Commission Regulation (EC) No 378/2002

of 28 February 2002

opening a third quantity of wine for distillation as provided for in Article 29 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 for the 2001/02 wine year

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001(2), and in particular Article 33 thereof,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 of 25 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine with regard to market mechanisms(3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2464/2001(4), and in particular Article 63 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The second subparagraph of Article 63(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 provides that two or more quantities of wine are to be opened for distillation for the 2001/02 wine year. A first quantity of 7 million hl of table wine was opened for the period 16 October to 15 November 2001 and a second quantity of 3 million hl for the period 1 to 31 January 2002. Given current absorption capacities in the potable alcohol sector in certain regions of the Community and in view of budget possibilities, a third quantity of 2 million hl should be opened for distillation.

(2) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

For the 2001/02 wine year, distillation as provided for in Article 29 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall be opened for a third period from 1 to 15 April 2002. The maximum quantity which contracts and declarations within the meaning of Article 65 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 may cover shall be 2 million hl.

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 April 2002.

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

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2002.

For the Commission

Franz Fischler

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10.

(3) OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 45.

(4) OJ L 331, 15.12.2001, p. 25.