1st July 2026
Niamh Smyth, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, announces a new round of the EU’s Tariff Suspension/Quota Scheme applications opens today, Wednesday, 1 July 2026, and is calling for applications from manufacturers in the industrial, agricultural, and related sectors. The tariff suspensions scheme offers the possibility for such companies to import raw materials, components, or intermediate products from outside the European Union free from tariff duty, if the item cannot be sourced in the EU/Türkiye. The tariff quota scheme is designed to address shortages in the availability of essential materials within the EU and can be applied for in the same way as suspensions. This is the second of two calls this year. The next call will be on 1 January 2027.
Welcoming the new call, Minister Smyth said:
“The tariff suspension and quota schemes represent a very effective way for Irish manufacturers to gain a competitive edge by reducing the cost of sourcing components that are not available in the EU. I would encourage all Irish manufacturers to avail of these schemes.”
The deadline for applications is 5.30pm on Friday, 31 July 2026. Applications should be sent by email, in Word format, to tariffschemes@enterprise.gov.ie. Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. The suspension of duties on these applications, if they are successful, will come into effect from 1 July 2027.
ENDS
Notes to editors
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. Companies, in applying for tariff suspensions, must be able to demonstrate that each item for which duty suspension is sought:
- is intended for further processing by them,
- is not available within the EU, and
- 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)
Further information on the tariff suspension or quota schemes may be found here:
EU Tariff Suspension and Quota Scheme
Communication from the Commission concerning autonomous tariff suspensions and quotas (PDF, 782KB)
For further information please contact Press Office, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, press.office@enterprise.gov.ie or (01) 631 2200.
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