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COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 1481/86
of 15 May 1986
on the determination of prices of fresh or chilled lamb carcases on representative Community markets and the survey of prices of certain other qualities of sheep carcases in the Community
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80 of 27 June 1980 on common organization of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 882/86 (2), and in particular Articles 4 and 7 (4) thereof;
Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80, the price recorded on the representative markets of the Community must be derived from the prices recorded on the representative market or markets of each Member State for the various categories of fresh or chilled sheep carcases after taking into account both of the relative importance of each category and of the relative size of the flock in each Member State;
Whereas, given the predominance of lamb, experience has shown that the determination of market prices is best achieved by reference to the market price of lamb less than 12 months old;
Whereas the price recorded on the representative markets of the Community may be taken as the average of the prices of the products in question on the representative market or markets of each Member State; whereas this average should be weighted in accordance with the coefficients expressing the relative size of flock in each Member State;
Whereas the price recorded on the representative market or markets of each Member State may be taken as the weighted average of the prices which have occured in that Member State during a given period at a given marketing stage; whereas the coefficients used for this weighting should reflect the relative quantity of each category coming on to the market;
Whereas the price recorded on the market is based on the prices, excluding value added tax, of carcases, but with no deductions authorized in respect of other charges; whereas market prices should be recorded in respect of the 'carcase weight' as defined in Commission Decision 82/958/EEC of 22 December 1982 laying down implementing provisions for the statistical surveys to be carried out by Member States on sheep and goat stocks (3); whereas, however, it should be permitted that this definition be not used in the case of carcases of young lambs weighing between 9 and 16 kilograms, so that market practices, whereby whole carcases marketed with head and offals command a greater commercial value, can be taken into account;
Whereas in certain Member States these prices relate to prices for live animals; whereas these prices should then be converted by means of appropriate coefficients; whereas, however, in regions where the individual assessment of live animals is carried out in order to estimate carcase weight the conversion may be based on that assessment;
Whereas the representative market or markets for each Member State should be selected on the basis of experience in recent years; whereas, moreover, where there is more than one representative market in a Member State the arithmetical or, if necessary, the weighted average of quotations recorded on these markets should be taken;
Whereas the rules for the application of price reporting should be fixed;
Whereas Member States may, because of veterinary or health-protection regulations, find it necessary to take measures which affect prices; whereas, in such circumstances, it is not always suitable when recording market prices to take into account quotations which do not reflect the normal trend of the market; whereas, consequently, certain criteria should be laid down allowing the Commission to take account of that situation; whereas similarly, when due to exceptional circumstances or seasonality of supply price recording is impossible, certain criteria should also be laid down to take account of that situation;
Whereas the Management Committee for Sheep and Goats has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The price of sheep carcases on the representative Community markets referred to in Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80 shall be the average, weighted by the coefficients laid down in Annex I, of the prices of carcases of lamb recorded on the representative market or markets of each Member State or, in the case of the United Kingdom, of each region within the meaning of Article 3 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80.
Article 2
1. In each Member State, the price of fresh or chilled lamb carcases on the representative market shall be equal to the average, weighted by coefficients reflecting the relative importance of each category, of the prices recorded for the said categories during a seven-day period at the same wholesale stage. The said price shall be calculated on the basis of market prices, ex value added tax.
Market prices shall be recorded in respect of the 'carcase weight' within the meaning of Commission Decision 82/958/EEC. In the case of lamb carcases weighing between 9 and 16 kilograms, however, and in accordance with normal commercial practice, prices may be recorded before evisceration and removal of the head.
Where prices are recorded on a liveweight basis, the prices per kilogram liveweight shall be divided by a maximum conversion coefficient of 0,5.
However, where normal practice is to include head and offals with the carcase, for lambs weighing between 16 and 28 kilograms liveweight the maximum coefficient shall be 0,58.
However, in regions where price recording is based on the indivdual assessment of the weight of lamb carcases, the conversion shall be based on that assessment.
Where markets are held more than once during the seven-day period referred to above, the price of each category shall be the arithmetical average of the quotations recorded during each market.
Where there are several representative markets in a Member State:
(a) The price for that Member State shall be the average of the prices recorded on the said markets, weighted by coefficients reflecting the relative importance of each market or of each category; however, where no information is available the prices on the representative markets of that Member State shall be determined by reference in particular to the last prices known.
(b) For the purposes of Article 7 (4) of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80, the price of each category shall be equal to the arithmetical average, or, if necessary, the average weighted by coefficients to reflect the relative importance of each market for the category in question, of the prices recorded for that category on the representative markets of the Member States in question.
2. The following are fixed in Annex II:
(a) the representative markets of each Member State;
(b) the categories of lamb carcases;
(c) the weighting and conversion coefficients referred to in paragraph 1.
3. The categories referred to in paragraph 2 (b) above are defined in Annex III.
4. In the case of the United Kingdom, this Article shall apply in respect of regions 5 and 6 sepaately.
Article 3
1. Member States whose sheepmeat production exceeds 200 tonnes per year shall communicate to the Commission, each Thursday at the latest for each market, the prices of the categories and the average prices referred to in Article 2 (1) recorded during the week preceding the week in which the information is given.
2. However, the United Kingdom in respect of region 5 shall communicate to the Commission:
(a) in accordance with paragraph 1, the provisonal return of prices recorded for application of Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80;
(b) within 15 days following that communication, the market price given in the final price return and to be employed for any application of Article 9 of the said Regulation.
3. Within the same time limits the Member States referred to in paragraph 1 shall also communicate to the Commission the prices of ewes and, as far as possible, those of other categories not referred to in Article 2.
Article 4
1. Where one or more Member States take measures, in particular for veterinary or health reasons, which affect the normal trend of prices recorded on their markets, the Commission may either:
- disregard the prices recorded on the market or markets in question, or
- use the last prices recorded on the market or markets before those measures were put into effect. 2. Where, in exceptional circumstances or for reasons of seasonality of supply, no prices can be recorded on a representative market or markets of a Member State, the Commission may use the last prices recorded on the market in question before this occurrence.
3. Where the situations outlined in 1 and 2 above continue for two consecutive weeks, the Commission may decide on the temporary elimination of the market or markets in question for price reporting purposes and on the temporary redistribution of their weighting accordingly.
Article 5
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2657/80 (1) is hereby repealed.
Article 6
This Regulation shall enter into force on 2 June 1986.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 15 May 1986.