1.   After the customs authority of the importing Party has notified the customs authority of the exporting Party of its intention to deny the preferential tariff treatment, a Party may submit a request for consultations to the other Party pursuant to Article 63(3), second subparagraph, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (the ‘Agreement’).

2.   The request shall be made by the member of the Secretariat of the Trade Specialised Committee on Customs Cooperation and Rules of Origin (the ‘Committee’) of the requesting Party to the member of the Secretariat of the other Party by email or, where appropriate, by any other means of communication that provides a record of the sending thereof. Unless proven otherwise, such request shall be deemed to be received on the date of its sending.

1.   Consultations shall be convened and concluded within three months after the date of the notification of the intention referred to in Rule 1, unless the Parties have agreed to extend the period for consultations. During that period, the Parties may meet one or several times.

2.   Consultations shall be held in person or by any other means of communication agreed by the Parties. If held in person, consultations shall take place in the territory of the Party to which the consultations requested are addressed, unless the Parties agree otherwise.

1.   The consultations shall be held in English.

2.   Written documents relevant for the consultations shall be circulated, through the Secretariat, to the other Party. They may be in any of the official languages of the Union.

1.   Draft minutes of each consultation session shall be drawn up by the official acting as member of the Secretariat of the respondent Party hosting the meeting within 8 calendar days. The draft minutes shall be transmitted for comments to the member of the Secretariat of the other Party, who may submit comments within 8 calendar days.

2.   The minutes shall summarise the consultation sessions, specifying where applicable:

3.   The minutes shall include as an annex a list of participants setting out for each of the delegations the names and functions of all individuals who attended the meeting.

4.   The Secretariat shall adjust the draft minutes on the basis of the comments received. The draft minutes, as revised, shall be approved by the Parties within 28 calendar days of the date of the session, or by any other date agreed by the Parties. Upon approval of the minutes, any agreement reached shall take effect between the Parties at the session of consultations when that conclusion was adopted.

5.   If the consultations are held in writing, the result of the written consultations shall be recorded in the minutes of the next meeting of the Committee. Any agreement reached during the written consultations shall take effect between the Parties at the session of consultations when that conclusion was adopted.

1.   The Parties shall make every attempt to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution of the matter within the period of consultation referred to in Rule 2. If the Parties reach an agreement, it shall be binding upon the Parties.

2.   For the purpose of Article 63(3), third subparagraph, of the Agreement, the period of consultation referred to in Rule 2 shall be considered expired when it arrives at its term and the Parties do not agree to extend it, unless the consultation was not held for reasons attributable to the importing Party.