(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)

According to the principles of organic production at farm level as laid down in Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91, livestock must be fed on organically produced feedingstuffs. However, a limited part of the feed formula of rations may comprise in-conversion feedingstuffs as defined in Article 4, point 24, of Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.

(2)

Producers in certain Member States are currently facing a deficiency of organic feed, due to below average harvests of organic crops, reinforced legal requirements regarding organic origin of feed and expanding markets for organic produce. In order to alleviate that deficiency, it is considered appropriate to provide, during a limited period, for an increase of the percentage of in-conversion feedingstuffs that may be included in the feed ration.

(3)

A temporary increase of the allowed percentage of in-conversion feedingstuffs will also secure future supplies of organic feed and create incentives for farmers to convert to organic farming by improving the market for in-conversion fodder.

(4)

Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up by Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91,

(1)

The rates of the refunds applicable from 30 March 2007 to the products listed in the Annex, exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty, were fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 339/2007 (2).

(2)

It follows from applying the rules and criteria contained in Regulation (EC) No 339/2007 to the information at present available to the Commission that the export refunds at present applicable should be altered as shown in the Annex hereto,

(1)

Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1784/2003 and Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1785/2003 provide that the difference between quotations or prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1 of each of those Regulations and the prices within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(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 (3), 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 III to Regulation (EC) No 1784/2003 or in Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1785/2003 as appropriate.

(3)

In accordance with the first 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 each month.

(4)

The commitments entered into with regard to refunds which may be granted for the export of agricultural products contained in goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty may be jeopardised by the fixing in advance of high refund rates. It is therefore necessary to take precautionary measures in such situations without, however, preventing the conclusion of long-term contracts. The fixing of a specific refund rate for the advance fixing of refunds is a measure which enables these various objectives to be met.

(5)

Taking into account the settlement between the European Community and the United States of America on Community exports of pasta products to the United States, approved by Council Decision 87/482/EEC (4), it is necessary to differentiate the refund on goods falling within CN codes 1902 11 00 and 1902 19 according to their destination.

(6)

Pursuant to Article 15(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1043/2005, a reduced rate of export refund has to be fixed, taking account of the amount of the production refund applicable, pursuant to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1722/93 (5), for the basic product in question, used during the assumed period of manufacture of the goods.

(7)

Spirituous beverages are considered less sensitive to the price of the cereals used in their manufacture. However, Protocol 19 of the Act of Accession of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark provides that the necessary measures must be decided to facilitate the use of Community cereals in the manufacture of spirituous beverages obtained from cereals. Accordingly, it is necessary to adapt the refund rate applying to cereals exported in the form of spirituous beverages.

(8)

The Management Committee for Cereals has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman,

(1)

Article 31(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 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 milk and milk products, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and certain criteria provided for in Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999.

(3)

The second subparagraph of Article 31(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 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)

In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Community and the Dominican Republic on import protection for milk powder in the Dominican Republic (2) approved by Council Decision 98/486/EC (3), a certain amount of Community milk products exported to the Dominican Republic can benefit from reduced customs duties. For this reason, export refunds granted to products exported under this scheme should be reduced by a certain percentage.

(5)

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

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 581/2004 of 26 March 2004 opening a standing invitation to tender for export refunds concerning certain types of butter (2) provides for a permanent tender.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 580/2004 of 26 March 2004 establishing a tender procedure concerning export refunds for certain milk products (3) and following an examination of the tenders submitted in response to the invitation to tender, it is appropriate to fix a maximum export refund for the tendering period ending on 10 April 2007.

(3)

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

(1)

Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1784/2003 and Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1785/2003 provide that the difference between quotations or prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1 of those Regulations and prices for those products within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1785/2003 provides that when refunds are being fixed account must be taken of the existing situation and the future trend with regard to prices and availabilities of cereals, rice and broken rice on the Community market on the one hand and prices for cereals, rice, broken rice and cereal products on the world market on the other. The same Articles provide that it is also important to ensure equilibrium and the natural development of prices and trade on the markets in cereals and rice and, furthermore, to take into account the economic aspect of the proposed exports, and the need to avoid disturbances on the Community market.

(3)

Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1518/95 (3) on the import and export system for products processed from cereals and from rice defines the specific criteria to be taken into account when the refund on these products is being calculated.

(4)

The refund to be granted in respect of certain processed products should be graduated on the basis of the ash, crude fibre, tegument, protein, fat and starch content of the individual product concerned, this content being a particularly good indicator of the quantity of basic product actually incorporated in the processed product.

(5)

There is no need at present to fix an export refund for manioc, other tropical roots and tubers or flours obtained therefrom, given the economic aspect of potential exports and in particular the nature and origin of these products. For certain products processed from cereals, the insignificance of Community participation in world trade makes it unnecessary to fix an export refund at the present time.

(6)

The world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund for certain products according to destination.

(7)

The refund must be fixed once a month. It may be altered in the intervening period.

(8)

Certain processed maize products may undergo a heat treatment following which a refund might be granted that does not correspond to the quality of the product; whereas it should therefore be specified that on these products, containing pregelatinised starch, no export refund is to be granted.

(9)

The Management Committee for Cereals has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman,

(1)

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1183/2005 lists the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies covered by the freezing of funds and economic resources under that Regulation.

(2)

On 29 March 2007, the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council amended the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources should apply. Annex I should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 936/97 provides in Articles 4 and 5 the conditions for applications and for the issue of import licences for meat referred to in Article 2(f).

(2)

Article 2(f) of Regulation (EC) No 936/97 fixes the amount of high-quality fresh, chilled or frozen beef and veal meeting the definition laid down therein which may be imported on special terms for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 at 11 500 t.

(3)

It should be recalled that licences issued pursuant to this Regulation will, throughout the period of validity, be open for use only in so far as provisions on health protection in force permit,

(1)

Directive 2000/75/EC lays down control rules and measures to combat bluetongue in the Community, including the establishment of protection and surveillance zones and a ban on animals leaving those zones.

(2)

Commission Decision 2005/393/EC of 23 May 2005 on protection and surveillance zones in relation to bluetongue and conditions applying to movements from or through these zones (2) provides for the demarcation of the global geographic areas where protection and surveillance zones (the restricted zones) are to be established by the Member States in relation to bluetongue.

(3)

Following the notification of outbreaks of bluetongue in mid-August and early September 2006 by Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands, the Commission has amended several times Decision 2005/393/EC as regards the demarcation of the restricted zones concerned.

(4)

Following a substantiated request submitted by Germany, it is appropriate to amend the demarcation of the restricted zone in Germany.

(5)

Decision 2005/393/EC should be amended accordingly.

(6)

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

(1)

Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 of 17 December 2003 establishing a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and Directives 92/102/EEC and 64/432/EEC (1) provides that all animals on a holding born after 9 July 2005, or as regards Bulgaria and Romania, animals born following the date of their Accession, are to be identified within a period not exceeding six months from the date of birth of the animal and, in any case, before the animal leaves the holding of birth.

(2)

Pursuant to that Regulation animals are to be identified by an eartag and by a second means of identification approved by the competent authority and conforming to certain technical characteristics.

(3)

By letter of 22 January 2007, Romania requested transitional measures for a period of one year for the identification of ovine and caprine animals in that Member State, during which time the animals will only be identified by means of a single eartag.

(4)

Romania has given appropriate assurances that animals entering into intra-Community trade or intended for export to third countries will be identified in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 21/2004.

(5)

In order to allow Romania to continue with its identification system for one year but also to ensure that animals for intra-Community trade and export are identified by two means of identification, such animals should be identified in accordance with Community rules, except that the means of identification, provided for in Regulation (EC) No 21/2004, may be applied on the holding from which the animals are dispatched.

(6)

In order to facilitate the transition from the existing regime in Romania to that under Regulation (EC) No 21/2004, it is appropriate to lay down transitional measures for the identification of ovine and caprine animals in that Member State.

(7)

It is necessary for this Decision to apply from 1 January 2007 to ensure continuity in the application of the existing identification system for national movements.

(8)

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