WTO: Eggs and Egg Products TRQ - Serial No. 990

Date: October 1, 2020

This Notice replaces Notice to Importers No. 950 dated October 1, 2019, and sets out the policies and practices pertaining to the administration of Canada’s tariff rate quota (TRQ) for eggs and egg products under the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This Notice is provided pursuant to the authority of the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA) and its corresponding regulations, and remains in effect until further notice.

1. Definitions

Eggs and egg products means a product that is included in Items 135 to 139 on the Import Control List (ICL), namely eggs and egg products falling under tariff items 04.07, 04.08, 21.06 or 35.02 in the list of tariff provisions set out in the Schedule to the Customs Tariff.

See the List of EIPA commodity codes for eggs and egg products.

2. Allocation policy

• To be eligible, you must be active in the Canadian eggs and egg products industry at the time of application, and must remain active regularly during the quota year.
• All applicants must provide a list of related persons.
  • Note: For egg powder, related persons may apply for separate allocations, but no combination of such allocations will be permitted to exceed 25% of the total amount available for allocation unless the total amount requested is below the access quantity.
• The quota for egg products is expressed in kilograms.
  • Note: One dozen ungraded, nest-run or Grade C shell eggs is equal to 0.575 kilograms of frozen or liquid eggs.
• In addition to liquid or frozen eggs, egg product allocation holders may import shell eggs identified as breaking stock provided that the shell eggs are directed to a registered processed egg station for breaking.
• Allocations for egg products and egg powder are normally issued in four quarterly instalments during the year.
• If your shell egg allocation exceeds three loads, you will be advised of your monthly import schedule.
  • Note: The bulk of shell egg imports are normally scheduled to coincide with periods of peak demand in Canada.
• If your shell egg allocation amounts to three loads or fewer, you may import at any time during the year.
• There are no quantitative restrictions on imports of certain inedible egg products, but import permits may be required. 

3. Eligibility criteria

You are eligible to apply for an allocation under the following categories if you are a:

Shell eggs

• Traditional allocation holder 
• Federally-registered egg station

Egg products (frozen, liquid and further processed eggs)

• Traditional allocation holder
• Processor, wholesaler or distributor that is active in the Canadian egg products industry

Egg powder

• Federally-registered processed egg station
• Further processor that uses egg powder in your manufacturing and production formulas

4. Calculation of allocations

Shell eggs

• Traditional allocation holders are each allocated the amount of quota that they were allocated in the previous year, as adjusted since (e.g. for under-utilization).
• Federally-registered egg stations are allocated the remainder of the shell egg quota on a market share basis, adjusted for surplus declarations.  
  • Your market share is calculated on the basis of the number of eggs you sold during the reference period, divided by the total number of eggs sold by all federally-registered egg station allocation holders.

Egg products (frozen, liquid and further processed eggs)

• Traditional allocation holders are each allocated the amount of quota that they were allocated in the previous year, as adjusted since (e.g. for under-utilization).
• Processors, wholesalers and distributors are allocated the remainder of the egg products quota on a market share basis.
  • Your market share is calculated on the basis of the quantity of egg products you sold during the reference period, divided by the total quantity of egg products sold by all applicants who receive an allocation for these products.

Egg powder

• The egg powder quota is allocated on an equal share basis.

5. Transfer, return and under-utilization of allocations

• If you wish to transfer any portion of your allocation, you must submit a transfer request form.
• You may return any portion of your egg products allocation to the Department in writing by the prescribed return date.
  • Note: Returned quota is used to accommodate requests for supplemental imports.
• If you use less than 90% of your shell egg allocation, and less than 95% of your egg products or egg powder allocation, in one year, you may have your allocation adjusted downward by an under-utilization penalty in the following year.
  • Note: Any portion of your allocation that you return in accordance with the present policy is considered to have been used.

6. Import permits

• To obtain an import permit for shell eggs, including for breaking purposes, you must inform the Regional Office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in writing, prior to importation, of the quantity of eggs you expect to import, the date of importation and the identity of the federally-registered establishment to which the eggs are to be delivered.

7. 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
• List of EIPA commodity codes for eggs and egg products
• How to apply for an import permit
• Allocation transfer request form
• Contact us