51996PC0044(25)

Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No . . .

of . . .

amending Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 on the granting, for the 1988/89 to 1995/96 wine years, of permanent abandonment premiums in respect of wine-growing areas

(96/C 125/25)

96/0076(CNS)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and social Committee,

Whereas the measure encouraging the abandonment of wine-growing areas by means of the grant of premiums, as provided for in Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1548/95 (2), has helped to rationalize the wine-growing sector; whereas, however, certain marginal wine-growing areas still exist whose abandonment should be encouraged;

Whereas, pending adoption of the reform of the common market organization in the wine sector, the current system of premiums for the permanent abandonment of wine-growing areas should be extended;

Whereas certain detailed rules should be laid down so as to exclude from eligibility for permanent abandonment premiums those areas having previously received aid for the restructuring of vineyards,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 is hereby amended as follows:

1. The title of the Regulation is replaced by the following:

'on the granting, for the 1988/89 to 1996/97 wine years, of permanent abandonment premiums in respect of wine-growing areas`.

2. In Article 1 (1), the phrase 'during the 1988/89 to 1995/96 wine years` is replaced by 'during the 1988/89 to 1996/97 wine years`.

3. In Article 11, the phrase 'before the end of the 1993/94 wine year` is replaced by the phrase 'at the earliest by 31 July 1997 and at the latest by 31 December 1998`.

4. In the third paragraph of Article 17a, the date 31 December 1995 is replaced by 15 May 1997.

5. In Article 20, the following indent is added:

'- Article 3 (e), in particular with regard to the criterion for financing and the period during which it was granted, and which may not be less than 15 years`.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at . . .

For the Council

. . .

(1) OJ No L 132, 28. 5. 1988, p. 3.

(2) OJ No L 148, 30. 6. 1995, p. 36.