51998PC0313

Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey (98/C 222/12) COM(1998) 313 final - 98/0171(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 18 May 1998)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,

Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 of 25 June 1997 laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey (1) establishes the time limit in which expenditure on the measures taken under the annual national programme must be made;

Whereas, in order to avoid reducing the duration of the national programmes in the first year, the time limit for making such expenditure under those first programmes should be deferred,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

In Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1221/97, the third subparagraph is replaced by the following:

'Expenditure by the Member States for the measures taken under the annual national programmes referred to in Article 1 must be made by 15 October each year. However, for the first year, that date is deferred to 31 January 1999.`

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

(1) OJ L 173, 1.7.1997, p. 1.