52001PC0169

Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 on the common organisation of the market in rice

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 lays down that area aid for arable crops must be paid between 16 November and 31 January following the beginning of the current marketing year.

Following the inclusion of rice in the integrated control system, applications for aid for areas sown with rice are included in applications for area aid for arable areas. This means that checks are carried out on all areas covered by an application irrespective of the crops sown.

Consequently, the payment period for compensatory aid for rice, provided for by Regulation (EC) No 3072/95, should be amended by adopting the same dates as for arable crops, provided for by Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999.

2001/aaaa (CNS)

Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 on the common organisation of the market in rice

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 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:

(1) The final subparagraph of Article 6(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 [1], as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1667/2000 [2], lays down that compensatory payments are to be paid between 16 October and 31 December following the beginning of the current marketing year.

[1] OJ L 329, 30.12.1995, p. 18.

[2] OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 3.

(2) Article 8(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops [3], as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1672/2000 [4], lays down that payments are to be made between 16 November and 31 January.

[3] OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

[4] OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 13.

(3) Article 6(10) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 of 27 November 1992 establishing an integrated administration and control system for certain Community aid schemes [5], as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1593/2000 [6], provides for a single application for area aid.

[5] OJ L 355, 5.12.1992, p. 1.

[6] OJ L 182, 21.7.2000, p. 11.

(4) Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 lays down that the integrated control system covers all aid applications submitted. In order to simplify the administration of payments for the Member States, the payment periods for area aids should be aligned,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 is amended as follows:

In the final subparagraph of Article 6(3), the dates '16 October' and '31 December' are replaced by '16 November' and '31 January'.

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2001.

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

Done at Brussels,

For the Council

The President

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