Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No . . .

of . . .

fixing, for the 1994/95 marketing year, the prices, production aid and percentages of aid to be retained in the olive oil sector and the maximum guaranteed quantity (94/C 83/11)

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 Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, and in particular Articles 89 (1) and (2) and 234 (2) and (3) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation No 136/66/EEC of 22 September 1966 on the establishment of a common organization of the market in oils and fats (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No . . . (2), and in particular Articles 4 (4) and 5 (1) 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 target price for olive oil production must be fixed in accordance with the criteria laid down in Articles 4 and 6 of Regulation No 136/66/EEC;

Whereas the intervention price must be fixed in accordance with the criteria laid down in Article 8 of Regulation No 136/66/EEC;

Whereas the threshold price must be fixed in such a way that the selling price for the imported product at the frontier crossing point determined in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation No 136/66/EEC is the same as the producer target price, less the production aid;

Whereas Articles 95 and 293 of the Act of Accession make provision for Community aid for the production of olive oil in Spain and Portugal; whereas Articles 79 and 246 of that Act provide for the progressive alignment of the Community aid in Spain and Portugal on the common aid at the beginning of each marketing year; whereas, in the light of the increase in production aid following the abolition of consumption aid, application of the rules on that alignment would have the effect of increasing the difference between the level of aid in Spain and Portugal and the level applicable in the Community as constituted at 31 December 1985; whereas, to avoid this inequitable effect, the rules should be amended so as to maintain the rate of alignment provided for in the Act of Accession;

Whereas, in accordance with Articles 5 (4) and 20d (1) of Regulation No 136/66/EEC, the percentages of production aid to be allocated to finance measures to improve the quality of olive oil production and to finance expenditure incurred in the work done by recognized producer organizations or associations thereof in administering and controlling olive oil production aid should be determined;

Whereas Article 5 (1) of Regulation No 136/66/EEC fixes, for a specified period, the maximum quantity in respect of which the unit amount of production aid fixed for each of the marketing years in question is to be payable; whereas, in compliance with the terms laid down therein, the maximum quantity for each of those marketing years should be maintained, in respect of the 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 marketing years, at the level specified hereafter,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

1. For the 1994/95 marketing year, the production target price and the intervention price for olive oil shall be as follows:

(a) production target price:

ECU 317,82 per 100 kilograms;

(b) intervention price:

ECU 152,60 per 100 kilograms.

2. The prices fixed in paragraph 1 shall be for ordinary virgin olive oil with a free fatty-acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of 3,3 grams per 100 grams.

Article 2

For the 1994/95 marketing year, the threshold price for olive oil shall be ECU 186,64 per 100 kilograms,

Article 3

For the 1994/95 marketing year, the production aid shall be as follows:

(a) production aid:

- for Spain:

ECU 116,64 per 100 kilograms,

- for Portugal:

ECU 116,64 per 100 kilograms,

- for the Community of Ten:

ECU 127,56 per 100 kilograms;

(b) production aid for growers whose average production is less than 500 kilograms of olive oil per marketing year:

- for Spain:

ECU 123,91 per 100 kilograms,

- for Portugal:

ECU 123,91 per 100 kilograms,

- for the Community of Ten:

ECU 135,25 per 100 kilograms.

Article 4

1. For the 1994/95 marketing year, 1,4 % of the production aid earmarked for olive-oil producers shall be allocated to the financing of specific measures to improve the quality of olive oil in each Member State.

2. For the 1994/95 marketing year, the percentage of the production aid which may be withheld pursuant to Article 20d (1) of Regulation No 136/66/EEC for organizations of olive-oil producers or associations therof recognized under the said Regulation shall be 0,8 %.

Article 5

For the 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 marketing years, the maximum production of olive oil referred to in Article 5 (1) of Regulation No 136/66/EEC shall be 1 350 000 tonnes for each those marketing years.

Article 6

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

It shall apply from 1 November 1994.

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

Done at . . .

For the Council

. . .

(1) OJ No 172, 30. 9. 1966, p. 3025/66.

(2) See page 17 of this Official Journal.