Within the framework of the meeting of the Garlic Contact Group of the Joint Committee, held in Piacenza, Italy, the National Association of Garlic Producers and Marketers of Spain (ANPCA) will present an initiative seeking clarification regarding the drafting of the current TARIC codes affecting international garlic trade.
Last September, the ANPCA submitted a letter to the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs of the European Commission, Mr. Pierre Moscovici, where the following facts were presented: according to Eurostat, in 2018, China exported 41,079 tons of fresh garlic to the EU; however, the ICC commercial map indicates that China exported 62,854 tonnes of fresh garlic to the EU. Therefore, there is a big difference between the figures available. This could mean that 21,775 tons of fresh Chinese garlic were not declared as fresh garlic, but were shipped under a different TARIC code (frozen garlic NC 07108095, exempt from paying the extra tariff).
The consequence of this is that Chinese fresh garlic could be entering the EU market as frozen garlic, consequently not paying the extra tax of 1.2 Euro per kilogram established for out of quota fresh garlic. The amount of import duties evaded could be significant: 26.1 million in 2018 alone.
This evasion of rights is mainly a result of an erroneous description of some TARIC codes which the customs authorities of the Member States do not verify at the time of dispatch. Thus, the ANPCA, through its representation in the European Union, FruitVegetablesEUROPE (EUCOFEL), has requested a modification or clarification of the current TARIC codes, with the aim of establishing a correct identification of each of the items and preventing the possible fraudulent entry of garlic from other origins into Europe.
The ANPCA will present the various actions that it has been carrying out to the rest of European associations and entities at the meeting in Piacenza, where the garlic sectors of France, Italy, Portugal and Spain are represented. The meeting will serve to address important issues, such as the development of the acreage and productions, the situation of the European garlic market after Brexit, and the sector's phytosanitary situation following the latest prohibitions on the use of active materials. The ANPCA's goal is to coordinate the necessary actions between the different countries in order to stand together before the Commission and thus be able to defend the European garlic production.
For more information:
National Association of Garlic Producers and Marketers of Spain, ANPCA
Plaza Arrabal Del Coso, s/n. Aptado. 66
16660 Las Pedroñeras, Cuenca. Spain
Tel. +34 967 16 10 11
info@anpca.eswww.anpca.es