(1)

In order to ensure uniform application of the Combined Nomenclature annexed to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87, it is necessary to adopt measures concerning the classification of the goods referred to in the Annex to this Regulation.

(2)

Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 has laid down the general rules for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature. Those rules apply also to any other nomenclature which is wholly or partly based thereon or which adds any additional subdivision thereto and which is established by specific Community provisions, with a view to the application of tariff and other measures relating to trade in goods.

(3)

Pursuant to those general rules, the goods described in column 1 of the table set out in the Annex should be classified under the CN code indicated in column 2, by virtue of the reasons set out in column 3 of that table.

(4)

It is appropriate to provide that binding tariff information which has been issued by the customs authorities of Member States in respect of the classification of goods in the Combined Nomenclature but which is not in accordance with this Regulation may, for a period of three months, continue to be relied on by the holder, under Article 12(6) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code (2).

(5)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,

(1)

Article 162(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Part XVI of Annex I to 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 be fixed in accordance with the rules and certain criteria provided for in Articles 162, 163, 164, 167, 169 and 170 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

Article 164(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that export refunds may vary according to destination, especially where the world market situation, the specific requirements of certain markets or obligations resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty make this necessary.

(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 Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 619/2008 of 27 June 2008 opening a standing invitation to tender for export refunds concerning certain milk products (2) provides for a standing invitation to tender procedure.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 6 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1454/2007 of 10 December 2007 laying down common rules for establishing a tender procedure for fixing export refunds for certain agricultural 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 20 January 2009.

(3)

The Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 619/2008 of 27 June 2008 opening a standing invitation to tender for export refunds concerning certain milk products (2) provides for a standing invitation to tender procedure.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 6 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1454/2007 of 10 December 2007 laying down common rules for establishing a tender procedure for fixing export refunds for certain agricultural 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 20 January 2009.

(3)

The Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

(1)

Article 162(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Part XV of Annex I to 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 beef and veal, export refunds should therefore be set in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Articles 162 to 164 and 167 to 170 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

Article 164(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the refund may vary according to destination, especially where the world market situation, the specific requirements of certain markets, or obligations resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty make this necessary.

(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 must also satisfy the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (3) and 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 conditions laid down in the third subparagraph of Article 7(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1359/2007 of 21 November 2007 laying down the conditions for granting special export refunds on certain cuts of boned meat of bovine animals (5) provide for a reduction of the special refund if the quantity of cuts of boned meat to be exported amounts to less than 95 %, but not less than 85 %, of the total weight of cuts produced by boning.

(6)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1044/2008 (6) should therefore be repealed and replaced by a new regulation.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Article 162(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Part XVII of Annex I to 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 pigmeat, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Articles 162 to 164, 167, 169 and 170 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

Article 164(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the refund may vary according to destination, especially where the world market situation, the specific requirements of certain markets, or obligations resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty make this necessary.

(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 must also satisfy the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (3) and 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 the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Article 162(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products referred to in Part XIX of Annex I to that Regulation and prices in the Community for those products may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

In view of the current situation on the market in eggs, export refunds should be fixed in accordance with the rules and certain criteria provided for in Articles 162 to 164, 167, 169 and 170 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

Article 164(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that refunds may vary according to destination, especially where the world market situation, the specific requirements of certain markets, or obligations resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty make this necessary.

(4)

Refunds should be granted only on products which are authorised to move freely within the Community and comply with requirements under 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 under point A of Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(5)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Article 162(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products referred to in Part XX of Annex I to that Regulation and prices in the Community for those products may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

In view of the current situation on the market in poultrymeat, export refunds should be fixed in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Articles 162 to 164, 167, 169 and 170 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

Article 164(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that refunds may vary according to destination, especially where the world market situation, the specific requirements of certain markets, or obligations resulting from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty make this necessary.

(4)

Refunds should be granted only on products which are authorised to move freely in the Community and bear the identification mark 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 the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1484/95 (2) lays down detailed rules for implementing the system of additional import duties and fixes representative prices for poultrymeat and egg products and for egg albumin.

(2)

Regular monitoring of the data used to determine representative prices for poultrymeat and egg products and for egg albumin shows that the representative import prices for certain products should be amended to take account of variations in price according to origin. The representative prices should therefore be published.

(3)

In view of the situation on the market, this amendment should be applied as soon as possible.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Article 162(1) b of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices in international trade for the products referred to in Article 1(1) (s) and listed in Part XIX of Annex 1 to 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 Part V of the Annex XX 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 Part V of Annex XX to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

In accordance with paragraph 2 (b) 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 the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,

(1)

Article 162(1)b of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that the difference between prices in international trade for the products referred to in Article 1(1)(p) and listed in Part XVI of Annex I to 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 Part IV of Annex XX 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 Part IV of Annex XX to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

(3)

In accordance with the second paragraph, subparagraph (a) 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)

However, in the case of certain milk products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty, there is a danger that, if high refund rates are fixed in advance, the commitments entered into in relation to those refunds may be jeopardised. In order to avert that danger, it is therefore necessary to take appropriate precautionary measures, but without precluding the conclusion of long-term contracts. The fixing of specific refund rates for the advance fixing of refunds in respect of those products should enable those two objectives to be met.

(6)

Article 15(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1043/2005 provides that, when the rate of the refund is being fixed, account is to be taken, where appropriate, of production refunds, aids or other measures having equivalent effect applicable in all Member States in accordance with the Regulation on the common organisation of the agricultural markets to the basic products listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1043/2005 or to assimilated products.

(7)

Article 100(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides for the payment of aid for Community-produced skimmed milk processed into casein if such milk and the casein manufactured from it fulfil certain conditions.

(8)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1898/2005 of 9 November 2005 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards measures for the disposal of cream, butter and concentrated butter (3), lays down that butter and cream at reduced prices should be made available to industries which manufacture certain goods.

(9)

The Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

(1)

Directive 96/74/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1996 on textile names (3) has been substantially amended several times (4). Since further amendments are to be made, it should be recast in the interests of clarity.

(2)

If the provisions of the Member States with regard to the names, composition and labelling of textile products were to vary from one Member State to another, this would create hindrances to the proper functioning of the internal market.

(3)

Those hindrances can be eliminated if the placing of textile products on the market at Community level is subject to uniform rules. It is therefore necessary to harmonise the names of textile fibres and the particulars appearing on labels, markings and documents which accompany textile products at the various stages of their production, processing and distribution.

(4)

Provision should also be made in respect of certain products which are not made exclusively of textile materials but have a textile content which constitutes an essential part of the product or to which attention is specifically drawn by the producer, processor or trader.

(5)

The tolerance in respect of ‘other fibres’, which has already been laid down for pure products, should also be applied to mixtures.

(6)

In order to attain the objective underlying national provisions in this field, labelling should be compulsory.

(7)

In cases where it is technically difficult to specify the composition of a product at the time of manufacture, any fibres known at that time may be stated on the label provided that they account for a certain percentage of the finished product.

(8)

It is expedient, in order to avoid differences of application in the Community, to specify the exact methods of labelling certain textile products consisting of two or more components, and also the components of textile products that need not be taken into account for purposes of labelling and analysis.

(9)

Textile products subject only to the requirements of inclusive labelling, and those sold by the metre or in cut lengths, should be offered for sale in such a way that the consumer can fully acquaint himself with the particulars affixed to the overall packaging or the roll. It is for the Member States to decide on the measures to be adopted for this purpose.

(10)

The use of descriptions or names which enjoy particular prestige among users and consumers should be made subject to certain conditions.

(11)

It is necessary to lay down methods for the sampling and analysis of textiles in order to exclude any possibility of objections to the methods used. However, the provisional retention of the national methods currently in force does not prevent the application of uniform rules.

(12)

Annex V, which sets out the agreed allowances to be applied to the anhydrous mass of each fibre during the determination by analysis of the fibre content of textile products, gives, in items 1, 2 and 3, two different agreed allowances for calculating the composition of carded or combed fibres containing wool and/or animal hair. Laboratories cannot always tell whether a product is carded or combed, and consequently inconsistent results can arise from the application of this provision during checks on the conformity of textile products carried out in the Community. Laboratories should therefore be authorised to apply a single agreed allowance in doubtful cases.

(13)

It is not advisable, in a separate Directive on textile products, to harmonise all the provisions applicable to such products.

(14)

Annexes III and IV, because of the exceptional nature of the items referred to therein, should also cover other products exempt from labelling, in particular ‘disposable’ products or products for which only inclusive labelling is required.

(15)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (5).

(16)

In particular, the Commission should be empowered to adapt Annexes I and V to technical progress and to adopt new methods of quantitative analysis for binary and ternary mixtures. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive, inter alia, by supplementing it, they must be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.

(17)

The new elements introduced into this Directive only concern the committee procedure. They therefore do not need to be transposed by the Member States.

(18)

This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time limits for transposition into national law of the Directives set out in Annex VI, Part B,

(a)

for all textile products: non-textile parts, selvedges, labels and badges, edgings and trimmings not forming an integral part of the product, buttons and buckles covered with textile materials, accessories, decorations, non-elastic ribbons, elastic threads and bands added at specific and limited points of the product and, subject to the conditions specified in Article 7, visible, isolable fibres which are purely decorative and antistatic fibres;

(b)

for floor coverings and carpets: all components other than the use-surface;

(c)

for upholstery fabrics: binding and filling warps and wefts which do not form part of the use-surface;

(d)

for hangings and curtains: binding and filling warps and wefts which do not form part of the right side of the fabric;

(e)

for other textile products: base or underlying fabrics, stiffenings and reinforcements, inter-linings and canvas backings, stitching and assembly threads unless they replace the warp and/or weft of the fabric, fillings not having an insulating function and, subject to Article 9(1), linings.

For the purposes of this point:

(f)

fatty substances, binders, weightings, sizings and dressings, impregnating products, additional dyeing and printing products and other textile processing products. In the absence of Community provisions, Member States shall take all necessary measures to ensure that these items are not present in quantities liable to mislead the consumer.