(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 1961/2001 (2) lays down detailed rules on export refunds on fruit and vegetables.

(2)

Article 35(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 provides that, to the extent necessary for economically significant exports, the products exported by the Community may be covered by export refunds, within the limits resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty.

(3)

Under Article 35(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96, care must be taken to ensure that the trade flows previously brought about by the refund scheme are not disrupted. For this reason and because exports of fruit and vegetables are seasonal in nature, the quantities scheduled for each product should be fixed, based on the agricultural product nomenclature for export refunds established by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3846/87 (3). These quantities must be allocated taking account of the perishability of the products concerned.

(4)

Article 35(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 provides that refunds must be fixed in the light of the existing situation and the outlook for fruit and vegetable prices on the Community market and supplies available on the one hand, and prices on the international market on the other hand. Account must also be taken of the transport and marketing costs and of the economic aspect of the exports planned.

(5)

In accordance with Article 35(5) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96, prices on the Community market are to be established in the light of the most favourable prices from an export standpoint.

(6)

The international trade situation or specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary for the refund on a given product to vary according to its destination.

(7)

Tomatoes, oranges, lemons, table grapes and apples of classes Extra, I and II of the Community marketing standards can currently be exported in economically significant quantities.

(8)

In order to ensure the best use of available resources and in view of the structure of Community exports, it is appropriate to proceed by an open invitation to tender and to set the indicative refund amount and the scheduled quantities for the period concerned.

(9)

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

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1057/2007 (2) has amended the refund rates for certain product codes and the list of destinations eligible for refunds as provided for in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2805/95 of 5 December 1995 fixing the export refunds in the wine sector and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2137/93 (3).

(2)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 883/2001 (4) should therefore be amended accordingly.

(3)

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

1.

In Article 9, paragraph 6 is replaced by the following:

2.

Annex II is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Regulation.

3.

In Annex IV the part concerning ‘Zone 4: Western Europe’ is deleted.

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1549/2006 of 17 October 2006 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (2) provides for amendments to the combined nomenclature for certain fruit and vegetables and certain products processed from fruit and vegetables.

(2)

Regulations amending Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 (3) in previous years have also introduced changes to the combined nomenclature for certain fruit and vegetables and certain products processed from fruit and vegetables, and not all of these amendments are reflected in the following Regulations governing the common organisations of the market in floriculture products, in fruit and vegetables and of products processed from fruit and vegetables: Regulation (EEC) No 316/68 of the Council of 12 March 1968 fixing quality standards for fresh cut flowers and fresh ornamental foliage (4); Commission Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 of 21 December 1994 on detailed rules for the application of the import arrangements for fruit and vegetables (5); Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organization of the markets in processed fruit and vegetable products (6) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1466/2003 of 19 August 2003 laying down the marketing standard for artichokes and amending Regulation (EC) No 963/98 (7).

(3)

Regulations (EEC) No 316/68, (EC) No 3223/94, (EC) No 2201/96 and (EC) No 1466/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(4)

The amendments provided for in this Regulation should apply from 1 January 2007, date of entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 1549/2006.

(5)

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

1.

Article 1(1) is amended as follows:

2.

in Annex I, point I, ‘No 06.03 A’ is replaced by ‘CN 0603 ’;

3.

in Annex II, point I, ‘No 06.04 A II’ is replaced by ‘CN 0604 ’.

1.

in point (a), section ‘ex 0812 ’, ‘ex 0812 90 99 ’ is replaced by ‘ex 0812 90 98 ’;

2.

in point (b), section ‘ex 2005 ’, ‘2005 90 10 ’ is replaced by ‘2005 99 10 ’.

(1)

Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 establishes a Community processing threshold for certain citrus fruits, distributed among the Member States in accordance with Annex II thereto.

(2)

Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 provides that when this threshold is overrun the amounts of aid indicated in Annex I thereto are to be reduced in each Member State in which the threshold has been overrun. The overrun of the processing threshold is assessed on the basis of the average quantities processed under the aid scheme during the three marketing years preceding the marketing year for which the aid is to be fixed, or during an equivalent period.

(3)

The Member States have communicated the quantities of oranges processed under the aid scheme in accordance with Article 39(1)(c) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2111/2003 which lays down detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 (2). Based on this information, it has been established that the Community processing threshold has been overrun by 376 023 tonnes. Within that overrun, Italy, Greece and Portugal have overrun their threshold. The amounts of aid for oranges indicated in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 for the 2007/2008 marketing year should therefore be reduced by 55,91 % in Italy, 8,34 % in Greece and 52,88 % in Portugal.

(4)

The Member States have communicated the quantities of small citrus fruits processed under the aid scheme in accordance with Article 39(1)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2003. Based on this information, it has been established that the Community processing threshold has been overrun by 104 734 tonnes. Within that overrun, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus have overrun their threshold. The amounts of aid for mandarins, clementines and satsumas indicated in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 for the 2007/2008 marketing year should therefore be reduced by 62,30 % in Italy, 12 % in Spain for small citrus fruits for processing into juice, 80,66 % in Portugal and 53,27 % in Cyprus.

(5)

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

(1)

The Council decided on 19 March 2001 to authorise the Commission to negotiate on behalf of the European Community, the accession of the European Community to the World Customs Organisation (1).

(2)

The Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council is expected to be amended by the Council of the World Customs Organisation at its 109th/110th session in June 2007 to allow customs or economic unions, including the European Community to acquire membership of the World Customs Organisation.

(3)

The Member States of the European Community should support that draft amendment which, after its adoption by the Council of the World Customs Organisation, would allow the Community’s accession to the amended Convention.

(4)

Following exploratory talks with the World Customs Organisation, the European Community and the World Customs Organisation examined the possibility for the European Community to exercise the rights and obligations akin to those of Members of the World Customs Organisation pending the ratification of the amended Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council by all Members of the World Customs Organisation.

(5)

The European Community is expected to be in a position to assume these rights and obligations in the framework of the Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council in matters of Community competence.

(6)

The Members States of the European Community maintain their status in the World Customs Organisation.

(7)

Both the European Community and its Member States have competence in the areas covered by the Convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council.

(8)

For matters falling under European Community competence a European Community position must be established. For matters falling partly within Community competence, Member States of the European Community should strive to adopt a common position to ensure the unity of external representation of the European Community and its Member States.

(9)

In view of the above the Council should provide for the exercise of rights and obligations akin to membership ad interim by the European Community in the World Customs Organisation, including the payment of an annual contribution,

(1)

Directive 91/414/EEC provides for the development of a Community list of active substances authorised for incorporation in plant protection products.

(2)

A dossier for the active substance Adoxophyes orana granulovirus was submitted by Andermatt Biocontrol GmbH to the authorities of Germany on 29 November 2004 with an application to obtain its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. For amisulbrom a dossier was submitted by Nissan Chemical Europe S.A.R.L. to the authorities of the United Kingdom on 24 March 2006 with an application to obtain its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. For emamectin a dossier was submitted by Syngenta Ltd. to the authorities of the Netherlands on 23 June 2006 with an application to obtain its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. For pyridalil a dossier was submitted by Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe SAS to the authorities of the Netherlands on 28 March 2006 with an application to obtain its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. For Spodoptera littoralis nucleopolyhedrovirus a dossier was submitted by Andermatt Biocontrol GmbH to the authorities of Estonia on 2 January 2007 with an application to obtain its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC.

(3)

The authorities of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Estonia have indicated to the Commission that, on preliminary examination, the dossiers for the active substances concerned appear to satisfy the data and information requirements set out in Annex II to Directive 91/414/EEC. The dossiers submitted appear also to satisfy the data and information requirements set out in Annex III to Directive 91/414/EEC in respect of one plant protection product containing the active substance concerned. In accordance with Article 6(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC, the dossiers were subsequently forwarded by the applicant to the Commission and other Member States, and were referred to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health.

(4)

By this Decision it should be formally confirmed at Community level that the dossiers are considered as satisfying in principle the data and information requirements set out in Annex II and, for at least one plant protection product containing the active substance concerned, the requirements set out in Annex III to Directive 91/414/EEC.

(5)

This Decision should not prejudice the right of the Commission to request the applicant to submit further data or information in order to clarify certain points in the dossier.

(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)

On 30 May 2007, the Council adopted Joint Action 2007/369/CFSP on establishment of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN) (1).

(2)

Article 12(5) of Joint Action 2007/369/CFSP provides that detailed arrangements regarding the participation of third states shall be the subject of an agreement, in conformity with Article 24 of the Treaty.

(3)

On 13 September 2004, the Council authorised the Presidency, assisted where necessary by the Secretary-General/High Representative, in case of future EU civilian crisis management operations to open negotiations with third states with a view to concluding an agreement on the basis of the model agreement between the European Union and a third state on the participation of a third state in a European Union civilian crisis management operation. On that basis, the Presidency negotiated an Agreement with New Zealand on the participation of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL AFGHANISTAN).

(4)

The Agreement should be approved,