(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)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2270/2004 of 22 December 2004 fixing for 2005 and 2006 the fishing opportunities for Community fishing vessels for certain deep sea stocks in waters where catch limitation are required (3), lays down quotas for 2005 and 2006.

(2)

According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock referred to in the Annex to this Regulation by vessels flying the flag of or registered in the Member State referred to therein have exhausted the quota allocated for 2006.

(3)

It is therefore necessary to prohibit fishing for that stock and its retention on board, transhipment and landing,

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1422/95 of 23 June 1995 laying down detailed rules of application for imports of molasses in the sugar sector and amending Regulation (EEC) No 785/68 (2), stipulates that the cif import price for molasses established in accordance with Commission Regulation (EEC) No 785/68 (3), is to be considered the representative price. That price is fixed for the standard quality defined in Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 785/68.

(2)

For the purpose of fixing the representative prices, account must be taken of all the information provided for in Article 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 785/68, except in the cases provided for in Article 4 of that Regulation and those prices should be fixed, where appropriate, in accordance with the method provided for in Article 7 of that Regulation.

(3)

Prices not referring to the standard quality should be adjusted upwards or downwards, according to the quality of the molasses offered, in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 785/68.

(4)

Where there is a difference between the trigger price for the product concerned and the representative price, additional import duties should be fixed under the terms laid down in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1422/95. Should the import duties be suspended pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1422/95, specific amounts for these duties should be fixed.

(5)

The representative prices and additional import duties for the products concerned should be fixed in accordance with Articles 1(2) and 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1422/95.

(6)

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

(1)

Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that the difference between quotations or prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1(1)(a) of that Regulation and prices for those products within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that when refunds on white and raw sugar, undenatured and exported in its unaltered state, are being fixed account must be taken of the situation on the Community and world markets in sugar and in particular of the price and cost factors set out in Article 28 of that Regulation. The same Article provides that the economic aspect of the proposed exports should also be taken into account.

(3)

The refund on raw sugar must be fixed in respect of the standard quality. The latter is defined in Annex I, point II, to Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001. Furthermore, this refund should be fixed in accordance with Article 28(4) of that Regulation. Candy sugar is defined in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2135/95 of 7 September 1995 laying down detailed rules of application for the grant of export refunds in the sugar sector (2). The refund thus calculated for sugar containing added flavouring or colouring matter must apply to their sucrose content and, accordingly, be fixed per 1 % of the said content.

(4)

In special cases, the amount of the refund may be fixed by other legal instruments.

(5)

The refund must be fixed every two weeks. It may be altered in the intervening period.

(6)

The first subparagraph of Article 27(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that refunds on the products referred to in Article 1 of that Regulation may vary according to destination, where the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets make this necessary.

(7)

The significant and rapid increase in preferential imports of sugar from the western Balkan countries since the start of 2001 and in exports of sugar to those countries from the Community seems to be highly artificial.

(8)

To prevent any abuse through the re-import into the Community of sugar products in receipt of an export refund, no refund should be set for all the countries of the western Balkans for the products covered by this Regulation.

(9)

In view of the above and of the present situation on the market in sugar, and in particular of the quotations or prices for sugar within the Community and on the world market, refunds should be set at the appropriate amounts.

(10)

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

(1)

Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that the difference between quotations or prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1(1)(d) of that Regulation and prices for those products within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(2)

Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2135/95 of 7 September 1995 laying down detailed rules of application for the grant of export refunds in the sugar sector (2), provides that the export refund on 100 kilograms of the products listed in Article 1(1)(d) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 is equal to the basic amount multiplied by the sucrose content, including, where appropriate, other sugars expressed as sucrose; the sucrose content of the product in question is determined in accordance with Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2135/95.

(3)

Article 30(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that the basic amount of the refund on sorbose exported in the natural state must be equal to the basic amount of the refund less one hundredth of the production refund applicable, pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1265/2001 of 27 June 2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 as regards granting the production refund on certain sugar products used in the chemical industry (3), to the products listed in the Annex to the last mentioned Regulation.

(4)

According to the terms of Article 30(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001, the basic amount of the refund on the other products listed in Article 1(1)(d) of the said Regulation exported in the natural state must be equal to one-hundredth of an amount which takes account, on the one hand, of the difference between the intervention price for white sugar for the Community areas without deficit for the month for which the basic amount is fixed and quotations or prices for white sugar on the world market and, on the other, of the need to establish a balance between the use of Community basic products in the manufacture of processed goods for export to third countries and the use of third country products brought in under inward-processing arrangements.

(5)

According to the terms of Article 30(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001, the application of the basic amount may be limited to some of the products listed in Article 1(1)(d) of the said Regulation.

(6)

Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 makes provision for setting refunds for export in the natural state of products referred to in Article 1(1)(f) and (g) and (h) of that Regulation; the refund must be fixed per 100 kilograms of dry matter, taking account of the export refund for products falling within CN code 1702 30 91 and for products referred to in Article 1(1)(d) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 and of the economic aspects of the intended exports; in the case of the products referred to in the said Article (1)(f) and (g), the refund is to be granted only for products complying with the conditions in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2135/95; for the products referred to in Article 1(1)(h), the refund shall be granted only for products complying with the conditions in Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 2135/95.

(7)

The abovementioned refunds must be fixed every month; they may be altered in the intervening period.

(8)

The first subparagraph of Article 27(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that refunds on the products referred to in Article 1 of that Regulation may vary according to destination, where the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets make this necessary.

(9)

The significant and rapid increase in preferential imports of sugar from the western Balkan countries since the start of 2001 and in exports of sugar to those countries from the Community seems to be highly artificial in nature.

(10)

In order to prevent any abuses associated with the reimportation into the Community of sugar sector products that have qualified for export refunds, refunds for the products covered by this Regulation should not be fixed for all the countries of the western Balkans.

(11)

In view of the above, refunds for the products in question should be fixed at the appropriate amounts.

(12)

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

(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1138/2005 of 15 July 2005 on a standing invitation to tender to determine levies and/or refunds on exports of white sugar (2), for the 2005/2006 marketing year, requires partial invitations to tender to be issued for the export of this sugar to certain third countries.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1138/2005 a maximum export refund shall be fixed, as the case may be, account being taken in particular of the state and foreseeable development of the Community and world markets in sugar, for the partial invitation to tender in question.

(3)

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

(1)

Article 27(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 provides that the differences between the prices in international trade for the products listed in Article 1(1)(a), (c), (d), (f), (g) and (h) of that Regulation and prices within the Community may be covered by an export refund where these products are exported in the form of goods listed in Annex V 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, 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 Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001.

(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)

Article 27(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 lays down that the export refund for a product contained in goods may not exceed the refund applicable to that product when exported without further processing.

(5)

The refunds fixed under this Regulation may be fixed in advance as the market situation over the next few months cannot be established at the moment.

(6)

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.

(7)

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

(1)

The quantities for which licence applications have been lodged by traditonal importers and by new importers between 3 and 7 April 2006, pursuant to Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1870/2005 exceed the quantities available for products originating in China and all third countries other than China and Argentina.

(2)

It is now necessary to establish the extent to which the licence applications sent to the Commission by 18 April 2006 can be met and to fix, for each category of importer and product origin, the dates until which the issue of certificates should be suspended,

(1)

Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2247/2003 provides for the possibility of issuing import licences for beef and veal products originating in Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, imports must take place within the limits of the quantities specified for each of these exporting non-member countries.

(2)

The applications for import licences submitted between 1 to 10 April 2006, expressed in terms of boned meat, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 2247/2003, do not exceed, in respect of products originating from Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia, the quantities available from those States. It is therefore possible to issue import licences in respect of the quantities applied for.

(3)

The quantities in respect of which licences may be applied for from 1 May 2006 should be fixed within the scope of the total quantity of 52 100 t.

(4)

This Regulation is without prejudice to Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine, ovine and caprine animals and swine, fresh meat or meat products from third countries (4),

Germany:

United Kingdom:

(1)

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1722/93 of 30 June 1993 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulations (EEC) No 1766/92 and (EEC) No 1418/76 concerning production refunds in the cereals and rice sectors respectively (2) lays down the conditions for granting production refunds. The basis for calculating the refund is laid down in Article 3 of that Regulation. The refund thus calculated, differentiated where necessary for potato starch, must be fixed once a month and may be amended if the price of maize and/or wheat changes significantly.

(2)

The production refunds fixed in this Regulation should be adjusted by the coefficients listed in the Annex II to Regulation (EEC) No 1722/93 to establish the exact amount to be paid.

(3)

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

(a)

EUR/tonne 9,74 for starch from maize, wheat, barley and oats;

(b)

EUR/tonne 20,14 for potato starch.

(1)

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

(2)

The refunds must be fixed taking into account the factors referred to in Article 1 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1501/95 of 29 June 1995 laying down certain detailed rules under Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 on the granting of export refunds on cereals and the measures to be taken in the event of disturbance on the market for cereals (2).

(3)

As far as wheat and rye flour, groats and meal are concerned, when the refund on these products is being calculated, account must be taken of the quantities of cereals required for their manufacture. These quantities were fixed in Regulation (EC) No 1501/95.

(4)

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.

(5)

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

(6)

It follows from applying the detailed rules set out above to the present situation on the market in cereals, and in particular to quotations or prices for these products within the Community and on the world market, that the refunds should be as set out in the Annex hereto.

(7)

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

(1)

An invitation to tender for the refund for the export of barley to certain third countries was opened pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1058/2005 (2).

(2)

In accordance with Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1501/95 of 29 June 1995 laying down certain detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 on the granting of export refunds on cereals and the measures to be taken in the event of disturbance on the market for cereals (3), the Commission may, on the basis of the tenders notified, decide to fix a maximum export refund taking account of the criteria referred to in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 1501/95. In that case a contract is awarded to any tenderer whose bid is equal to or lower than the maximum refund.

(3)

The application of the abovementioned criteria to the current market situation for the cereal in question results in the maximum export refund being fixed.

(4)

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

(1)

An invitation to tender for the refund for the export of common wheat to certain third countries was opened pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1059/2005 (2).

(2)

In accordance with Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1501/95 of 29 June 1995 laying down certain detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 on the granting of export refunds on cereals and the measures to be taken in the event of disturbance on the market for cereals (3), the Commission may, on the basis of the tenders notified, decide to fix a maximum export refund taking account of the criteria referred to in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 1501/95. In that case a contract is awarded to any tenderer whose bid is equal to or lower than the maximum refund.

(3)

The application of the abovementioned criteria to the current market situation for the cereal in question results in the maximum export refund being fixed.

(4)

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

(1)

Commission Decision 2004/438/EC of 29 April 2004 laying down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions for introduction in the Community of heat-treated milk, milk-based products and raw milk intended for human consumption (3) sets out a list in Annex I to that Decision of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import raw milk and raw-milk based products.

(2)

Following an inspection mission to Chile by experts from the Commission, the competent veterinary services of Chile confirmed that that third country should not be listed in 2004/438/EC for import into the Community of raw milk and raw-milk based products for technical and sanitary reasons.

(3)

The entry for Chile for raw milk and raw- milk based products in column A of Annex I to Decision 2004/438/EC should be amended accordingly.

(4)

In addition, it is appropriate to update a footnote in that Annex for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

(5)

Annex I to Decision 2004/438/EC shall 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)

Part 1 of Annex I to Council Decision 79/542/EEC of 21 December 1979 drawing up a list of third countries or parts of third countries, and laying down animal and public health and veterinary certification conditions, for importation into the Community of certain live animals and their fresh meat (2), sets out a list of third countries and parts of third countries from which Member States are authorised to import certain live animals.

(2)

Chile has requested the Community to authorise imports of bovine animals from Chile.

(3)

The disease situation in Chile is acceptable and, in addition, it is already listed for non-domestic animals other than swine. Chile should therefore be listed for imports of bovines into the Community.

(4)

Decision 79/542/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(5)

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)

Outbreaks of classical swine fever have occurred in Germany.

(2)

Commission Decision 2006/274/EC of 6 April 2006 concerning certain protection measures relating to classical swine fever in Germany and repealing Decision 2006/254/EC (2) was adopted in order to maintain and extent the measures taken by Germany pursuant to Council Directive 2001/89/EC of 23 October 2001 on Community measures for the control of classical swine fever (3). In particular, given the animal health risk linked to trade of live pigs, the movement of pigs from and to holdings situated within the areas situated in Annex I thereof has been submitted to rules stricter than those provided for in Directive 2001/89/EC.

(3)

Germany provided information that animal welfare problems arise in keeping the pigs in certain holdings in the surveillance zones where the prohibition on the movement of pigs is maintained.

(4)

It is therefore appropriate that the German authorities may authorise removal of pigs from a holding within a surveillance zone under the conditions provided for in Directive 2001/89/EC and Commission Decision 2002/106/EC of 1 February 2002 approving a Diagnostic Manual establishing diagnostic procedures, sampling methods and criteria for evaluation of the laboratory tests for the confirmation of classical swine fever (4).

(5)

Decision 2006/274/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,