1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B REGULATION(EEC)No1696/71OFTHECOUNCIL
of26July1971
onthecommonorganisationofthemarketinhops
(OJ L 175, 4.8.1971, p. 1)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Regulation (EEC) No 1170/77 of 17 May 1977 L 137 7 3.6.1977
►M2Council Regulation (EEC) No 235/79 of 5 February 1979 L 34 4 9.2.1979
►M3Council Regulation (EEC) No 3332/85 of 26 November 1985 L 318 1 29.11.1985
►M4Council Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 of 20 December 1985 L 362 8 31.12.1985
►M5Council Regulation (EEC) No 3800/85 of 20 December 1985 L 367 32 31.12.1985
►M6Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3998/87 of 23 December 1987 L 377 40 31.12.1987
►M7Council Regulation (EEC) No 3808/89 of 12 December 1989 L 371 1 20.12.1989
►M8Council Regulation (EEC) No 2780/90 of 24 September 1990 L 265 1 28.9.1990
►M9Council Regulation (EEC) No 3577/90 of 4 December 1990 L 353 23 17.12.1990
►M10Council Regulation (EEC) No 3124/92 of 26 October 1992 L 313 1 30.10.1992
►M11Council Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 of 22 December 1994 L 349 105 31.12.1994
►M12Council Regulation (EC) No 1554/97 of 22 July 1997 L 208 1 2.8.1997
►M13Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 L 160 80 26.6.1999
►M14Council Regulation (EC) No 191/2000 of 24 January 2000 L 23 4 28.1.2000
►M15Council Regulation (EC) No 1514/2001 of 23 July 2001 L 201 8 26.7.2001
►M16Council Regulation (EC) No 2320/2003 of 17 December 2003 L 345 18 31.12.2003
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern IrelandL 73 14 27.3.1972
(adapted by Council Decision of 1 January 1973) L 2 1 1.1.1973
►A2Act of Accession of Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
►A3Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C 241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
Corrected by:►
C1Corrigendum, OJ L 230, 21.8.1997, p. 19 (1554/97)
NB: This consolidated version contains references to the European unit of account and/or the ecu, which from 1 January 1999
should be understood as references to the euro — Council Regulation (EEC) No 3308/80 (OJ L 345, 20.12.1980, p. 1) andCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 (OJ L 162, 19.6.1997, p. 1).
▼B
REGULATION(EEC)No1696/71OFTHECOUNCIL
of26July1971
onthecommonorganisationofthemarketinhops
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles42, 43, 113 and 235 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (
1);
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;
Whereasthe operation and development of the common market in agri-
cultural products must be accompanied by the establishment of acommon agricultural policy and whereasthe latter mus t include in
particular a common organisation of agricultural markets, which may
take variousformsdepending on the product concerned;
Whereas Community production of hops is of especial interest for the
economy of certain regionsof the Community; whereas , for certainfarmers in these regions, hop production represents a major part oftheir income;
Whereas, since vegetable saps and extracts of hops are not listed in
Annex II to the Treaty, they are excluded from application of theprovisions therein concerning agriculture, whilst hops are subjectthereto; whereas, however, since the products in question are broadly
speaking interchangeable, this situation is liable to prejudice the effect
of the common agricultural policy in hops; whereas measures adoptedfor hops in respect of trade with third countries pursuant to Article 113and the marketing rulesadopted for hopspurs uant to Article 235should be extended to vegetable saps and extracts of hops;
Whereasinternational trade hastraditionally held great importance for
producersand us ersof hopswithin the Community; whereasin the
main the best return on Community production has up to now been
obtained through itscompetitivenes son the world market and throughflexible adjustment of quality and quantity of production to marketingoutlets; whereas the common organisation of the markets should notmake any basic changes in this situation but should contribute byappropriate measures to the improvement of the quality of the products
and protect the producers from any lowering of their present standards
of living;
Whereasa quality policy s hould be followed throughout the Commu-
nity by implementing provisions concerning certification of thedesignation of origin together with rules prohibiting, as a general rule,the marketing of products for which the certificate has not been issuedor, in the case of imported products, those which do not comply withequivalent minimum quality characteristics; whereas provision should
be made for the definition of a standard quality constituting a basis
for reference in commercial transactions and ensuring satisfactoryalignment of the market;
Whereas adequate information is needed about the present state of the
market within the Community and the prospects for its development;whereas, in this respect, the fact that a large part of the output ismarketed under contractsconcluded before the harves t and even for
several years may facilitate forward planning for the development of
the market; whereas provision should therefore be made for the regis-tration of all contractsto s upply hopsproduced within the Community;whereas, however, this information should be kept secret in order toassure the persons concerned that it will be used entirely for statisticalpurposes and in order thus to obtain entirely objective information;1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 66, 1.7.1971, p. 28.
▼B
Whereas, in order to stabilise markets and to ensure a fair standard of
living for the agricultural community and reasonable prices for suppliesto consumers, centralisation of the supply and the joint adaptation by
growersof their produce to the requirementsof the market s hould be
encouraged;
Whereasto thisend the grouping of growersin bodieswhich require
their membersto comply with common rulesislikely to further the
achievement of the objectivesof Article 39 of the Treaty; whereas
these objectives may be pursued, in particular, not only by the groupingof growerswithin producer groupsbut als o by the formation of unionsof these groups;
Whereasin order to avoid any dis crimination between producersand to
ensure the unity and effectiveness of any action undertaken, conditionsshould be fixed, for the whole of the Community, with which produ-cers' groups and unions of groups must comply in order to berecognised by the Member States; whereas in order to obtain effectivecentralisation of supply it is necessary in particular that the groups and
unions should be of an economically viable size and that the entire
output of member producersof groupss hould be marketed eitherdirectly by the group or by the union or by the producers, accordingto common rules;
Whereas provision should be made for measures calculated to facilitate
the setting up and functioning of these groups; whereas, to this end,Member Statess hould be allowed to grant them aid to be financed inpart by the Community; whereas, however, the amount of such aidshould be limited and should be designated as temporary and degres-sive so that the financial responsibility of the producers will
progressively increase;
Whereas some Community hop gardens need to be adapted in respect
both of the varieties produced and of the possibility of rationalisingcultivation and harvesting operations; whereas, for a certain number of
years, conversion of the hop gardens to different varieties and their
reorganisation should be facilitated by granting specific aid to produ-cers' groups undertaking such activities;
Whereas, in order to ensure a fair standard of living for producers, a
system of aid should be provided; whereas the Commission must
present a report to the Council annually after marketing the harvest sothat it may be decided whether such aid should be fixed; whereas theaid may be granted if examination of thisreport revealsthat theaverage return per hectare hasbeen ins ufficient taking into accountthe present state and foreseeable trend of the market;
Whereas the proposed measures must enable a system of importation to
be provided for which includesno meas uresother than the implemen-tation of the Common Customs Tariff; whereas that tariff appliesautomatically under the Treaty from 1 January 1970;
Whereas these measures make it possible to waive all quantitative
restriction at the external frontiers of the Community; whereas thisprocedure may, however, in exceptional cases, be found to be ineffec-tive; whereas, in such cases, in order not to leave the Communitymarket defenceless against disturbances liable to arise therefrom once
previously existing obstacles to imports have been abolished, the
Community must be empowered to take all necessary measuresquickly;
Whereas, in internal Community trade, the levying of any customs duty
or chargeshaving an equivalent effect and the application of any quan-
titative restriction or any measure having an equivalent effect areautomatically prohibited from 1 January 1970 under the provisions ofthe Treaty; whereas, finally, in the absence of minimum prices on 31December 1969, recourse to Article 44 of the Treaty is automatically
excluded from 1 January 1970;
Whereas the effectiveness of all the measures governing the common
organisation of the market in hops would be prejudiced by the grantingof certain aidson the part of the Member States ; whereasthe provi-sions of the Treaty enabling aids granted by the Member States to be1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 3
▼B
evaluated and aidswhich are incompatible with the common market to
be prohibited should be applied to the market in hops; whereas,however, provision should be made for a temporary system for national
aid granted for contracts lasting several years made before the entry
into force of the common organisation of the market;
Whereas the Community should be made financially responsible for
expenditure incurred by the Member Statesasa res ult of obligationsarising from the implementation of this Regulation, in accordancewith the provisions of the regulations on the financing of the common
agricultural policy;
Whereas the transition from the system in force in the Member States
to that set up by this Regulation must be carried out under the bestpossible conditions; whereas, for this reason, temporary measures mayprove to be necessary;
Whereas the common organisation of the market in hops must take
account, at the same time and in an appropriate manner, of the objec-
tiveslaid down in Articles39 and 110 of the Treaty;
Whereasin order to facilitate the implementation of the propos ed
provisions, a procedure should be laid down establishing close co-operation between the Member States and the Commission within aManagement Committee;
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. A common organization of the market in hops shall be estab-
lished, covering the following products:
CN code Description of goods
1210 Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or
in the form of pellets; lupulin
2. The rulesconcerning marketing and trade with third countries
shall also apply to the following products:
CN code Description of goods
1302 13 00 Vegetable saps and extracts of hops
3. For the purpose of this Regulation,
(a) ‘hops’ means the dried inflorescenses, also known as cones, of the
(female) climbing hop plant (humulus lupulus) ; these inflores-
censes, which are greenish yellow and of an ovoid shape, have aflower stalk and their longest dimension generally varies from 2to 5 cm;
(b) ‘hop powder’ meansthe product obtained by milling the hops ,
containing all the natural elementsthereof;
(c) ‘hop powder with higher lupulin content’ meansthe product
obtained by milling the hopsmechanical removal of a part of theleaves, stalks, bracts and rachides;
(d) ‘extract of hops’ means the concentrated products obtained by the
action of a solvent on the hops or on the hop powder;
(e) ‘mixed hop products’ means a mixture of two or more of the
productsreferred to above.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 4
▼M6
▼B
▼M10
▼B
▼M1
4. Within the meaning of Article 12 (5):
(a) hops at the first stage of preparation are hops which have passed
the first drying treatment, and are packed and ready for sale;
(b) areasin full production:
areasin full production from the third year of production.
TITLE I
Marketing
Article 2
1. The productsreferred to in Article 1, harves ted within the
Community or prepared from hopsharves ted within the Community
or imported from third countries shall be subject to a certification
procedure.
2. The certificate may be issued only for products having the
minimum quality characteristics appropriate to a specific stage of
marketing. ►M10In the case of the products referred to in Article 1
(3) (b) to (e) the certificate may only be issued if the alpha acid contentof these products is not lower than that of the hops they have beenprepared from. ◄
3. The certificate must show at least:
(a) the place(s) of production of the hops;
(b) the year(s) of harvesting;
(c) the variety or varieties.
4. The Council, acting by qualified majority on a proposal from the
Commission, shall adopt, for each product, general rules for the appli-
cation of thisArticle and the date from which it s hall be applied.
5. Detailed rulesfor the application of thisArticle s hall be adopted
in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 20.
Article 3
1. Where productsreferred to in Article 1 are s ubject to a certifica-
tion procedure ►
M1 ◄, they may only be marketed or
exported if the certificate has been issued.
2. Measures derogating from the provision laid down in paragraph 1
may be decided upon according to the procedure provided for inArticle 20:
(a) in order to satisfy the trade requirements of certain third countries;
or
(b) for products intended for special uses.
The measures provided for in the preceding subparagraph must:
— not prejudice the normal marketing of productsfor which the
►
M1 ◄certificate has been issued,
— and be accompanied by guaranteesintended to avoid any confus ion
with those products.
Article 5
1. The productsreferred to in Article 1 coming from third countries
may be imported only if their quality standards are at least equivalentto the minimum limitsfor marketing adopted for like products ,harvested within the Community, or their derivatives.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 5
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼M1
2. The products referred to in Article 1 shall be considered as being
of the standard referred to in paragraph 1 if they are accompanied byan attestation issued by the authorities of the country of origin and
recognized asequivalent to the certificate referred to in Article 2. The
equivalence of these attestations shall be verified►
M2 ◄according to the procedure provided for in
Article 20.
3. Rulesfor the application of thisArticle s hall be adopted in accor-
dance with the procedure provided for in Article 20.
TITLE II
Supplycontracts
Article 6
1. Any contract to supply hops produced within the Community
concluded between a producer or an association of producers and abuyer shall be registered by the bodies designated for that purpose byeach producer Member State.
2. Contracts relating to the supply of specific quantities at agreed
pricesfor a period covering one or more harves tsand concluded before1 August of the year of the first harvest concerned shall be known as
‘contracts concluded in advance’. They shall be registered separately.
3. Member States shall periodically provide the Commission with
statistical information on the registration of contracts.
4. The data on which registration is based may be used only for the
purposes of this Regulation.
5. Rulesfor the application of thisArticle s hall be adopted in accor-
dance with the procedure provided for in Article 20.
TITLE III
Producer groups
Article 7
1. For the purposes of this Regulation, ‘producer group’ means a
group consisting exclusively or, when national legislation allows,mainly of hop producersformed on the initiative of the producersforthe purpose of, in particular:
(a) concentrating supply and stabilizing the market by marketing all
the produce of the members or, if necessary, by purchasing hops
at a higher price than that laid down in Article 7 (3) (b);
(b) adapting such production jointly to the requirements of the market
and improving the product by converting to other varieties, by reor-ganizing hop gardens, by carrying out promotion, and byconducting research into production, marketing and integrated
protection;
(c) promoting the rationalization and mechanization of cultivation and
harvesting operations in order to render production more profitableand better protect the environment;
(d) deciding what varietiesof hopsmay be grown by itsmembersand
adopting common ruleson production;
(e) managing the aid system provided for in Article 12 by allocating
the share of the aid to each member of the group in proportion toarea cultivated, subject to the application of paragraph 5 of thatArticle;1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 6
▼B
▼M1
▼M12
▼M1
and recognized by a Member State under the provisions of paragraph 3.
1a. Producer groups may use up to 20 % of the aid for measures
designed to attain the aims referred to in paragraph 1 (a) to (d).
2. For the purposes of this Regulation, ‘union’ means a union of
recognized producer groups pursuing the same objectives as thesegroupsand recognized by a Member State under the provis ionsof para-graph 3.
3. Member Statess hall recognize the producer groupsand unions
thereof which request recognition and fulfil the following generalconditions:
(a) apply common rulesfor production and placing on the market (firs t
stage of marketing);
(b) include an obligation in their statutes on producers who are
membersof groupsand on recognized producer groupswhich aremembersof unionsto:
— comply with the common ruleson production and decis ionson
the varietiesto be grown,
— market all their produce through the group or the union.
That obligation shall not apply, however, to products covered by
sales contracts concluded by producers before they joined thegroup, provided that the latter isinformed of and hasapprovedsuch contracts.
However, where the producer group so authorizes and under the
conditionsit laysdown, member producersmay:
— replace the obligation to have all their production marketed by
the producer group with marketing in accordance with commonrules incorporated in the statutes to ensure that the producergroup has the right to monitor selling prices, which it mustapprove, failure to do so requiring the group to take over thehopsat a higher price;
— market, through the officesof another producer group des ig-
nated by their own group, productswhich by virtue of theircharacteristics are not necessarily covered by the commercialactivitiesof the latter;
(c) provide proof of an economically viable activity;
(d) exclude throughout their field of activity any discrimination
between Community producersor groupsin res pect of, in parti-cular, their nationality or place of establishment;
(e) guarantee all producers who undertake to comply with the statutes,
without discrimination, the right to belong to a group;
(f) include in their statutes provisions aimed at ensuring that the
membersof a group or union who wis h to give up their member-ship may do so after a period of membership of at least three yearsand provided that they inform the group or union at least one yearbefore they leave of their intention of doing so.
Those provisions shall apply without prejudice to the national laws
or regulations designed to protect, in specific cases, the group or
union or creditors thereof against the financial consequences which
might arise from a member leaving, or to prevent a member fromleaving during the budgetary year;
(g) have the legal personality or sufficient legal capacity to be subject,
under the provisions of national legislation, to rights and obliga-tions;
(h) include in their statutes the obligation to keep separate accounts for
the activitiesin res pect of which they have been recognized;
(i) do not hold a dominant position in the Community.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 7
▼M12
▼M1
▼M12
▼M1
▼M1
4. The authority competent to recognize producer groupsand unions
thereof shall be the Member State within whose territory the producergroup or union hasitsregis tered office.
5. Rulesfor the application of thisArticle, and in particular the
management of the aid system laid down in paragraph 1 (e), the defini-
tion of ‘placing on the market’ for the purposes of paragraph 3 (a), andrules concerning the provisions laid down in paragraph 3 (f), shall beadopted in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 20.
TITLE IV
Aidtoproducers
Article 12
1. A system of aid shall be instituted for hops produced in the
Community.
2. Aid may be granted to producersto enable a fair income to be
realized.
3. (a) In those Community regions in which recognized producer
groupsare able to ens ure a fair income for their membersand
to achieve rational management of supply, the aid shall begranted to such producer groups alone.
(b) In the specific case where a producer is established in a Member
State other than that of the group of which he isa member, the
full amount of the aid shall be paid directly to that producer bythe competent authoritiesof the Member State in which he isestablished.
(c) In the other regions, aid shall also be granted to individual
producers.
4. The Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission based on
the information communicated to it by the Member States, shall adoptin good time by a qualified majority the list of the regions which arereferred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 3.
5.
(a) The aid per hectare shall be the same for all groups of varieties.
For nine years from the 1996 harvest it shall amount to
EUR 480/ha.
(b) Where the aid isgranted to a recognized producer group in
accordance with the first subparagraph of paragraph 3, the group
shall be able to decide whether to pay the full aid each year, to
itsmembersin proportion to the area they cultivate or only apercentage of at least 80 % thereof, depending on whether thereare still applications pending for varietal conversion or possiblyother aimsto be attained in accordance with ►
C1Article 7 (1)
(a) - (d) ◄.
(c) Where the aid isgranted to a recognized producer group and
where that body doesnot market all the produce of itsmembers ,it shall each year withhold 20 % of the aid to producers to attainthe aimsreferred to in (b).1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 8
▼M14
▼M12
▼M14
▼B
▼M14
▼M1
▼M12
▼M1
▼M12
▼M16
▼M12
▼M16
(d) The aid withheld may be accumulated for a maximum period of
four years; at the end of that period all aid withheld must havebeen spent.
(e) In the case referred to in paragraph 3 (b) of this Article, the
producer in question must pay to the producer group of whichhe isa member an amount equivalent to the amount withheldin accordance with points(b) or (c) above.
6. Where the market situation shows that there is a risk of creating
structural surpluses or disturbance in the supply structure of theCommunity hop market, the Council acting on a proposal from the
Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
37(2) of the Treaty, may adjust the amount of the aid set in paragraph5 either:
(a) by granting the aid solely in respect of part of the area under hops
registered for the year in question, adjusting the aid where the need
arises; or
(b) by declaring ineligible for aid those areas under hops which are in
their first and/or second year of production.
8. The arrangementsfor implementing thisArticle s hall be adoptedin accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 20.
Article 13
1. Subject to Article 12 (6), aid shall be granted for registered areas
on which the crop hasbeen harves ted.
Member States shall designate the bodies which are competent to
register, for each producer, the areas under hops, and which are respon-sible for control and maintenance of the register.
2. For the purposes of this Article, Member States may consider a
recognised producer group as a single producer.
3. The Council, acting in accordance with the voting procedure laid
down in Article 43 (2) of the Treaty on a proposal from the Commis-sion, shall adopt general rules for the application of this Article.
4. Detailed rulesfor the application of thisArticle s hall be laid
down in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 20.
TITLE V
Tradewiththirdcountries
Article 14
Unless this Regulation provides otherwise, the rates of duty in the
Common Customs Tariff shall apply to the products listed in Article 1.
Article 15
1. The general rulesfor the interpretation of the combined nomen-
clature and the special rules for its application shall apply to theclassification of products covered by this Regulation.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 9
▼M12
▼M14
▼M12
▼M1
▼M12
▼B
▼M1
▼B
▼M11
▼M11
2. Save as otherwise provided for in this Regulation or in provisions
adopted pursuant thereto, the following shall be prohibited in tradewith third countries:
— the levying of any charge having equivalent effect to a customs
duty,
— the application of any quantitative restriction or measure having
equivalent effect.
Article 15 a
1. If, by reason of imports or exports, the Community market in one
or more of the productslis ted in Article 1 isaffected by, or isthrea-
tened with, serious disturbance likely to jeopardize the achievement ofthe objective set out in Article 39 of the Treaty, appropriate measuresmay be applied in trade with third countries until such disturbance ofthreat of disturbance or disturbance has ceased.
The Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission in accordance
with the voting procedure laid down in Article 43 (2) of the Treaty,shall adopt the general rules for the application of this paragraph andshall define in what cases and within what limits Member States may
take protective measures.
2. If the situation referred to in paragraph 1 arises, the Commission
shall, at the request of a Member State or on its own initiative, decideupon the necessary measures; the Member States shall be notified ofsuch measures, which shall be immediately applicable. If the Commis-
sion receives a request from a Member State, it shall take a decision
thereon within three working daysfollowing receipt of the reques t.
3. Measures decided upon by the Commission may be referred to
the Council by any Member State within three working daysof the
day on which they were notified. The Council shall meet without
delay. It may, acting by a qualified majority, amend or annul themeasure in question.
4. ThisArticle s hall be applied having regard to the obligations
arising from agreements concluded in accordance with Article 228 (2)
of the Treaty.
TITLE VI
General provision
Article 16
Except where otherwise provided for in this Regulation, Articles 92, 93
and 94 of the Treaty shall apply to production of and trade in theproductsreferred to in Article 1 (1).
Article 16a
In cases where there is a danger of creating surpluses or of a distur-
bance in the supply structure of the market, the Council, acting by aqualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, may take
appropriate measures to prevent market imbalance. Such measures
may, for instance, take the form of action affecting:
— the production potential,
— the volume of supply,— the marketing conditions.
Article 17
1. The Regulationson the financing of the common agricultural
policy shall apply to the market in the products referred to in Article1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 10
▼B
▼M12
▼M1
▼M13
▼M13
1(1) from the date of implementation of the arrangementslaid down
herein.
3. Member Statess hall pay the aid referred to in Article 12 to theproducersbetween 16 October and 31 December of the marketingyear in respect of which the aid is applied for.
4. The Commission shall, following the procedure laid down in
Article 20, adopt rulesfor the application of thisArticle
Article 18
The Member States and the Commission shall send each other such
information as is necessary for the implementation of this Regulation.
The procedure for forwarding, assessing and disseminating such infor-mation shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down inArticle 20.
On the basis of that information the Commission shall undertake to
draw up an assessment of the sector for the Council of the EuropeanUnion before ►
M1531 December 2003 ◄; that assessment may, if
appropriate, be accompanied by proposals.
Article 20
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a ‘management committee
for hops’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the committee’).
2. Where reference ismade to thisArticle, Articles4 and 7 of Deci-
sion 1999/468/EC shall apply.
The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be
set at one month.
3. The committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.
Article 21
The Committee may consider any other question referred to it by its
Chairman, acting either on hisown initiative or at the reques t of therepresentative of a Member State.
Article 22
This Regulation shall be so applied that appropriate account is taken, at
the same time, of the objectives set out in Articles 39 and 110 of theTreaty.
Article 23
Should transitional measures be necessary to facilitate the transition to
the system, as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1170/77, in particular
if the introduction of the amended system on the date laid down meetswith substantial difficulties, such measures shall be adopted in accor-dance with the procedure laid down in Article 20. They shall remainapplicable until 31 December 1980 at the latest.
Until thisdate the United Kingdom s hall be authorized to pay produ-
cersthe amount of production aid through the intermediary of a bodyit shall appoint.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 11
▼M14
▼M13
▼M12
▼M15
▼B
▼M1
▼B
Article 24
ThisRegulation s hall enter into force on the third day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
The provisions of Articles 11, 12 and 13 shall apply, for the first time,
to the 1971 harvest.
ThisRegulation s hall be binding in itsentirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.1971R1696 — EN — 07.01.2004 — 019.001 — 12