CETA: Industrial Cheese TRQ – Serial No. 994

Date: October 1, 2020

This Notice replaces Notice to Importers No. 956 dated October 1, 2019, and sets out the policies and practices pertaining to the administration of Canada’s tariff rate quota (TRQ) for industrial cheese under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

This Notice is provided pursuant to the authority of the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA) and its corresponding regulations and should be read in conjunction with the General information on the administration of TRQs for supply-managed products. It remains in effect until further notice.

Table of contents

1. Definitions
2. Allocation policy
3. Eligibility criteria
4. Calculation of allocations
5. Transfer, return and under-utilization of allocations
6. Related links

1. Definitions

1.1 Cheese means a product that is included in Items 141 to 157 of the Import Control List (ICL) falling under heading 04.06 in the list of tariff provisions set out in the Schedule to the Customs Tariff.

1.2 Industrial cheese means cheese used as ingredients for further food processing (secondary manufacturing) imported in bulk (not for retail sale).

1.3 Small- and medium-sized enterprise means an eligible applicant whose allocation under this TRQ would amount to less than 20,000 kilograms.

1.4 New entrant means: an eligible applicant who is not an allocation holder under Canada’s WTO cheese TRQ or did not receive an allocation of the TRQs established under CETA in the preceding year.

See the List of EIPA commodity codes for cheese.

2. Allocation policy

2.2 To be eligible, you must be active in the Canadian cheese industry at the time of application, and must remain active during the quota year.

• 2.1.1 You must, in addition, have been active in the further processing of cheese during the reference period.

2.2 Individual applicants and related persons applicants are eligible for only one allocation.

• 2.2.1 All applicants must provide a list of related persons.
• 2.2.2 In the case of separate applications from related persons involving a parent company and one or more subsidiaries, only the application nominated by the parent company is considered.

2.3 If you received an allocation in the previous year and have submitted a complete application for the new quota year, you may receive an advance of up to 30% of your initial allocation in the previous year, subject to any under-utilization or chronic return penalty that may apply.

2.4 At least 30% of the TRQ is available to new entrants every year.

• 2.4.1 Beginning in 2022, at least 10% of the TRQ quantity will be available for new entrants every year.
• 2.4.2 A new entrant is treated as such for a period of three years.

2.5 You must specify in your application the minimum quantity of quota you will accept. If your calculated market share allocation is less than 1,000 kg you are issued an allocation only if the quantity you have specified in your application is equal to or lower than your calculated market share allocation.

2.6 Individual allocations are normally capped at a maximum 20% of the TRQ.

2.7 In the event that the TRQ is not fully allocated, available quantities are offered immediately to eligible applicants in proportion to their allocation, or on demand if quantities still remain after the first offer.

2.8 The TRQ is allocated for the importation of goods in bulk (not for retail sale) to be used as ingredients for further food processing (secondary manufacturing).

3. Eligibility criteria

You are eligible to apply for an allocation if you are a:

3.1 Further processor: that uses cheese as an ingredient in the production of further processed food products, other than cheese, in your manufacturing operations and product formulation. 

• 3.1.1 Food service establishments are not considered to be further processors.

4. Calculation of allocations

4.1 Further processors: 100% is allocated to further processors on a market share basis based on the kilograms of cheese used by the further processor, in the manufacturing of further processed food products during the reference period.

5. Transfer, return and under-utilization of allocations

5.1 If you wish to transfer any portion of your allocation, you must submit a transfer request form.

• 5.1.1 If you transfer any portion of your allocation, you are not eligible to receive transfers from other allocation holders during the year. If you receive a transfer, you are not eligible to transfer any portion of your allocation.

5.2 You may return any portion of your allocation to the Department in writing by the prescribed return date.

5.3 If you return 20% or more of your allocation for two consecutive years, your allocation in the following year may be reduced by the amount of quota you returned, averaged over those two years.

• 5.3.1 This provision does not normally apply to small- and medium-sized allocation holders and new entrants

5.4 Returned quantities are normally made available the day after the return date to eligible allocation holders, who have not returned any portion of their allocation, in proportion to their initial allocation, or on demand if quantities still remain after the first offer.

5.5 If you use less than 95% of your allocation in one year, you may have your allocation adjusted downward by an under-utilization penalty in the following year.

• 5.5.1 Any portion of your allocation that you transfer or return in accordance with the present policy is considered to have been used.

6. Related links

• General information on the administration of TRQs for supply-managed products
• Key dates and access quantities
• Information concerning related persons
• How to apply for an allocation
• Application form (PDF)
• List of EIPA commodity codes for cheese
• How to apply for an import permit
• Allocation transfer request form
• Contact us