Article 5
1. To the extent that the Commission, pursuant to Article 4, has confirmed that the amount requested is available within the quantitative ceiling, the national authorities shall issue an import authorisation within a maximum of ten working days from the presentation by the importer of the original corresponding contract. Import authorisations shall be issued by the national authorities of any Member State irrespective of the Member State indicated as destination in the contract to the extent that the Commission has confirmed the availability of the amount within the quantitative ceiling. 2. Import authorisations shall be drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Annex III. 3. The validity of import authorisations issued by the national authorities shall be valid for three months. If a request or declaration for import authorisation is submitted after 1 October of a given year, the validity of the import authorisation issued on the basis of such declaration or request shall not exceed 31 December of the same year. 4. The quantities for which the import authorisation is issued shall not exceed the quantity indicated in the contract on the basis of which the import authorisation is issued. 5. Importers shall not be obliged to import the total quantity covered by an import authorisation in one single consignment. 6. Obligations and rights deriving from import authorisations or extracts shall not be transferable. 7. The import authorisations may be issued by electronic means as long as the customs offices involved have access to the import authorisation via a computer network. 8. Importers shall return the expired import authorisations to the issuing national authorities within 10 working days after the date of their expiry. Importers shall not apply for a new import authorisation as long as 85 % of the quantity of the valid import authorisation has not been imported.