[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 70127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24393]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 214 / Wednesday, November 4, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 70127]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Information on Dairy Import Licenses for the 2021 Tariff-Rate 
Quota (TRQ) Year--United Kingdom Designation of Importers for Dairy 
Import Licenses

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that, 
for the 2021 quota year, the United Kingdom (UK) may designate 
importers to receive import licenses for specified quantities under 
certain dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) allocated to the EU-27. In 
accordance with the definitions in Chapter 4 of the U.S. Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule (HTS), the UK continues to be eligible to export under 
dairy TRQ allocations to the EU-27. In previous years, the European 
Commission (EC) designated importers on behalf of the UK and all other 
eligible European Union (EU) Member States for dairy TRQ amounts 
reserved for designated licenses. However, the EC has informed the 
United States that it no longer has the authority to designate 
importers on behalf of UK exporters for trade transactions that will 
occur after December 31, 2020. Accordingly, the EU and the UK have each 
requested that the UK be permitted to designate importers for portions 
of certain dairy TRQs for the 2021 quota year. The USDA has agreed to 
the EU's and UK's requests.

DATES: November 4, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abdelsalam El-Farra, Multilateral 
Affairs Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, at (202) 720-9439; or by email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing 
Regulation promulgated by USDA and codified at 7 CFR 6.20-6.36 provides 
for the issuance of licenses, including designated licenses, to import 
certain dairy articles that are subject to TRQs set forth in the HTS. 
Those dairy articles may only be entered into the United States at the 
in-quota TRQ tariff-rates by or for the account of a person or firm to 
whom such licenses have been issued. USDA annually publishes by notice 
in the Federal Register the amounts of each dairy TRQ for which the 
government of the applicable country may, not later than October 31 
prior to the beginning of a quota year, designate the importers that 
are to be issued licenses by the Licensing Authority. See Adjustment of 
Appendices under the Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing 
Regulation for the 2021 Tariff-Rate Quota Year, 85 FR 67706 (October 
26, 2020) (Appendices 3 & 4).
    In accordance with the definitions in Chapter 4 of the HTS, the UK 
continues to be eligible to export under U.S. dairy TRQs allocated to 
the EU-27.\1\ In previous years, the EC designated importers on behalf 
of the UK and all other eligible EU Member States. However, because the 
UK has withdrawn from the EU, the EC has informed the United States 
that it no longer has the authority to designate importers on behalf of 
UK exporters for trade transactions that will occur after December 31, 
2020. The EU and the UK have each requested that the UK be permitted to 
designate importers for portions of certain dairy TRQs for the 2021 
quota year. To maintain the status quo, the Licensing Authority has 
agreed to the EU's and the UK's requests and has determined that, for 
the 2021 quota year, the UK Government may designate importers for 
licenses for the quantities of cheese that have historically been 
supplied by UK exporters under designated licenses. Accordingly, the UK 
and EU may designate importers for licenses for dairy TRQs as follows:
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    \1\ For purposes of Chapter 4 of the HTS, ``the expression 
`EU27' refers to articles the product of one of the following: 
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, 
Estonia, Finland, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary, 
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the 
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovenia, the Slovak 
Republic, Sweden or the United Kingdom.''

--The UK will designate importers for the following three commodities 
for no more than the specified quantities: Cheese and Curd (Note 16) in 
the amount of 73,165 kg for the Tokyo Round and 277,403 kg for the 
Uruguay Round; Blue Mold (Note 17) in the amount of 2,905 kg for the 
Uruguay Round; and Cheddar (Note 18) in the amount of 716,520 kg for 
the Uruguay Round;
--The EU will designate importers for these three commodities for no 
more than the specified quantities: Cheese and Curd (Note 16) in the 
amount of 835,712 kg for the Tokyo Round and 3,168,597 kg for the 
Uruguay Round; Blue Mold (Note 17) in the amount of 347,095 kg for the 
Uruguay Round; and Cheddar (Note 18) in the amount of 333,480 kg for 
the Uruguay Round; and
--For all other cheese TRQs, the EU will designate importers for the 
entire quantity available for designated licenses allocated to the EU-
27 on behalf of EU exporters.

    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has designated this 
notice as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Lori Tortora,
Licensing Authority.
[FR Doc. 2020-24393 Filed 11-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P