The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is calling for applications from manufacturers in the agricultural, industrial and related sectors to a new round of tariff suspension and quota schemes.

The tariff scheme offers the possibility for such companies to import raw materials, components or intermediate products from outside the EU free from tariff duty, if the item cannot be sourced in the EU.

It is designed to address shortages in the availability of required materials within the EU and can be applied for in the same way as suspensions.

Minister for trade promotion at the Department of Enterprise Robert Troy is encouraging Irish companies to avail of the scheme, describing it as an “invaluable opportunity for manufacturers to reduce the costs of sourcing materials not available in the EU”.

The closing date and time for the receipt of the next round of applications to the tariff suspension and quota schemes is 5:30p.m on Friday, July 30. More information on the schemes can be found on the department’s website.

The suspension of duties on these applications, if they are successful, will come into effect from July 1, 2022.

A suspension will be valid for five years; a quota will be valid for a period of six to 12 months.