Canada to Increase Import Quota for EU Cheese

Both Canada and the European Union (EU) are now in the process of ratifying and implementing The Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Under the terms of CETA, Canada will open for the EU a new bilateral quota of 17,700 tonnes of cheese, 16,000 tonnes of which will be for high-quality cheeses and 1,700 tonnes for industrial cheese. Moreover, 800 tonnes of high-quality cheese will be added through a technical adjustment to the EU portion of an existing WTO Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ). The effective total will therefore be 18,500 tonnes, thus more than doubling EU exports of cheese to Canada. This will result in an increase of EU exports of 128 percent and corresponds to more than 4 percent of the Canadian market.

As part of Canada’s implementation of CETA ,Global Affairs Canada has posted an invitation to comment on the administration of the new Tariff Rate Quotas and Origin Quotas that will be established under the CETA.

Producers, manufacturers, processors, importers, exporters, distributors and retailers interested in receiving additional import permits under the new TRQ for EU originating cheese have until July 21, 2016 to submit comments on the new quotas including on the rules and procedure which ought to govern the allocation and administration of permits under the new quotas.

Interested participants are well advised to act early in shaping the rules governing this new quota regime and to employ a dual legal and advocacy approach to ensure that they receive permits under the new EU quota. TRQ regimes and the rules which govern them are complex and far-reaching. DW international trade lawyers are experienced in the rules governing TRQ regimes and available to assist companies in making submissions and ensuring that they have access to this new source of cheese import quota.

This client alert is published by Dickinson Wright PLLC/Dickinson Wright LLP to inform our clients and friends of important developments in the field of cross border law. The content is informational only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. We encourage you to consult a Dickinson Wright attorney if you have specific questions or concerns relating to any of the topics covered in here.



FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brenda C. Swick is a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Toronto office. She can be reached at 416.594.4052 or bswick@dickinsonwright.com.


Daniel D. Ujczo is Of Counsel in Dickinson Wright’s Columbus office. He can be reached at 614.744.2579 or dujczo@dickinsonwright.com.


Bruce C. Thelen is a Member in Dickinson Wright’s Detroit office. He can be reached at 313.223.3624 or bthelen@dickinsonwright.com.

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