(1)

In order to implement the measures imposed against Liberia by the United Nations Security Council Resolution (hereinafter referred to as ‘UNSCR’) 1521 (2003), Common Position 2004/137/CFSP (3) of 10 February 2004 concerning restrictive measures against Liberia provided for the implementation of the measures set out in UNSCR 1521 (2003) concerning Liberia, and a ban on the provision to Liberia of financial assistance related to military activities. In line with UN Security Council Resolutions 1647 (2005), 1683 (2006) and 1689 (2006), Common Positions 2006/31/CFSP and 2006/518/CFSP confirmed the restrictive measures of Common Position 2004/137/CFSP for a further period of time and provided for certain modifications.

(2)

Council Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 (4) prohibits the provision to Liberia of technical and financial assistance related to military activities, the import of rough diamonds from Liberia and the import of round logs and timber products originating in that country.

(3)

On 20 June 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1689 (2006). It decided, inter alia, not to renew the prohibition against imports of all round logs and timber products originating in Liberia, which had been imposed by paragraph 10 of UNSCR 1521 (2003) and, after several extensions, expired on 20 June 2006. The Security Council expressed its determination to reinstate that prohibition if, within a period of ninety days, Liberia failed to pass the forestry legislation proposed by the Forest Reform Monitoring Committee created by the Government of Liberia.

(4)

The Security Council revisited the matter on 20 October 2006 and concluded that Liberia had adopted the necessary forestry legislation. It resolved therefore not to reinstate the prohibition.

(5)

Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 234/2004, which prohibits the import into the Community of all round logs and timber products originating in Liberia and was suspended from 23 June 2006 to 18 September 2006, should therefore be repealed with retroactive effect to 19 September 2006,

(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 8(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 provides that the difference between prices in international trade for the products listed in Article 1(1) of that Regulation and prices within the Community may be covered by an export refund where these goods are exported in the form of goods listed in the Annex to that Regulation.

(2)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1043/2005 of 30 June 2005 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 3448/93 as regards the system of granting export refunds on certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty, and the criteria for fixing the amount of such refunds (2), specifies the products for which a rate of refund is to be fixed, to be applied where these products are exported in the form of goods listed in Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75.

(3)

In accordance with the second paragraph of Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1043/2005, the rate of the refund per 100 kilograms for each of the basic products in question is to be fixed for a period of the same duration as that for which refunds are fixed for the same products exported unprocessed.

(4)

Article 11 of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded under the Uruguay Round lays down that the export refund for a product contained in a good may not exceed the refund applicable to that product when exported without further processing.

(5)

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

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1555/96 of 30 July 1996 on rules of application for additional import duties on fruit and vegetables (2) provides for surveillance of imports of the products listed in the Annex thereto. That surveillance is to be carried out in accordance with the rules laid down in Article 308d of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code (3).

(2)

For the purposes of Article 5(4) of the Agreement on Agriculture (4) concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations and in the light of the latest data available for 2003, 2004 and 2005, the trigger levels for additional duties on pears, lemons, apples and courgettes should be adjusted.

(3)

As a result, Regulation (EC) No 1555/96 should be amended.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,

(1)

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 lists the persons, groups and entities covered by the freezing of funds and economic resources under that Regulation.

(2)

On 5 and 7 December 2006, the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council decided to amend the list of persons, groups and entities to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources should apply. Annex I should therefore be amended accordingly.

(3)

In order to ensure that the measures provided for in this Regulation are effective, this Regulation must enter into force immediately,

(1)

Article 13(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1 of that Regulation and prices for these products within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Given the present situation in the market in pigmeat, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75.

(3)

Article 13(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 provides that the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund on the products listed in Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 according to destination.

(4)

Refunds should be granted only on products that are allowed to move freely in the Community and that bear the health mark as provided for in Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (2). Those products should also comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (3) and of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption (4).

(5)

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

(1)

Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1(1) of that regulation and prices for those products on the Community market may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Given the present situation on the market in eggs, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and certain criteria provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75.

(3)

Article 8(3), second subparagraph of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 provides that the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund according to destination.

(4)

Refunds should be granted only on products that are allowed to move freely in the Community and that comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (2) and of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (3) as well as marking requirements of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 of 26 June 1990 on certain marketing standards for eggs (4).

(5)

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

(1)

Article 8(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2777/75 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1(1) of that Regulation and prices for those products on the Community market may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Given the present situation on the market in poultrymeat, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2777/75.

(3)

Article 8(3), second subparagraph of Regulation (EEC) No 2777/75 provides that the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund according to destination.

(4)

Refunds should be granted only on products that are allowed to move freely in the Community and that bear the identification mark as provided for in Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (2). Those products should also comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (3).

(5)

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

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1484/95 (4), fixes detailed rules for implementing the system of additional import duties and fixes representative prices in the poultrymeat and egg sectors and for egg albumin.

(2)

It results from regular monitoring of the information providing the basis for the verification of the import prices in the poultrymeat and egg sectors and for egg albumin that the representative prices for imports of certain products should be amended taking into account variations of prices according to origin. Therefore, representative prices should be published.

(3)

It is necessary to apply this amendment as soon as possible, given the situation on the market.

(4)

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

(1)

On 10 June 1999 the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the European Union and the Commission of the European Communities, together with the other participants in the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, agreed to establish a Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Stability Pact’.

(2)

Article 1(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000 provides for the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact to be appointed on an annual basis.

(3)

It is necessary to establish, together with the appointment, a mandate for the Special Coordinator. Experience has shown that the mandate laid down in Council Decision 2005/912/EC of 12 December 2005 on the appointment of the Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe (2) for 2006 is appropriate. Further to the conclusions of the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table which endorsed on 30 May 2006 in Belgrade a transition plan to regional ownership, and in accordance with the Council conclusions of 12 June 2006, the mandate should put a special emphasis on the requirements of this transition.

(4)

It is appropriate to lay down clear lines of responsibility as well as guidance on coordination and reporting,

(a)

promote achievement of the Stability Pact’s objectives within, and between, the individual countries, where the Stability Pact proves to have an added value;

(b)

chair the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table;

(c)

maintain close contact with all participants and facilitating States, organisations and institutions of the Stability Pact, as well as relevant regional initiatives and organisations, with a view to fostering regional cooperation and enhancing regional ownership;

(d)

cooperate closely with all institutions of the European Union and its Member States in order to promote the role of the European Union in the Stability Pact in accordance with points 18, 19, and 20 of the Stability Pact document and to ensure complementarity between the work of the Stability Pact and the Stabilisation and Association Process;

(e)

meet periodically and collectively as appropriate with the Chairs of the Working Tables to ensure strategic overall coordination and act as the secretariat of the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table and its instruments;

(f)

work on the basis of a list, agreed in advance and in consultation with the participants in the Stability Pact, of priority actions for the Stability Pact to implement during 2007, and adjust the working methods and structures of the Stability Pact to the needs of the transition to regional ownership, ensuring consistency and efficient use of resources;

(g)

facilitate the implementation of the transition to regional ownership in accordance to the conclusions of the South-Eastern Europe Regional Table on 30 May 2006 and to this purpose work closely with the South-Eastern European Cooperation Process and its Secretary General when designated. Particular attention shall be given to the establishment of the Regional Cooperation Council and of a regional cooperation secretariat as well as on the streamlining of the various Task Forces and initiatives of the Stability Pact.