# C_2005006EN.01001302.xml

| 8.1.2005 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/13 |
| -------- | -- | -------------------------------------- | ------ |

---

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(First Chamber)

of 11 November 2004

in Case C-171/03 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven): Maatschap Toeters, M.C. Verberk v Productschap Vee en Vlees( 1 )

(Beef and veal - Early marketing premium for calves - Time-limit for lodging premium applications - Rules for calculating time-limit - Validity of Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92)

(2005/C 6/23)

Language of the case: Dutch

In Case C-171/03: reference for a preliminary ruling under Article 234 EC from the College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (Netherlands), made by decision of 13 April 2003, received at the Court on 14 April 2003, in the proceedings between Maatschap Toeters, M.C. Verberk, trading as ‘Verberk-Voeten’, and Productschap Vee en Vlees — the Court (First Chamber), composed of: P. Jann, President of the Chamber, A. Rosas (Rapporteur) and R. Silva de Lapuerta, Judges; M. Poiares Maduro, Advocate General; R. Grass, Registrar, has given a judgment on 11 November 2004, in which it has ruled:

| 1. | (a)
Article 3(2)(c) of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 1971 determining the rules applicable to periods, dates and time-limits is to be interpreted as meaning that a period expressed in weeks, such as that laid down by Article 50a of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 of 23 December 1992 laying down detailed rules for the application of the premium schemes provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 on the common organisation of the market in beef and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 1244/82 and (EEC) No 714/89, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2311/96 of 2 December 1996, ends with the expiry of the last hour of whichever day in the last week is the same day of the week as the day on which the slaughter took place. (b)
When applying Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92, a Member State may not establish the time at which a premium application was lodged pursuant to national procedural rules which apply within its national legal system to comparable, national periods for making applications. (c)
Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92 must be interpreted as meaning that a premium application may be regarded as having been ‘lodged’ in due time only if the competent authority received it prior to the expiry of the time-limit. | (a) | Article 3(2)(c) of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 1971 determining the rules applicable to periods, dates and time-limits is to be interpreted as meaning that a period expressed in weeks, such as that laid down by Article 50a of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 of 23 December 1992 laying down detailed rules for the application of the premium schemes provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 on the common organisation of the market in beef and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 1244/82 and (EEC) No 714/89, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2311/96 of 2 December 1996, ends with the expiry of the last hour of whichever day in the last week is the same day of the week as the day on which the slaughter took place. | (b) | When applying Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92, a Member State may not establish the time at which a premium application was lodged pursuant to national procedural rules which apply within its national legal system to comparable, national periods for making applications. | (c) | Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92 must be interpreted as meaning that a premium application may be regarded as having been ‘lodged’ in due time only if the competent authority received it prior to the expiry of the time-limit. |
| --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| (a) | Article 3(2)(c) of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 of 3 June 1971 determining the rules applicable to periods, dates and time-limits is to be interpreted as meaning that a period expressed in weeks, such as that laid down by Article 50a of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 of 23 December 1992 laying down detailed rules for the application of the premium schemes provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 on the common organisation of the market in beef and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 1244/82 and (EEC) No 714/89, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2311/96 of 2 December 1996, ends with the expiry of the last hour of whichever day in the last week is the same day of the week as the day on which the slaughter took place. | | | | | | |
| (b) | When applying Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92, a Member State may not establish the time at which a premium application was lodged pursuant to national procedural rules which apply within its national legal system to comparable, national periods for making applications. | | | | | | |
| (c) | Article 50a of Regulation No 3886/92 must be interpreted as meaning that a premium application may be regarded as having been ‘lodged’ in due time only if the competent authority received it prior to the expiry of the time-limit. | | | | | | |

| 2. | Consideration of the question referred has disclosed nothing capable of affecting the validity of Article 50a(1) of Regulation No 3886/92 to the extent that it excludes the applicant from receiving the premium entirely whenever the period for making applications is exceeded, irrespective of how and by what extent. |
| -- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

---

( 1 )  OJ C 146 of 21.6.2003.

---