Article 12
1. Where a quota authorisation remains unused after six months of its issuing, the importer shall either return it to the Licence Office, or shall notify the Licence Office of its intention to use it within the remainder of the quota period. Where a quota authorisation has been issued before the beginning of the quota period in accordance with Article 4 of the Protocol, the six-month time limit shall be counted as from 1 January of the year corresponding to the quota period. 2. The Licence Offices shall immediately notify the Commission of any quota authorisation returned by importers in accordance with paragraph 1. The balance of traditional importers’ ceilings available for the product group concerned shall be modified for the corresponding amount.