A new round of the EU’s tariff suspension and quota schemes has now opened to applications, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) has announced.

The tariff suspension/quota scheme offers the possibility for companies to import raw materials, components or intermediate products from outside the European Union free from tariff duty.

"Autonomous tariff quotas are needed for certain products when, within the EU, production is insufficient to meet the needs of the user industry and can be applied for in the same way as suspensions," the department said.

Applications can be submitted by manufacturers and processors of certain agricultural, industrial and related products.

This is the second call to open under the schemes this year.

Tariff suspension

Companies applying for tariff suspensions are required to demonstrate that each item for which duty suspension is sought:

is intended for further processing by them;
is not available within the EU;
generates duty savings of at least €15,000 per annum (if an applicant company cannot reach this minimum limit on its own, it is possible to join forces with one or more other companies to do so).

The department has noted that in the case of equipment and material to be used in the production process, a suspension could be considered "provided they are specific and necessary for the manufacture of clearly identified products and are not jeopardising competing community enterprises".

The closing date for the receipt of the next round of applications is 5:30p.m on Friday, July 31, 2026.

The suspension of duties on these applications, if they are successful, will come into effect from July 1, 2027.

DETE added that companies that may wish to oppose applications from other member states or oppose the renewal of existing suspensions/quotas based on production of similar or equivalent products/components should contact the department.