and required documents (including processing trade). The MOFOCM agencies will issue Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate to qualified applicants. When the allocation reaches the total quota for 2015, the MOFCOM agencies will no longer receive relevant applications.

3. Application Conditions

(1) The applicants holding wool and wool top tariff quota of 2014 and having actual import performance or those newly established with annual processing of 5000 tons and more without actual import performance;

(2) The applicants registered with Industrial & Commercial Administrations before January 1, 2015 and having publicized their annual report;

(3) The applicants without violations in 2014 of customs regulations, industrial and commercial regulations, tax regulations, quality regulations, foreign exchange regulations, social security regulations and environmental protection;

(4) The applicants without violations of Import Tariff Quota Measures, Wool/Wool Top Import Tariff Quota Implementation Rules of 2014 and the Countries of Origin-Related Tariff Quota Implementation Rules of 2014.

4. A qualified applicant may, on the strength of its import contract, apply in writing to local MOFOCM agencies (to MOFCOM's Quota License Bureau for Beijing-based applicants) by filling in the Application Form for Wool/Wool Top Import Tariff Quota (see Annex 1) and submitting the Form at its first application.

An applicant without actual import performance shall first submit its project approvals (project proposal or feasibility study report) and project acceptance report issued by China authorities and then may, after MOFCOM approval thereof, apply in writing for the import tariff quota of 2015.

5. The applicants may request the Application Form for Wool/Wool Top Import Tariff Quota to MOFCOM-authorized agencies or download it from MOFCOM website http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/.

6. The applicants having actual import performance may apply more than once for the import tariff quota within the year, but the total quantity of wool and wool top tariff quotas requested by them before September 30, 2015 shall not exceed respective import quantity by the same mode of trade in 2014. The import quantity shall be subject to the total quantity specified in the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate signed by the Customs.

7. After September 30, 2015, where the total tariff quota is not totally consumed, the applicants having actual import performance may continue applying for the quota after consuming the import quantity specified as in the article 6; the applicants without actual import performance may apply for the quotas that are not more than approved quantity.

8. After receiving the applications, the MOFCOM-authorized agencies shall timely announce the applications through MOFCOM's computer network system.

9. After receiving the online applications, the MOFCOM will online notify its authorized agencies of its approval results within five workdays.

10. After receiving the approval notices, the authorized agencies shall, according to MOFCOM-approved quota quantity, issue to end users the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate within five workdays. Where the issue fails within the time limit, the system will withdraw the application and deduct the applicable quantity for the year.

11. The Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate shall be valid for three months upon its issue not later than December 31, 2015.

12. Where the import will be shipped before December 31, 2015 and arrive in 2016, the tariff holders shall before December 31 apply for deferral to the MOFCOM-authorized agencies by presenting shipping notices and valid Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate, and the deferred Certificate will be valid at latest by February 29, 2016.

13. Within the validity of the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate, if there are unused or uncompleted tariff quotas, the Certificate shall be returned to the issuing agency. The issuing agency shall timely withdraw the unused quantity and indicate the unused quantity in the Certificate. The MOFCOM will withdraw the remaining quota in the Certificate and reckon it in the quota margin. The incompletable quota quantity shall be returned by at latest September 15, 2015, and the failure to return on schedule will lead to corresponding deduction in the applicable quantity for 2016.

14. The quota holders shall, within 20 workdays after import clearance is finished, return the first page (consignee formalities page) of the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate to the issuing agency which will conduct certificate cancel in time. The cancel of an extended Certificate shall not be later than March 31, 2016, and the failure to cancel on schedule will lead to corresponding deduction in the applicable quantity for 2016.

15. Defraud for the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate by counterfeit documents shall be subjected to penalty as per relevant measures.

16. Any counterfeiter or buyer and seller of the Agricultural Import Tariff Quota Certificate shall be subjected to criminal punishment by China law and will be prohibited by the MOFCOM from applying for the tariff quota within two years.


Annexes:
1. Form of Application for Wool & Wool Top Import Tariff Quotas (omitted)
2. Table of 2015 Tax Items for Wool & Wool Top Imports (omitted)



The Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM)
September 26, 2014