18.3.2011

Official Journal of the European Union

C 85/3

Euro exchange rates (1)

17 March 2011

2011/C 85/03

1 euro =

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,4004
JPY	Japanese yen	110,42
DKK	Danish krone	7,4586
GBP	Pound sterling	0,86745
SEK	Swedish krona	8,9905
CHF	Swiss franc	1,2625
ISK	Iceland króna
NOK	Norwegian krone	7,8985
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	24,396
HUF	Hungarian forint	273,74
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,4528
LVL	Latvian lats	0,7070
PLN	Polish zloty	4,0790
RON	Romanian leu	4,1800
TRY	Turkish lira	2,2182
AUD	Australian dollar	1,4216
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,3808
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	10,9252
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,9391
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,7922
KRW	South Korean won	1 586,55
ZAR	South African rand	9,9220
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	9,2076
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,3763
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	12 298,92
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,2803
PHP	Philippine peso	61,477
RUB	Russian rouble	40,0900
THB	Thai baht	42,404
BRL	Brazilian real	2,3367
MXN	Mexican peso	16,9434
INR	Indian rupee	63,2300

(1) Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

18.3.2011

Official Journal of the European Union

C 85/4

COMMISSION DECISION

of 17 March 2011

conferring on the Republic of Croatia management of aid relating to the Component V — Agriculture and Rural Development of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for pre-accession measures 301 and 302 in the pre-accession period

2011/C 85/04

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 of 17 July 2006 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) (1),

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA) (2) and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (hereinafter referred to as: ‘the Financial Regulation’) (3), and in particular Article 53c and 56(2) thereof,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Community (hereinafter referred to as: the Implementing Rules) (4) and in particular Article 35 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)	Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 lays down the objectives and main principles for pre-accession assistance to candidate and potential candidate countries for the period from 2007 to 2013 and confers the responsibility for its implementation to the Commission.

(2)

Articles 11, 12, 13, 14, 18 and 186 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 give the Commission the possibility to confer management powers to the beneficiary country and define the requirements for such conferral relating to the Component V — Agriculture and Rural Development of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance.

(3)

Under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 the Commission and the beneficiary country shall conclude a framework agreement, in order to set out and agree on the rules for cooperation concerning EU financial assistance to the beneficiary country. Where necessary, the framework agreement may be complemented by a sectoral agreement, or sectoral agreements, covering component specific provisions.

(4)	For conferring management powers to the beneficiary country, the conditions laid down in Article 53c and 56(2) of the Financial Regulation and in Article 35 of the Implementing Rules must be fulfilled.

(5)

The Framework Agreement on the rules for co-operation concerning EU financial assistance to the Republic of Croatia in the framework of the implementation of the assistance under the instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA) between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Commission of the European Union was concluded on 17 December 2007.

(6)

The Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Croatia under IPA (hereinafter referred to as IPARD Programme) was approved by Commission Decision C(2008) 690 of 25 February 2008, in accordance with Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006, and Article 184 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 included a plan for the annual EU contributions as well as the financing agreement.

(7)

The Sectoral Agreement concluded on 12 January 2009 between the Commission of the European Union, acting for and on behalf of the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Croatia, acting on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, complements the provisions of the Framework Agreement, laying down the specific provisions applicable for the implementation and the execution of the IPARD Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Croatia under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

(8)	The IPARD Programme was last amended on 26 November 2010 by Commission Decision C(2010) 8462.

(9)

Pursuant to Article 21 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 the beneficiary country has to designate bodies and authorities responsible for implementation of the IPARD Programme: the Competent Accrediting Officer, the National Authorising Officer, the National Fund, the Managing Authority, the IPARD Agency and the Audit Authority.

(10)	The Government of Croatia has appointed the National Fund Sector, an organisational unit of the State Treasury within the Ministry of Finance, acting as the National Fund, which will execute the functions and responsibilities as defined in Annex I of the Sectoral Agreement.

(11)	The Government of Croatia has appointed the independent public institution Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development to act as the IPARD Agency, which will execute the functions and responsibilities as defined in Annex I of the Sectoral Agreement.

(12)

The Government of Croatia has appointed the Directorate for Rural Development, Sapard/IPARD Programme Managing Authority, within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, to act as the Managing Authority, which will execute the functions and responsibilities as defined in Annex I of the Sectoral Agreement.

(13)	The Competent Accrediting Officer notified the European Commission on 12 November 2008 of the accreditation of the National Authorising Officer and the National Fund in accordance with Article 12(3) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

(14)

The National Authorising Officer notified the European Commission on 12 November 2008 of the accreditation of the operating structure in charge of the management and implementation of the IPA Component V — Rural Development for measures 101, 103 and 301, in accordance with Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007. On 6 May 2010, the National Authorising Officer decided to issue an Addendum to the Decision on national accreditation act for the IPARD measure 301.

(15)

On 28 May 2010, the National Authorising Officer notified the European Commission of accreditation of the operating structure in charge of the management and implementation of IPA Component V — Rural Development for submeasure 202/1 ‘Acquisition of skills’, measures 302 ‘Diversification and development of rural economic activities’ and 501 ‘Technical assistance’, in accordance with Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

(16)	On 21 December 2010, the National Authorising Officer notified the European Commission of withdrawing accreditation of the Operating Structure in charge of the management and implementation of IPA Component V — Rural Development for submeasure 201/1.

(17)	On 16 March 2009, the Croatian Authorities submitted to the Commission the list of eligible expenditure for measures 101, 103 and 301 in conformity with Article 32(3) of the Sectoral Agreement. The Commission approved this list on 8 April 2009.

(18)	On 29 October 2010, the Croatian Authorities submitted to the Commission the last modified list of eligible expenditure for measure 302 in conformity with Article 32(3) of the Sectoral Agreement. The Commission approved this list on 10 November 2010.

(19)	On 24 November 2009, the Croatian Authorities submitted to the Commission the list of eligible expenditure for measure 501 in conformity with Article 32(3) of the Sectoral Agreement. The Commission approved this list on 29 March 2010.

(20)

The Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development acting as the IPARD Agency, and the Directorate for Rural Development, Sapard/IPARD Programme Managing Authority, acting as the Managing Authority, will be responsible for implementing the three measures accredited by National Authorising Officer: 301 ‘Improvement and development of rural infrastructure’, 302 ‘Diversification and development of rural economic activities’ and 501 ‘Technical assistance’ as defined in the Programme; in addition to the two measures conferred in 2009, out of seven from the IPARD Programme.

(21)

In order to take into account the requirements of Article 19(1) of the Framework Agreement the expenditure pursuant to this Decision shall be eligible for Community co-finance only if not paid earlier than the date of conferral decision, with the exception of measure 501 ‘Technical assistance’ referred to Article 19(2) of the Framework Agreement and the general costs referred to in Article 172(3c) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007. Expenditure shall be eligible if it is in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and, in particular, of economy and cost-effectiveness.

(22)

Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 provides that the ex ante approval requirement may be waived according to its Article 18(2) on the basis of a case-by-case analysis of effective functioning of the management and control system concerned and provides for detailed rules for the carrying out of the said analysis.

(23)

Pursuant to Articles 14 and 18 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007, the accreditations referred to in Articles 11, 12 and 13 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 have been reviewed; and the procedures and structures of the bodies and authorities concerned, as set out in the application submitted by the National Authorising Officer, have been examined, including by on-the-spot verifications.

(24)

The verifications carried out by the Commission for measure 301 ‘Improvement and development of rural infrastructure’ and measure 302 ‘Diversification and development of rural economic activities’ are based on a system that is operational, but not yet operating, with regard to all relevant elements.

(25)	Although the Audit Authority is not itself part of this Decision, its level of readiness to operate as a functionally independent audit body by the time of submission to the Commission of the accreditation package for the conferral of management has been evaluated by on-the-spot verifications.

(26)	Croatia's compliance with the requirements of Article 56(2) of the Financial Regulation and Articles 11, 12 and 13 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 has been assessed by on-the-spot verifications.

(27)

The assessment has shown that Croatia complies with the requirements for measures 301 and 302. However, the Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, acting as the IPARD Agency, has not yet implemented properly the accreditation criteria for the functions it is due to perform in the framework of the implementation of measure 501.

(28)

It is therefore appropriate to waive according to Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 the ex ante approval requirements referred to in Article 165 of the Financial Regulation and to confer on the National Authorising Officer, on the National Fund, on the IPARD Agency and on the Managing Authority, the management powers relating to the measures 301 and 302 of the Programme for Croatia on a decentralised basis,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1. The management of assistance provided for under IPA — Component V as regards Agriculture and Rural Development is conferred on the concerned bodies under the conditions laid down in this Decision.

2. The requirement for ex ante approval by the Commission of managing, paying and implementing functions for measure 301 ‘Improvement and development of rural infrastructure’ and measure 302 ‘Diversification and development of rural economic activities’ by the Republic of Croatia, is hereby waived according to Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

Article 2

This Decision shall apply on the basis of the following structures, bodies and authorities designated by the Republic of Croatia for the management of measures 301 and 302 of the Programme provided for under IPA — Component V:

(a)	the National Authorising Officer;

(b)	the National Fund;

(c)

the Operating Structure for IPA — Component V:

—	the Managing Authority,

—	the IPARD Agency.

Article 3

1. The management powers are conferred on the structures, bodies and authorities as specified in Article 2 of this Decision.

2. The national authorities shall carry out further verifications with regard to the structures, bodies and authorities set out in Article 2 of this Decision, in order to ensure that the management and control system operates satisfactorily. Verifications shall be carried out before the submission of the first declaration of expenditure requesting the reimbursement related to measures stated in Article 1(2) above.

Article 4

1. Expenditure paid earlier than the date of this Decision shall in no case be eligible with the exception of general costs referred to in Article 172(3c) of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

2. Expenditure shall be eligible if it is in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and, in particular, of economy and cost-effectiveness.

Article 5

1. Without prejudice to any decisions granting aid under the IPARD Programme to individual beneficiaries, the rules for eligibility of expenditure for measure 301 proposed by Croatia by letter No ‘Class: NP 018-04/09-01/106, Ref. number: 525-12-3-0472/09-2’ of 16 March 2009 and registered in the Commission on 26 March 2009 under No 8151 shall apply.

2. Without prejudice to any decisions granting aid under the IPARD Programme to individual beneficiaries, the rules for eligibility of expenditure for measure 302 proposed by Croatia by letter No ‘Class: NP 011-02/09-01/72, Ref. number: 525-12-3-0473/10-30’ of 19 October 2010 and registered in the Commission on 29 October 2010 under No 761752 shall apply.

Article 6

1. The Commission shall monitor compliance with the requirements for the conferral of management powers as laid down in Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

2. At any time during the implementation of this Decision, should the Commission consider that the obligations of the Republic of Croatia under this Decision are no longer met, the Commission may decide to withdraw or suspend the conferral of management powers on the basis of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 718/2007.

3. The Republic of Croatia as laid down in article 19 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 718/2007 shall ensure:

—	investigation and effective treatment of suspected cases of fraud and irregularities and shall ensure the functioning of a control and reporting mechanism equivalent to that referred to in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006,

—	implementation of fraud prevention measures by its national bodies. The fraud prevention measures adopted shall equally be communicated to the Commission.

Done at Brussels, 17 March 2011.

For the Commission

Dacian CIOLOŞ

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 82.

(2) OJ L 170, 29.6.2007, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.

(4) OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1.

18.3.2011

Official Journal of the European Union

C 85/10

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL FILE FOR ÚJFEHÉRTÓI MEGGYPÁLINKA

2011/C 85/07

INTRODUCTION

On 8 June 2010, Hungary has applied for registration of ‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’ as a geographical indication within Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89.

According to Article 17(5) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, the Commission shall verify, within 12 months of the date of submission of the application referred to in paragraph 1, whether that application complies with this Regulation.

This verification has been done and in accordance with Article 17(6), the Commission services have announced that the application complies with the Regulation at the 101st meeting of the Committee for spirit drinks on 17 November 2010.

Therefore, the main specifications of the technical file shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C Series.

According to Article 17(7), within six months of the date of publication of the main specifications of the technical file, any natural or legal person that has a legitimate interest may object to the registration of the geographical indication in Annex III on the grounds that the conditions provided for in this Regulation are not fulfilled. The objection, which must be duly substantiated, shall be submitted to the Commission in one of the official languages of the European Union or accompanied by a translation into one of those languages.

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL FILE FOR ‘ÚJFEHÉRTÓI MEGGYPÁLINKA’

A. Name and category of spirit drink including the geographical indication:

Name: Újfehértói meggypálinka

Category of spirit drink: Fruit spirit (category 9 in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008)

B. Description of spirit drink, including the main physical, chemical, microbiological and organoleptic characteristics:

Organoleptic characteristics:

Clear, colourless, pleasant sour cherry flavour and aroma; with citrus notes from the fruit and marzipan notes from the sour cherry stones.

Chemical and physical properties:

alcoholic strength	:	min. 40 % vol.;
methyl alcohol content	:	max. 1 000 g/hl of 100 % vol. alc;
volatile substances content	:	min. 200 g/hl of 100 % vol. alc;
hydrocyanic acid content	:	max. 7 g/hl of 100 % vol. alc.

C. Definition of the geographical area concerned:

‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’ may originate only from the following settlements of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county: Bálintbokor, Butyka, Császárszállás, Érpatak, Geszteréd, Kálmánháza, Kismicske, Kisszegegyháza, Lászlótanya, Ludastó, Petőfitanya, Szirond, Újfehértó, Újsortanya, Táncsicstag, Vadastag, Zsindelyes.

D. Description of the method for obtaining ‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’:

‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’ can only be produced from cherry varieties ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ and ‘Debreceni bőtermő’.

No additives or sugar may be added to the fruit pulp.

During mashing procedure properly prepared and rehydrated yeast is added to the stoned sour cherry mash.

In the case of stone-fruits it is necessary to insure the so called ‘fruit stone flavour’. Therefore, if needed, dried broken stones are added to the fermenting mash, in addition to the permitted broken stones (max. 3 %).

Sour cherry mash may be distilled by two types of equipment (fractional, ‘kisüsti’ type or continuous distillation). After distillation the distillate rests and matures in clean stainless-steel container for at least three months.

E. Details bearing out the link with the geographical environment or the geographical origin:

The main soil type in the concerned geographical area is sandy soil with humus on sand-forming rocks. This type of soil is characterised by a humus content over 1 % and a topsoil of 40 cm. It has good water retention capacity and permeability, it is airy and does not dry easily, and its nutrient capacity is sufficient to achieve a good yield. The water management properties of the soil are also favourable, as moderate water permeability combines with good water retention capacity. Its airiness and nutrient management properties are further positive factors.

A comparison of the production requirements of the ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ variety with the characteristics of the geographical area demonstrates a happy coincidence between them, and it is not mere chance that sour cherry production was started here and that the variety ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ has its origin here; or that most of the sour-cherry crop of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county is produced here.

In Újfehértó, as well as in the Alföld generally, fruit played an important part in nutrition. One such fruit was the sour cherry, the wild growing varieties of which could already be found in the surrounding areas at the beginning of the 17th century.

Smallholders with larger holdings and orchards had their summer pálinka made at the same time as the ‘harvest pálinka’ for the inhabitants of the settlement was produced.

From the beginning of the 19th century, Újfehértó had numerous and extensive vineyards. Beside the vines various fruit trees were also to be seen, such as the semi-wild ‘gipsy’ sour cherry trees and, in ever growing numbers, the Szilágyi and Pándy sour cherry trees. During the middle of the 1970s, sour cherry orchards started to emerge on smaller farms, mainly made up of the Pándy sour cherry variety and the ‘fürtös’ sour cherry developed at the research station of Újfehértó in 1965.

There used to be two larger industrial pálinka distilleries operating in Újfehértó, one financed by the settlement and the other by the local landowners. The former was in the north part of the settlement, the latter — founded by Lőrinc Csernyus first lieutenant of the 1848-1849 revolution — in the south part is still operating in Rákóczi út.

All in all, we can say that, in view of the appropriate climatic conditions, sour-cherry pálinka production and consumption have a long-standing tradition in the designated area.

The ‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’ can only be produced and bottled in the distilleries of the concerned geographical area.

F. Requirements laid down by Union and/or national and/or regional provisions:

—	Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89.

—	Act LXXIII of 2008 on pálinka, grape marc pálinka and Pálinka National Council.

G. Name and postal address of the applicant:

Name

Zsindelyes Pálinkafőzde Kft.

Postal address

Érpatak

Zsindelyes tanya 1.

4245

MAGYARORSZÁG/HUNGARY

H. Supplement to the geographical indication and/or specific labelling rules:

Indications contain the followings in addition to the requirements prescribed by the legal regulations:

‘Újfehértói meggypálinka’

‘Geographical Indication’

		ISSN 1725-2423 doi:10.3000/17252423.C_2011.085.eng
Official Journal of the European Union		C 85

English edition	Information and Notices	Volume 54 18 March 2011

Notice No	Contents	page
	II Information
	INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
	European Commission
2011/C 085/01	Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.6121 — GEA Dutch Holding/CFS Holdings) ( 1 )	1

	IV Notices
	NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES
	Council
2011/C 085/02	Draft amending budget No 1 of the European Union for the financial year 2011 — Council position	2

	European Commission
2011/C 085/03	Euro exchange rates	3

2011/C 085/04	Commission Decision of 17 March 2011 conferring on the Republic of Croatia management of aid relating to the Component V — Agriculture and Rural Development of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for pre-accession measures 301 and 302 in the pre-accession period	4

2011/C 085/05	New national side of euro coins intended for circulation	8

	NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES
2011/C 085/06	Commission information notice pursuant to Article 16(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community — Public service obligations in respect of scheduled air services ( 1 )	9

	V Announcements
	OTHER ACTS
	European Commission
2011/C 085/07	Main specifications of the technical file for Újfehértói meggypálinka	10

	Corrigenda
2011/C 085/08	Corrigendum to the information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the common market in application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty (General Block Exemption Regulation) (OJ C 78, 11.3.2011)	13


	(1) Text with EEA relevance