Commission Regulation (EC) No 257/2003
of 11 February 2003
amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 implementing the Kimberley Process certification scheme for the international trade in rough diamonds
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 of 20 December 2002 implementing the Kimberley Process certification scheme for the international trade in rough diamonds(1), and in particular Article 19(3), (6) and Article 20 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) The chair of the Kimberley Process and participants provided the Commission with the relevant information concerning participants and the competent authorities they have designated to issue and validate their certificates.
(2) The United Kingdom and Belgium have designated Community authorities and informed the Commission thereof. The Commission concluded that sufficient evidence was provided that these Community authorities can reliably, timely, effectively and adequately fulfil the tasks required by Chapters II, III and V of Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002. Those Member States also notified to the Commission the offices where the formalities provided for in that Regulation can be completed as well as the location of such offices.
(3) In order to improve the security and functionality of the Community certificate certain technical characteristics laid out in Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 should be amended.
(4) The measures provided for in Article 1(2) of this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee designated in Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 is amended as follows:
1. The text contained in Annex I to this Regulation is added to Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002.
2. The text contained in Annex II to this Regulation is added to Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002.
3. Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 is amended as follows:
(a) the heading "Materials" is amended as follows:
(i) the second indent is replaced by:
"- Watermarked with invisible (yellow/red) UV fibres;"
(ii) the third indent is replaced by:
"- Solvent sensitive;"
(iii) the fifth indent is replaced by:
"- 95 g/m2 paper;"
(b) the heading "Printing" is amended as follows:
(i) in the first indent the text "- Rainbow background tint (solvent sensitive) (colour definition: pantone blue-rose)" is replaced by: "- Rainbow background tint (solvent sensitive);"
(ii) in the eighth indent the text "MELT feature reading 'KPCS'" is replaced by: "Micro-text reading 'KPCS';";
(c) under the heading "Numbering", in the fourth and fifth indent, "6 digit" is replaced by "8 digit";
(d) under the heading "Layout and finishing - Obligatory features", the first line is replaced by: "Slot perforated in 1 position, cut to singles A4 size, at 100 mm from right edge".
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall apply for a renewable three month period after that date.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 11 February 2003.