Why check a quota balance
A tariff quota lets a limited quantity of goods enter the EU at a reduced or zero duty during a period. Most quotas are managed “first come, first served”: they are allocated in the order in which declarations are accepted, and once the quantity is used up the normal duty applies.
Some quotas are exhausted within days of the start of the period. A rate read in the monthly TARIC extract can therefore be gone when the goods arrive: the balance is the figure that decides.
What the QUOTA database tells you
- The balance still available, its unit and the volume of the period, with the quantity carried over from the previous period when there is one.
- The state: open, flagged critical by the Commission, blocked (a blocking or suspension period is running) or exhausted.
- The quantities requested and not yet allocated, as an indication, the date of the last allocation and the dates of the period.
Quotas managed with import licences, by the Directorate-General for Agriculture or by a national authority, are not in this database: the tool then says that the number is unknown there.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tool free?
Yes. The order number is sent to the European Commission's QUOTA database only when you start the search, and it is not stored in our databases. Each balance is kept for a few hours, and always shown with the time it was read.
Where do I find the order number of a quota?
On the customs declaration (box 39 of the single administrative document, data element 4/16 “quota order number”) or in the TARIC. You can also search by commodity code and origin: the tool then lists the quotas of the TARIC that apply to them.
If the balance is high, is the quota rate guaranteed?
No. A balance is a snapshot, neither a reservation nor a promise: the quota can be used up between your reading and the acceptance of your declaration, the quantities requested and not yet allocated are not deducted yet, and the proof of origin or licence the quota requires must still be valid. Only customs grant the quota. A quota flagged “critical” by the Commission can run out quickly: read it again just before you declare.
Is your file ready?
Check it for free in a few minutes, before you prepare your declaration.