COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 737/2013
of 30 July 2013
amending Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 of 17 December 2007 on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries (1), and in particular Articles 4, 5 and 15 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 (2) establishes rules for the drawing-up, selection, implementation, financing and checking of information provision and promotion measures provided for in Regulation (EC) No 3/2008.
(2)
The list of themes and products for which measures may be implemented on the internal market in accordance with Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 is set out in Part A of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 and the list of products which may be covered by promotional measures in third countries in accordance with Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 is set out in Part A of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 501/2008. Those lists are to be revised every two years.
(3)
The guidelines referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 are set out in Part B of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 501/2008.
(4)
In the context of the crisis in the sheep meat sector and with a view to raising awareness in relation to sheep meat and its production and consumption, trade and inter-trade organisations from the sector should be given the opportunity to receive Union co-financing for information and promotion programmes for generic sheep meat of Union origin.
(5)
Optional quality terms, introduced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3), constitute the second tier of quality systems which add value. They can be communicated on the internal market and refer to specific horizontal characteristics, with regard to one or more categories of products, farming methods or processing attributes which apply in specific areas. In order to complete the availability of promotion programmes on the internal market for all current quality schemes,products covered by the scheme for optional quality terms should be included as an eligible product, together with products covered by the schemes for protected designations of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI) or traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG).
(6)
The reasons for granting the eligibility to poultrymeat are no longer valid, as the period following the avian influenza crisis has been sufficiently long for restoring consumer confidence. Therefore, references to poultrymeat should be deleted.
(7)
In selecting third countries for inclusion in Part B of Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 501/2008, account is to be taken of the markets of third countries where there is actual or potential demand. Due to steadily growing consumption, potential for and interest in Union agricultural products as well as further outreach of Union programmes and cooperation projects, new countries and areas should be considered as eligible markets for the promotional programmes.
(8)
In the context of the accession of Croatia to the Union on 1 July 2013, that country should be removed from the list of eligible third countries.
(9)
Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(10)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annexes I, II and III to Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 July 2013.