# C_2005093EN.01002001.xml

| 16.4.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 93/20 |
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Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesverwaltungsgericht by judgment of that court of 9 December 2004 in Emsland-Stärke GmbH v Bezirksregierung Weser-Ems

(Case C-94/05)

(2005/C 93/37)

Language of the case: German

Reference has been made to the Court of Justice of the European Communities by judgment of the Bundesverwaltungsgericht (Federal Administrative Court) (Germany) of 9 December 2004, received at the Court Registry on 22 February 2005, for a preliminary ruling in the proceedings between Emsland-Stärke GmbH and Bezirksregierung Weser-Ems on the following questions

| 1. | (a)
Does Article 13(4) in conjunction with Article 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 apply where a contract said to be a cultivation contract is concluded and is accepted by the competent authority under Article 4(2) and (3) of the Regulation but where the contract is not concluded with a potato producer but with a dealer who obtains the potatoes directly or indirectly from potato producers? (b)
Does Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 require the starch-producing undertaking to have exceeded its sub-quota by taking delivery of the potatoes? | (a) | Does Article 13(4) in conjunction with Article 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 apply where a contract said to be a cultivation contract is concluded and is accepted by the competent authority under Article 4(2) and (3) of the Regulation but where the contract is not concluded with a potato producer but with a dealer who obtains the potatoes directly or indirectly from potato producers? | (b) | Does Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 require the starch-producing undertaking to have exceeded its sub-quota by taking delivery of the potatoes? |
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| (a) | Does Article 13(4) in conjunction with Article 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 apply where a contract said to be a cultivation contract is concluded and is accepted by the competent authority under Article 4(2) and (3) of the Regulation but where the contract is not concluded with a potato producer but with a dealer who obtains the potatoes directly or indirectly from potato producers? | | | | |
| (b) | Does Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 require the starch-producing undertaking to have exceeded its sub-quota by taking delivery of the potatoes? | | | | |

| 2. | (a)
Does the system of sanctions provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, by contradistinction to Article 13(3) of that Regulation, satisfy Community-law standards of certainty? (b)
Is the sanction provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, in view of its amount, necessary to protect the financial interests of the Community within the meaning of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 in cases such as this? Is it commensurate with protection of the financial interests of the Community in cases such as this? | (a) | Does the system of sanctions provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, by contradistinction to Article 13(3) of that Regulation, satisfy Community-law standards of certainty? | (b) | Is the sanction provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, in view of its amount, necessary to protect the financial interests of the Community within the meaning of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 in cases such as this? Is it commensurate with protection of the financial interests of the Community in cases such as this? |
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| (a) | Does the system of sanctions provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, by contradistinction to Article 13(3) of that Regulation, satisfy Community-law standards of certainty? | | | | |
| (b) | Is the sanction provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96, in view of its amount, necessary to protect the financial interests of the Community within the meaning of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 in cases such as this? Is it commensurate with protection of the financial interests of the Community in cases such as this? | | | | |

| 3. | Is an irregularity liable to a sanction under Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 97/95 as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1125/96 caused by negligence within the meaning of Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 even if the authority has approved the premium in full knowledge of the facts? |
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