13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/1

(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,

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/3

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1961/2001 (2) sets detailed rules covering export refunds on fruit and vegetables.

(2)

Under Article 35(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 refunds can be granted on products exported by the Community, to the extent necessary to enable economically significant quantities to be exported and within the limits ensuing from agreements concluded in line with Article 300 of the Treaty.

(3)

In line with Article 35(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 care should be taken to ensure that trade flows already engendered by the granting of refunds are not disturbed. For that reason and given the seasonal nature of fruit and vegetable exports quantities should be set product by product using the agricultural product nomenclature for export refunds established by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3846/87 (3). In setting quantities account must be taken of perishability.

(4)

Article 35(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 stipulates that when refunds are set account is to be taken of the existing situation and outlook for prices and availability of fruit and vegetables on the Community market and for international trade prices, of marketing and transport costs and of the economic aspects of the exportation envisaged.

(5)

Article 35(5) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 requires Community market prices to be determined using the prices that are most favourable from the point of view of exportation.

(6)

The international trade situation or specific requirements of certain markets may necessitate differentiation of the refund on a given product by destination.

(7)

Economically significant exports can at present be made of shelled almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts in shell.

(8)

Since nuts have a relatively long storage life export refunds can be set at longer intervals.

(9)

In order to permit the best possible use of available resources the export refunds should, given the structure of exportation from the Community, be set using system A1.

(10)

The negotiations within the framework of the Europe Agreements between the European Community and Romania and Bulgaria aim in particular to liberalise trade in products covered by the common organisation of the market concerned. For these two countries export refunds should therefore be abolished.

(11)

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

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/5

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1961/2001 (2) lays down the detailed rules of application for 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 or 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 the export standpoint.

(6)

The international trade situation or the special requirements of certain markets may call for the refund on a given product to vary according to its destination.

(7)

Tomatoes, oranges, lemons, table grapes, apples and peaches of classes Extra, I and II of the common quality 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 fix the A1 and B export refunds.

(9)

The negotiations within the framework of the Europe Agreements between the European Community and Romania and Bulgaria aim in particular to liberalise trade in products covered by the common organisation of the market concerned. For these two countries export refunds should therefore be abolished.

(10)

The Management Committee for fresh Fruit and Vegetables has not delivered an opinion within the time-limit set by its chairman,

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/8

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1429/95 (2) set implementing rules for export refunds on products processed from fruit and vegetables other than those granted for added sugar.

(2)

Article 16(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 states that to the extent necessary to permit exportation of economically significant quantities export refunds can be granted on the products listed at Article 1(2)(a) of that Regulation within the limits ensuing from agreements concluded in line with Article 300 of the Treaty. Article 18(4) of that Regulation provides that if the refund on the sugar incorporated in the products listed in Article 1(2)(b) is insufficient to allow exportation of these products the refund set in line with Article 17 thereof shall apply to them.

(3)

Article 16(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 requires that it be ensured that trade flows that have already arisen as a result of granting of export refunds are not disturbed. For that reason the quantities should be set product by product using the agricultural product nomenclature for export refunds established by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3846/87 (3).

(4)

Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 requires that when refunds are set account is taken of the existing situation and outlook for prices and availability on the Community market of products processed from fruit and vegetables and for international trade prices, of marketing and transport costs and of the economic aspects of the exportation envisaged.

(5)

Article 17(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 requires that when prices on the Community market are determined account is taken of the prices that are most favourable from the point of view of exportation.

(6)

The international trade situation or specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to differentiate the refund on a given product by destination.

(7)

Economically significant exports can at present be made of provisionally preserved cherries, peeled tomatoes, sugar-preserved cherries, prepared hazelnuts and certain orange juices.

(8)

Export refund rates and quantities should therefore be set for these products.

(9)

The negotiations within the framework of the Europe Agreements between the European Community and Romania and Bulgaria aim in particular to liberalise trade in products covered by the common organisation of the market concerned. For these two countries export refunds should therefore be abolished.

(10)

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

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/10

(1)

The import duties in the cereals sector are fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 731/2006 (3).

(2)

Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1249/96 provides that if during the period of application, the average import duty calculated differs by EUR 5 per tonne from the duty fixed, a corresponding adjustment is to be made. Such a difference has arisen. It is therefore necessary to adjust the import duties fixed in Regulation (EC) No 731/2006,

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/13

(1)

The international rules in respect of the maximum weights for seed lots of certain cereal species, in particular Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, Triticum spelta, Secale cereale, Triticosecale and Oryza sativa, Avena sativa and Hordeum vulgare, have recently been revised.

(2)

It is appropriate to adapt the maximum weights for seed lots of those species laid down in Community law.

(3)

Directive 66/402/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material for Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry,

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/14

(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 full member of the Committee of the Regions has become vacant following the resignation of Mr Jochen RIEBEL,

13.6.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 159/15

(1)

In accordance with Article 6(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC, in March 1998 Spain received an application from BASF AG for the inclusion of the active substance profoxydim (former names: clefoxydim, BAS 625H) in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. Commission Decision 1999/43/EC (2) confirmed that the dossier was complete and could be considered as satisfying, in principle, the data and information requirements of Annex II and Annex III to that Directive.

(2)

Confirmation of the completeness of the dossier was necessary in order to allow it to be examined in detail and to allow Member States the possibility of granting provisional authorisations, for periods up to three years, for plant protection products containing the active substance concerned, while complying with the conditions laid down in Article 8(1) of Directive 91/414/EEC and, in particular, the condition relating to the detailed assessment of the active substance and the plant protection product in the light of the requirements laid down by that Directive.

(3)

For this active substance, the effects on human health and the environment have been assessed, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6(2) and (4) of Directive 91/414/EEC, for the uses proposed by the applicant. The rapporteur Member State submitted the draft assessment report to the Commission on 28 March 2001.

(4)

Following submission of the draft assessment report by the rapporteur Member State, it has been found to be necessary to request further information from the applicant and to have the rapporteur Member State examine that information and submit its assessment. Therefore, the examination of the dossier is still ongoing and it will not be possible to complete the evaluation within the time-frame provided for in Directive 91/414/EEC.

(5)

As the evaluation so far has not identified any reason for immediate concern, Member States should be given the possibility of prolonging provisional authorisations granted for plant protection products containing the active substance concerned for a period of 24 months in accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of Directive 91/414/EEC so as to enable the examination of the dossier to continue. It is expected that the evaluation and decision-making process with respect to a decision on possible Annex I inclusion for profoxydim will have been completed within 24 months.

(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,