(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)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2270/2004 of 22 December 2004 fixing for 2005 and 2006 the fishing opportunities for Community fishing vessels for certain deep-sea fish stocks (3) lays down quotas for 2005 and 2006.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2006.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing for that stock and its retention on board, transhipment and landing,

(1)

Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2247/2003 provides for the possibility of issuing import licences for beef and veal products originating in Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, imports must take place within the limits of the quantities specified for each of these exporting non-member countries.

(2)

The applications for import licences submitted between 1 to 10 September 2006, expressed in terms of boned meat, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2247/2003, do not exceed, in respect of products originating from Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia, the quantities available from those States. It is therefore possible to issue import licences in respect of the quantities applied for.

(3)

The quantities in respect of which licences may be applied for from 1 October 2006 should be fixed within the scope of the total quantity of 52 100 t.

(4)

This Regulation is without prejudice to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (4),

Germany:

United Kingdom:

(1)

The representative prices and additional duties applicable to imports of white sugar, raw sugar and certain syrups for the 2006/2007 marketing year are fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1002/2006 (3). These prices and duties have been last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1357/2006 (4).

(2)

The data currently available to the Commission indicate that the said amounts should be changed in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 951/2006,

(1)

Council Regulation (EC) No 51/2006 of 22 December 2005 fixing for 2006 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in Community waters and for Community vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (3), lays down quotas for 2006.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2006.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing for that stock and its retention on board, transhipment and landing,

(1)

Council Regulation (EC) No 51/2006 of 22 December 2005 fixing for 2006 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in Community waters and for Community vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (3), lays down quotas for 2006.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2006.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing for that stock and its retention on board, transhipment and landing,

(1)

By Decision 2005/184/EC (1), following a recommendation from the Commission in accordance with Article 104(6) of the Treaty, it was decided that an excessive deficit existed in Cyprus.

(2)

In accordance with Article 104(7) of the Treaty and Article 3(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/97 of 7 July 1997 on speeding up and clarifying the implementation of the excessive deficit procedure (2), the Council made a recommendation on 5 July 2004 addressed to Cyprus with a view to bringing the excessive deficit situation to an end by 2005 at the latest. The recommendation was made public. Specifically, it was recommended that the measures envisaged in the May 2004 convergence programme be implemented with vigour; in particular, that effective action be taken by 5 November 2004 in order to bring the deficit below 3 % of GDP in 2005 in a credible and sustainable manner. The Council also recommended ensuring that the rise in the debt ratio be brought to a halt in 2004 and reversed thereafter. The Council invited the Cypriot authorities to ensure that budgetary consolidation towards the medium-term objective (MTO) be sustained after the excessive deficit has been corrected.

(3)

In accordance with Article 104(12) of the Treaty, a Council Decision on the existence of an excessive deficit is to be abrogated when the excessive deficit in the Member State concerned has, in the view of the Council, been corrected.

(4)

In accordance with the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty, the Commission provides the data for the implementation of the procedure. As part of the application of that Protocol, Member States are to provide data on government deficits and debt and other associated variables twice a year, namely before 1 April and before 1 October, in accordance with Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 of 22 November 1993 on the application of the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Community (3).

(5)

Based on data provided by the Commission (Eurostat) in accordance with Article 8g of Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 following the notification by Cyprus before 1 April 2006 and on the Commission services' Spring 2006 forecast, the following conclusions are warranted:

(6)

According to the Council opinion of 14 March 2006 on the updated convergence programme of Cyprus, 2005 to 2009, the measures planned by the Cypriot authorities over the programme period would bring the structural deficit to about 0,5 % of GDP by 2009, which is considered the medium-term objective chosen by the Cypriot authorities. Based on the estimated outturn for 2005 and taking account of the balance of risks to the budgetary targets, the budgetary stance in the programme seems sufficient to ensure that the programme's MTO is almost reached by 2009, as envisaged in the programme. In the years following the correction of the excessive deficit, the pace of adjustment towards the programme's MTO implied by the programme is broadly in line with the Stability and Growth Pact.

(7)

Decision 2005/184/EC should therefore be abrogated,

(1)

Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 871/2004 specifies that the Regulation shall apply from a date to be fixed by the Council, as soon as the necessary preconditions have been fulfilled, and that the Council may decide to set different dates for the application of different provisions.

(2)

The preconditions mentioned in Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 871/2004 have been fulfilled in respect of Article 1(4) and (5) thereof.

(3)

As regards Switzerland, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement signed between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, which falls within the area referred to in Article 1, point G of Council Decision 1999/437/EC of 17 May 1999 on certain arrangements for the application of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (2), read in conjunction with Articles 4(1) of Council Decision 2004/849/EC (3) and Council Decision 2004/860/EC (4) both of 25 October 2004 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, on the signing, on behalf of the European Community, and on the provisional application of certain provisions of the said Agreement with the Swiss Confederation,

(1)

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

(2)

A seat as a member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the end of the mandate of Ms Virginija LUKOŠIENĖ,

(1)

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

(2)

Three seats of members of the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the resignations of Mr Laust Grove VEJLSTRUP, Mr Johnny SØTRUP and Mrs Tove LARSEN. Three seats of alternate members of the Committee of the Regions have become vacant following the resignations of Mr Sonny BERTHOLD, Mr Niels LARSEN and Mr Mads LEBECH. Two seats of alternate members of the Committee of the Regions will become vacant following the appointment as members of Mr Per Bødker ANDERSEN and Mrs Eva NEJSTGAARD, currently alternate members,

(a)

as members:

(b)

as alternate members:

(1)

Article 2(4) of Decision 2005/211/JHA specifies that certain provisions of Article 1 of that Decision shall take effect from a date to be fixed by the Council, as soon as the necessary preconditions have been fulfilled, and that the Council may decide to fix different dates concerning the taking effect of those provisions.

(2)

The preconditions mentioned in said Article 2(4) have been fulfilled in respect of Article 1(9) (new Articles 101A and 101B) of Decision 2005/211/JHA.

(3)

As regards Switzerland, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement signed between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, which falls within the area referred to in Article 1, point G of Council Decision 1999/437/EC of 17 May 1999 on certain arrangements for the application of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (2), read in conjunction with Article 4(1) of Council Decision 2004/849/EC (3) and Council Decision 2004/860/EC (4) both of 25 October 2004 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, on the signing, on behalf of the European Community, and on the provisional application of certain provisions of the said Agreement with the Swiss Confederation,