(1)

Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 lays down, pursuant to the outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the standard values for imports from third countries, in respect of the products and periods stipulated in the Annex thereto.

(2)

In compliance with the above criteria, the standard import values must be fixed at the levels set out in the Annex to this Regulation,

(1)

Article 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1185/2004 of 25 June 2004 opening a standing invitation to tender for the export of rye held by the German intervention agency (2) provides that the time limits for submission of tenders under the partial invitations to tender are to expire each Thursday, with the exception of specific dates.

(2)

Since 1 November, 2 November and 30 December 2004 are public holidays in the majority of Member States, the partial invitations to tender with 4 November and 30 December 2004 as deadlines should be cancelled for reasons relating to administration and sound management.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 1185/2004 should be amended accordingly.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals,

(1)

On 22 January 2002 the Council adopted a Decision appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions (1).

(2)

The seat of a member and the seat of an alternate member of the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the expiry of the mandates of Mr Jörg HAIDER, member, and of Mr Adam UNTERRIEDER, alternate member, of which the Council was notified on 10 May 2004,

(a)

as a member:

(b)

as an alternate member:

(1)

On 22 January 2002 (1) the Council adopted a Decision appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions.

(2)

A seat as an alternate member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the resignation of Mr Rolf BÖHME, notified to the Council on 17 November 2003,

(1)

On 22 January 2002 (1) the Council adopted a Decision appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions.

(2)

A seat as a member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the resignation of Mr Markku KAUPPINEN, notified to the Council on 10 May 2004, and a seat as an alternate member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the nomination of Mr Ossi MARTIKAINEN to be a full member,

a)

Mr Ossi MARTIKAINEN,

Lapinlahden kunnanvaltuuston puheenjohtaja,

is hereby appointed a member in place of Mr Markku KAUPPINEN;

b)

Ms Auli HYVÄRINEN,

Keminmaan kunnanvaltuuston ja kunnanhallituksen jäsen,

is hereby appointed an alternate member in place of Mr Ossi MARTIKAINEN,

(1)

By letter registered at the Commission on 18 June 2004 the Republic of Malta informed the Commission of its intention of applying a reduced rate of VAT to the supply of electricity.

(2)

The planned measure is a general one applying a reduced rate of VAT to the supply of electricity under Article 12(3)(b) of the Sixth VAT Directive.

(3)

Since Malta’s electricity system is small and isolated, there is no risk of distorting competition on the internal market. At present Malta does not use natural gas because it has no gas network or connection.

(4)

Moreover, the VAT rules regarding the place of supply of electricity, as laid down in the Sixth VAT Directive, were amended by Directive 2003/92/EC (3). The supply of electricity in the final stage, from traders and distributors to final consumer, is taxed at the place where the customer has effective use and consumption of the goods, in order to ensure that taxation takes place in the country where actual consumption takes place.

(5)

Since the measure is a general one with no provision for exceptions, the risk of distortion of competition must be deemed non-existent. Since the condition laid down by Article 12(3)(b) of the Sixth Directive is thus fulfilled, Malta should be able to apply the measure concerned as soon as this Decision is notified,

(1)

As soon as the presence of foot-and-mouth disease was officially confirmed in 2001, the Netherlands reported that it had immediately implemented the control measures to be applied in the event of an outbreak of that disease as provided for in Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-month disease (2), as required in order to obtain a financial contribution from the Community for the eradication of the disease in accordance with Decision 90/424/EEC.

(2)

Under Commission Decision 2001/652/EC (3) of 16 August 2001, a Community financial contribution was granted towards the compensation of owners for value of animals compulsorily slaughtered under eradication measures relating to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001.

(3)

A financial contribution from the Community was also granted towards the operational costs of the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in 2001 under Commission Decision 2003/182/EC of 14 March 2003 (4).

(4)

Under Article 2(1) of Commission Decision 2001/246/EC of 27 March 2001 laying down the conditions for the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in application of Article 13 of Directive 85/511/EEC (5), the Netherlands were authorised to decide on resorting to suppressive vaccination under the conditions specified in the Annex to that Decision.

(5)

Under Article 1(2) of Commission Decision 2001/279/EC of 5 April 2001 amending Decision 2001/246/EC, the Netherlands were also authorised to decide on resorting to protective vaccination under the conditions specified in the Annexes to that Decision.

(6)

The vaccination of the animals is to be considered as an additional and essential instrument to avoid the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and to control and eradicate it.

(7)

It is therefore appropriate that the EU contributes to the costs incurred by the Netherlands for the execution of this operation.

(8)

On 21 March 2003, the Netherlands presented a claim for the operational costs of the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease; it included also the costs for the vaccination of the animals.

(9)

According to the information provided by the Netherlands, 380 150 vaccines were used, the purchase and reformulation cost is EUR 0,39 per dose, the eligible costs for the specifically employed personnel are EUR 608 826, and the eligible costs for the specifically used consumables are EUR 513 726.

(10)

The reporting and the claims presented by the Netherlands show that the vaccination has been carried out efficiently.

(11)

Pursuant to Decision 90/424/EEC, the financial contribution towards this operation is 60 % of the eligible costs. The EU contribution towards the vaccination against FMD should therefore be fixed at EUR 762 487.

(12)

Pursuant to Article 3(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing of the common agriculture policy (6), veterinary and plant health measures undertaken in accordance with Community rules are to be financed under the Guarantee Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund; for financial control purposes, Articles 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 apply.

(13)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,