(1)

Regulation (EC) No 3690/93 (2) is based on Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture (3) which has been replaced by Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the common fisheries policy (4). The references and provisions contained in Regulation (EC) No 3690/93 are no longer compatible with this new Regulation which establishes new rules on the management of fishing capacity as expressed in fishing licences.

(2)

Articles 22(3) and 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 empower the Commission to lay down implementing rules for the management of fishing licences and fishing capacities.

(3)

On 3 August 2005 the Commission adopted Regulation (EC) No 1281/2005 on the management of fishing licences and the minimal information to be contained therein (5), which is to apply from the date of repeal of Regulation (EC) No 3690/93.

(4)

Regulation (EC) No 3690/93 should therefore be repealed,

(1)

Harmonised indices of consumer prices (HICPs) are harmonised inflation figures required by the Commission and the European Central Bank for the performance of their functions under Article 121 of the Treaty. HICPs are designed to facilitate international comparisons of consumer price inflation. They serve as important indicators for the management of monetary policy.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 2494/95, each Member State is required, as part of the implementation of that Regulation, to produce an HICP starting with the index for January 1997.

(3)

Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 requires that the HICP should be based on the prices of goods and services available for purchase in the economic territory of the Member State for the purposes of directly satisfying consumer needs.

(4)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1749/96 of 9 September 1996 on initial implementing measures for Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 concerning harmonised indices of consumer prices (3) defined the coverage of the HICP as those goods and services which are included in household final monetary consumption expenditure which is incurred, inter alia, on the economic territory of the Member State in one or both of the time periods being compared.

(5)

Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1749/96 requires the HICP to be constructed from target samples which have sufficient prices within each elementary aggregate to take account of the variation of price movements in the population.

(6)

Differences in price collection periods may lead to significant differences in the estimated price change for the time periods being compared.

(7)

A harmonised approach with respect to the temporal coverage of the HICPs is necessary in order to ensure that the resulting HICPs meet the requirements as to comparability, reliability, and relevance according to the third subparagraph of Article 4 and pursuant to Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2494/95.

(8)

The compilation of the Monetary Union index of consumer prices (MUICP) and the European index of consumer prices (EICP) requires a harmonised concept for the temporal coverage of the HICPs. This should not, however, preclude the release of provisional HICPs or HICP flash estimates of the average price change based on a part of the price information observed in the month to which the current index refers.

(9)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1921/2001 of 28 September 2001 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 2494/95 as regards minimum standards for revisions of the harmonised index of consumer prices and amending Regulation (EC) No 2602/2000 (4) stipulates that changes in the system of harmonised rules should not require revisions, but that, where necessary, estimates of the impact on the annual rates of change of the HICP should be made.

(10)

The Statistical Programme Committee has been consulted in accordance with Article 3 of Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom of 19 June 1989 establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities (5),

(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)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1845/2005 (2) opened a standing invitation to tender for the resale on the Community market of 31 185 tonnes of maize held by the Czech intervention agency.

(2)

Given the current market situation, the quantities of maize put up for sale by the Czech intervention agency on the internal market should be increased, taking the permanent invitation to tender to 131 185 tonnes.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 1845/2005 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(4)

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

(1)

The WTO schedule CXL requires the Community to open an annual import quota of 53 000 tonnes of frozen beef covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 0206 29 91 (order number 09.4003). Implementing rules should be laid down for the quota year 2006/2007 starting on 1 July 2006.

(2)

The 2005/2006 quota was managed in conformity with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 715/2005 of 12 May 2005 opening and providing for the administration of a tariff quota for frozen meat of bovine animals covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 0206 29 91 (1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006) (2). That Regulation introduced a method of administration based on an import performance criterion ensuring that the quota is allocated to professional operators able to import beef without undue speculation.

(3)

The experience obtained from the application of that method shows that there are positive results and therefore it is appropriate to maintain the same method of administration for the quota period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007.

(4)

In view of the forthcoming entry into force of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, without prejudice to Article 39 of that Treaty, and in order to enable operators of those countries to benefit from this quota as of the date of their accession, the quota period should be divided into two sub-periods and the quantity available under this quota should be staggered over these periods, taking into account the traditional trade patterns between the Community and the supplier countries within this quota.

(5)

It is appropriate to determine a reference period for eligible imports which is long enough to provide for a representative performance while also sufficiently recent to reflect the latest development in trade.

(6)

For control reasons, applications for import rights should be submitted in the Member States where the operator is entered in the national VAT register.

(7)

In order to prevent speculation, a security relating to import rights should be fixed for each applicant under the quota.

(8)

To oblige operators to apply for import licences for all the import rights allocated, it should be established that such obligation constitutes a primary requirement within the meaning of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85 of 22 July 1985 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of securities for agricultural products (3).

(9)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (4) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1445/95 of 26 June 1995 on rules of application for import and export licences in the beef and veal sector and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2377/80 (5) should be applicable to import licences issued under this Regulation, save where derogations are appropriate.

(10)

The Management Committee for Beef and Veal has not given an opinion within the time limit set by its President,

(a)

100 kilograms of bone-in meat shall be equivalent to 77 kilograms of boneless meat;

(b)

‘frozen meat’ means meat that is frozen and has an internal temperature of – 12 °C or lower when it enters the customs territory of the Community.

(1)

The quantities for resale currently set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 22/2006 (2) reflect the situation of the intervention stocks on 31 December 2005. Since that date, important quantities have been accepted by the intervention agencies of some of those Member States and also by Germany and Slovenia.

(2)

Those quantities should be included in the offer for sale by standing invitation to tender on the Community internal market.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 22/2006 should be amended accordingly.

(4)

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

1.

The title is replaced by the following:

‘Commission Regulation (EC) No 22/2006 of 9 January 2006 opening a standing invitation to tender for the resale on the Community market of sugar held by the intervention agencies of Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Sweden’.

2.

Article 1 is replaced by the following:

3.

Annex I is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 was implemented by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 of 24 September 2003 laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations (2).

(2)

Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 establishes that, by way of derogation from paragraph 21.A.159 of its Annex, Member States may issue approvals of a limited duration until 28 September 2005.

(3)

Article 5(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 specifies that the European Aviation Safety Agency (hereinafter referred to as the Agency) is to make, in due time, an evaluation of the implication of the provisions of that Regulation for the duration of the validity of approvals in view of producing an opinion to the Commission including possible amendments to the said Regulation.

(4)

The Agency has undertaken this evaluation and concluded that a new deadline should be set so that Member States can adapt their national legislation to the system of approvals of unlimited duration.

(5)

There is no further need for the provision on an evaluation by the Agency. That provision should be deleted.

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are based on the opinion issued by the Agency in accordance with Articles 12(2)(b) and 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002.

(8)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 54 of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002,

(a)

in paragraph 2, ‘28 September 2005’ is replaced by ‘28 September 2007’;

(b)

paragraph 5 is deleted.

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 was implemented by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2042/2003 of 20 November 2003 on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks (2) as well as by Regulation (EC) No 1702/2003 of 24 September 2003 laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production organisations (3).

(2)

Article 7(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2042/2003 establishes that Member States may issue approvals of a limited duration until 28 September 2005, with regard to its Annexes II and IV.

(3)

The European Aviation Safety Agency (hereinafter referred to as the Agency) has undertaken an evaluation of the implication of the provisions for the duration of the validity of approvals and concluded that a new deadline should be established so that Member States can adapt their national legislation to the system of approvals of unlimited duration.

(4)

The results of conclusions of the investigation of past accidents, regarding ageing aircraft and fuel tank safety, emphasise the need to take into account new or modified maintenance instructions promulgated by the Type Certificate holder and to carry out regular reviews of the maintenance programme.

(5)

It is necessary to specify that personnel exercising certification privileges should be able to produce their licence as evidence of qualification if requested by an authorised person within 24 hours.

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 2042/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are based on opinions issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency in accordance with Articles 12(2)(b) and 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002.

(8)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 54(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002,

1.

in Article 7, paragraph (4) ‘28 September 2005’ is replaced by ‘28 September 2007.’;

2.

in Annex I, paragraph M.A.302, the following points (f) and (g) are added:

3.

in Annex III, the following paragraph is inserted:

‘66.A.55   Evidence of qualification

Personnel exercising certification privileges must produce their licence, as evidence of qualification, if requested by an authorised person, within 24 hours.’

(1)

By Commission Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 (2) certain international standards and interpretations that were extant at 14 September 2002 were adopted.

(2)

On 24 November 2005, the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) published IFRIC Interpretation 7 Applying the Restatement Approach under IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies, hereinafter ‘IFRIC 7’. IFRIC 7 clarifies the requirements under IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies relating to issues that companies had regarding how a company should restate its financial statements pursuant to IAS 29 in the first year it identifies the existence of hyperinflation in the economy of its functional currency.

(3)

On 15 December 2005, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued Amendment to IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates — Net Investment in a Foreign Operation, to clarify its requirements regarding an entity's investment in foreign operations. Companies had raised concerns relating to loans that form part of a company's investment in a foreign operation as IAS 21 included provisions requiring the loan to be denominated in the functional currency of either the company or the foreign operation in order that the exchange differences arising could be recognised in the equity section of the consolidated financial statements. However, in practice the loan may be denominated in another (third) currency. The IASB concluded that it had not intended to impose this restriction, therefore published this amendment to permit the loan to be denominated in a third currency.

(4)

The consultation with technical experts in the field confirm that IFRIC 7 and the Amendment to IAS 21 meet the technical criteria for adoption set out in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002.

(5)

Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Accounting Regulatory Committee,

1.

International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee’s (IFRIC) Interpretation 7 Applying the Restatement Approach under IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies, is inserted as set out in the Annex to this Regulation;

2.

International Accounting Standard (IAS) 21 is amended in accordance with the Amendment to IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates — Net Investment in a Foreign Operation, as set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

(1)

The import duties in the cereals sector are fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 665/2006 (3).

(2)

Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1249/96 provides that if during the period of application, the average import duty calculated differs by EUR 5 per tonne from the duty fixed, a corresponding adjustment is to be made. Such a difference has arisen. It is therefore necessary to adjust the import duties fixed in Regulation (EC) No 665/2006,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 230/2006 (3) fixes the indicative quantities for which system B export licences may be issued.

(2)

In the light of the information available to the Commission today, there is a risk that the indicative quantities laid down for the current export period for tomatoes will shortly be exceeded. This overrun will prejudice the proper working of the export refund scheme in the fruit and vegetables sector.

(3)

To avoid this situation, applications for system B licences for tomatoes after 8 May 2006 should be rejected until the end of the current export period,

(1)

On 24 January 2006, the Council adopted Decision 2006/116/EC appointing the members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period from 26 January 2006 to 25 January 2010 (1).

(2)

A seat as a member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the expiry of the mandate of Mr František DOHNAL. A second member's seat has become vacant following the resignation of Mr Martin TESAŘÍK. An alternate member's seat will become vacant following the appointment as member of Mr Stanislav JURÁNEK, currently an alternate member. A second alternate member's seat will become vacant following the appointment as member of Mr Petr OSVALD, currently an alternate member,

(a)

as members:

(b)

as alternate members: