An EU competent authority is an institution designated by an EU Member State, approved by the Commission and listed in the 'List of competent authorities of the Member States and their tasks' in Annex III to Regulation 2368/2002.
ANNEX_III_CR_2368_2002_List_of_Member_States_competent_authorities.pdf
The EU Competent Authority carries out tasks related to the implementation of the Kimberley Process certification scheme (KSC) for rough diamonds, e.g. verifying Kimberley Process certificates for compliance with KSC rules at import, ascertaining whether rough diamonds stored in a container correspond to the data in the relevant KP certificate, issuing an EU KP certificate at export from the EU, and carrying out a number of administrative tasks related to the implementation of the KSC.
Currently, the competent authorities of the Union are in these cities
- Antwerp (Belgium)
- Bucharest (Romania)
- Dublin (Ireland)
- Idar-Oberstein (Germany)
- Lisbon (Portugal)
- Nuremberg (Germany)
- Prague (Czech Republic)
- Rome (Italy)
- Turin (Italy)
SELECTION OF THE EU AUTHORITY BY THE IMPORTER
The importer is free to choose the point of entry into the EU and is responsible for and bears the costs of the correct movement of rough diamonds within the EU. The following rules shall apply to the selection of a Union authority to carry out verification of a shipment of rough diamonds and a KP certificate. The container and the corresponding KP certificate shall be submitted for verification together and at the earliest opportunity either:
- in the Member State to which the rough diamonds are imported, or
- in the Member State for which they are intended (see accompanying documents).
If the above does not apply, the importer is free to choose which Union authority he wishes to use for the verification of the shipment of rough diamonds and, if necessary, to provide them with more detailed information.
If a consignment of rough diamonds is to be sent to a competent EU authority in another EU Member State for verification, the customs office of entry will register the consignment of rough diamonds under the external transit procedure (allowing the goods to be transported between two points within the EU customs territory without being subject to import measures or without having the status of Community goods). Once the shipment of rough diamonds has been verified by the competent Union authority, the goods are presented to the national customs authorities for customs formalities.
