51996PC0706

Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 on the granting, for the 1988/89 to 1997/98 wine years, of permanent abandonment premiums in respect of wine-growing areas (97/C 95/03) COM(96) 706 final - 97/0009(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 9 January 1997)

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 experience gained in applying Council Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 of 24 May 1988 on the granting, for the 1988/89 to 1995/1996, wine years, of permanent abandonment premiums in respect of wine-growing areas (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1595/96 (2), shows that the flat-rate premium laid down for the Charentes region does not result in the abandonment of the surface areas with the highest yields; whereas the abandonment of such areas would achieve more easily the market balance sought; whereas, therefore, there is no further need to maintain this flat-rate scheme;

Whereas, in accordance with the second and third subparagraphs of Article 1 (1) of that Regulation, Member States must designate the regions in which producers are eligible for a permanent abandonment premium in respect of wine-growing areas, and must do so prior to the application of that measure; whereas designation has caused a delay which may make the measure inapplicable to the 1996/97 wine year; whereas, therefore, the time limit fixed for eligible producers to present applications for the grant of the premium to the authorities designated by Member States should be extended,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

1. Article 2 (1) (d) of Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88 is hereby deleted.

2. The following subparagraph is added after the first subparagraph of Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1442/88:

'However, for the 1996/97 wine year, the time limit of 31 December 1996 fixed for eligible producers to present applications for the grant of the premium to the authorities designated by Member States shall be postponed until 31 January 1997.`

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 January 1997.

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

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

(2) OJ No L 206, 16. 8. 1996, p. 36.