A. AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION

1. 31975 R 2759: Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 of the Council of 29 October 1975 on the common organisation of the market in pigmeat (OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32000 R 1365: Council Regulation (EC) No 1365/2000 of 19.6.2000 (OJ L 156, 29.6.2000, p. 5);

31975 R 2771: Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 of the Council of 29 October 1975 on the common organisation of the market in eggs (OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 49), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0493 Commission Regulation (EC) No 493/2002 of 19.3.2002 (OJ L 77, 20.3.2002, p. 7);

31975 R 2777: Regulation (EEC) No 2777/75 of the Council of 29 October 1975 on the common organisation of the market in poultrymeat (OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 77), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0493 Commission Regulation (EC) No 493/2002 of 19.3.2002 (OJ L 77, 20.3.2002, p. 7);

31992 R 1766: Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in cereals (OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21), as last amended by:

- 32000 R 1666: Council Regulation (EC) No 1666/2000 of 17.7.2000 (OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 1);

31995 R 3072: Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 of 22 December 1995 on the common organisation of the market in rice (OJ L 329, 30.12.1995, p. 18), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0411 Commission Regulation (EC) No 411/2002 of 4.3.2002 (OJ L 62, 5.3.2002, p. 27);

31996 R 2200: Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 1881: Council Regulation (EC) No 1881/2002 of 14.10.2002 (OJ L 285, 23.10.2002, p. 13);

31996 R 2201: Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the markets in processed fruit and vegetable products (OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0453: Commission Regulation (EC) No 453/2002 of 13.3.2002 (OJ L 72, 14.3.2002, p. 9);

31999 R 1254: Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal (OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21), as last amended by:

- 32001 R 2345: Commission Regulation (EC) No 2345/2001 of 30.11.2001 (OJ L 315, 1.12.2001, p. 29);

31999 R 1255: Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0509: Commission Regulation (EC) No 509/2002 of 21.3.2002 (OJ L 79, 22.3.2002, p. 15);

31999 R 1493: Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine (OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32001 R 2585: Council Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001 of 19.12.2001 (OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10);

32001 R 1260: Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 of 19 June 2001 on the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector (OJ L 178, 30.6.2001, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0680: Commission Regulation (EC) No 680/2002 of 19.4.2002 (OJ L 104, 20.4.2002, p. 26).

Special Market Policy Programme for Maltese Agriculture (SMPPMA)

(a) Special temporary State aid to support agricultural producers

By way of derogation from Article 21 of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75, Article 19 of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75, Article 19 of Regulation (EEC) No 2777/75, Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96, Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96, Article 38(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 and Article 71 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, Malta may grant special temporary State aid to producers of tomatoes for processing, fresh fruit and vegetables, wine, pigmeat, milk, poultry and eggs. This assistance shall be adapted in each sector concerned taking account of the assistance existing under the current common agricultural policy rules.

Such aid may be granted during a period of seven years from the date of accession for animal products and 11 years from the date of accession for crops, in accordance with the following schedule of degressivity:

- for animal products: 1st year 100 %, 2nd year 95 %, 3rd year 90 %, 4th year 72 %, 5th year 54 %, 6th year 36 % and 7th year 18 %;

- for crops: 1st - 2nd year 100 %, 3rd - 4th year 95 %, 5th-6th year 90 %, 7th year 75 %, 8th year 60 %, 9th year 45 %, 10th year 30 %, and 11th year 15 %.

Such aid shall be limited to the following amounts in each sector:

Programme for crops

(EUR million) |

Year | Tomatoes for processing sector, including additional aid | Wine sector, including additional aid | Fresh fruit sector | Fresh vegetables sector | Total for crops |

2004 | 1,37 | 2,76 | 2,43 | 0,96 | 7,52 |

2005 | 1,48 | 2,62 | 2,43 | 0,96 | 7,49 |

2006 | 2,68 | 1,23 | 2,31 | 0,91 | 7,13 |

2007 | 2,68 | 1,10 | 2,31 | 0,91 | 7,00 |

2008 | 2,63 | 1,04 | 2,18 | 0,86 | 6,71 |

2009 | 2,63 | 0,94 | 2,18 | 0,86 | 6,61 |

2010 | 2,15 | 0,83 | 1,82 | 0,72 | 5,52 |

2011 | 1,46 | 0,83 | 1,46 | 0,57 | 4,32 |

2012 | 0,85 | 0,76 | 1,10 | 0,43 | 3,14 |

2013 | 0,42 | 0,51 | 0,73 | 0,29 | 1,95 |

2014 | 0,18 | 0,36 | 0,37 | 0,15 | 1,06 |

Total | 18,53 | 12,98 | 19,32 | 7,62 | 58,45 |

Programme for animal products

(EUR million) |

Year | SMPPMA programme for the dairy sector, including restructuring aid | Pigmeat sector, including restructuring aid | Eggs sector, including restructuring aid | Poultry meat sector, including restructuring aid | Total for animal products, including restructuring aid |

2004 | 2,50 | 5,40 | 2,30 | 1,80 | 12,0 |

2005 | 2,45 | 5,17 | 2,18 | 1,70 | 11,5 |

2006 | 2,40 | 4,94 | 2,03 | 1,63 | 11,0 |

2007 | 1,97 | 4,15 | 1,70 | 1,38 | 9,20 |

2008 | 1,63 | 3,28 | 1,34 | 1,15 | 7,40 |

2009 | 1,28 | 2,46 | 0,99 | 0,87 | 5,60 |

2010 | 0,94 | 1,65 | 0,59 | 0,62 | 3,80 |

Total | 13,17 | 27,05 | 11,13 | 9,15 | 60,5 |

For each sector, State aid may only be allocated within the following quantitative ceilings:

Crops (annual quantities):

Tomatoes for processing : 27000 tonnes

Fresh fruit : 19400 tonnes

Fresh vegetables : 38200 tonnes

Wine : 1000 ha

Animal products (annual quantities):

Dairy : 45000 tonnes

Pigmeat : 125200 heads

Poultry : 7000 tonnes

Eggs : 5000 tonnes

(b) Special temporary State aid to support processors and recognised retailers of imported agricultural products

By way of derogation from Article 21 of Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75, Article 19 of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92, Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95, Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96, Article 40 of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999, Article 38(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 and Article 45 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001, Malta may grant special temporary State aid to support the purchase of imported agricultural products which before accession benefited from export refunds or which were imported from third countries without duties provided that Malta provides a mechanism to guarantee that the support is effectively passed on to consumers. The aid shall be calculated on the basis of, and must not exceed, the price differential between EU prices (including transport) and the world market ones, and shall take into account the level of export refunds.

Such State aid shall be applied degressively over a maximum period of seven years from the date of accession: 1st year 100 %, 2nd year 95 %, 3rd year 90 %, 4th - 7th years 18 % reduction per year.

Such aid shall be limited to the following amounts in each sector:

Supply measures

EUR million |

Products | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Total |

Cereals | 3,0 | 2,9 | 2,7 | 2,2 | 1,6 | 1,1 | 0,5 | 14,0 |

Sugar | 11,0 | 10,5 | 9,9 | 7,9 | 5,9 | 4,0 | 2,0 | 51,2 |

Meat products | 0,8 | 0,8 | 0,8 | 0,6 | 0,5 | 0,3 | 0,2 | 3,9 |

Dairy products | 1,0 | 1,0 | 0,9 | 0,7 | 0,5 | 0,4 | 0,2 | 4,7 |

Semi-processed tomato products | 0,8 | 0,8 | 0,7 | 0,6 | 0,4 | 0,3 | 0,1 | 3,7 |

Total | 77,4 |

For each sector, State aid may only be allocated within the following quantitative ceilings:

Product | Quantity (tonnes per year) |

Sugar

Sugar | 35000 |

Cereals

Common wheat and meslin seed | 52000 |

Barley, excluding barley seeds | 61000 |

Maize (corn), excluding seeds | 62000 |

Rice | 3000 |

Malt of other cereals excluding wheat flour | 2500 |

Semolina (groats and meal of durum wheat) | 3500 |

Dairy products

Milk cream in powder or other solid form, fat content <1,5 % | 521 |

Natural butter fat content ≤85 % immediate pack | 250 |

Other butter, fat content ≤85 % immediate pack | 250 |

Cheddar cheese | 1200 |

Edam cheese | 1000 |

Other processed cheese (Kefalo-tyri, etc.) | 1500 |

Meat products

Hindquarters of bovine with bone frozen | 4200 |

Boneless crop chuck and blade and brisket cut bovine frozen | 2000 |

Other prepared processed domestic swine products | 500 |

Corned beef in airtight containers | 1200 |

Other products

Prepared tomatoes dry matter content >30 % in packs >3 kg | 5500 |

Tomatoes preserved whole or in pieces in containers >3 kg | 3000 |

(c) With regard to each of the agricultural products covered by the SMPPMA, the general economic safeguard clause set out in Article 37 of this Act shall be applicable for Malta up to five years after the date of accession.

(d) Malta shall submit annual reports to the Commission on the implementation of the State aid measures, indicating the form of the aid and the amounts per sector.

2. 31992 R 3950: Council Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 of 28 December 1992 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (OJ L 405, 31.12.1992, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0582: Commission Regulation (EC) No 582/2002 of 4.4.2002 (OJ L 89, 5.4.2002, p. 7).

By way of derogation from Article 11 of Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92, the representative fat content of milk delivered shall be determined for Malta after a period of five years from the date of accession.

Until the representative fat content is determined, the comparison of fat content for the purpose of calculating the additional levy as laid down in Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1392/2001 laying down detailed rules for applying Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 [4], shall not be applicable in Malta.

3. 31996 R 2201: Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the markets in processed fruit and vegetable products (OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0453: Commission Regulation (EC) No 453/2002 of 13.3.2002 (OJ L 72, 14.3.2002, p. 9).

By way of derogation from Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96, in the course of the marketing years 2004/2005 to 2008/2009, contracts between processors and individual producers shall be eligible for the scheme referred to in Article 2 of that Regulation. Out of the total quantity of tomatoes contracted for by any processor, the share of the quantities under contracts between processors and individual producers shall account for a maximum of 75 % during the 2004/2005 marketing year, 65 % during the 2005/2006 marketing year, 55 % during the 2006/2007 marketing year, 40 % during the 2007/2008 marketing year and 25 % during the 2008/2009 marketing year. The existing Maltese cooperatives and other associations of producers which have not been recognised as producer organisations under Community legislation shall be considered as "individual producers".

4. 31997 R 2597: Council Regulation (EC) No 2597/97 of 18 December 1997 laying down additional rules on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products for drinking milk (OJ L 351, 23.12.1997, p. 13), as last amended by:

- 31999 R 1602: Council Regulation (EC) No 1602/1999 of 19.7.1999 (OJ L 189, 22.7.1999, p. 43).

By way of derogation from Article 3(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 2597/97 the requirements relating to the minimum fat content of whole milk shall not apply to drinking milk produced in Malta for a period of five years from the date of accession. Drinking milk which does not comply with the requirements relating to fat content may be marketed only in Malta or exported to a third country.

5. 31999 R 1254: Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal (OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21), as last amended by:

- 32001 R 2345: Commission Regulation (EC) No 2345/2001 of 30.11.2001 (OJ L 315, 1.12.2001, p. 29).

By way of derogation from Article 12(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999, in Malta the application of the stocking density shall be gradually phased in on a linear basis from 4,5 LU per hectare for the first year after accession to 1,8 LU per hectare five years after accession. During this period, for determining the stocking density on the holding, account shall not be taken of dairy cows needed to produce the total reference quantity of milk allocated to the producer.

Malta shall submit a report on the implementation of this measure to the Commission by 31 December 2007.

6. 31999 R 1493: Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine (OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32001 R 2585: Council Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001 of 19.12.2001 (OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10).

By way of derogation from Annex V, point C.3, of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, Malta may until 31 December 2008 maintain the minimum natural alcoholic strength of wine produced from the indigenous vine varieties Ġellewża and Ghirgentina at 8 % vol. with an allowable increase in natural alcoholic strength (enrichment) not exceeding 3 % vol.

During this period Malta shall ensure the effective adaptation of viticultural techniques in order to enable the production of high quality wine grapes of indigenous character by 31 December 2008.

7. 32001 R 1260: Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 of 19 June 2001 on the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector (OJ L 178, 30.6.2001, p. 1), as last amended by:

- 32002 R 0680: Commission Regulation (EC) No 680/2002 of 19.4.2002 (OJ L 104, 20.4.2002, p. 26).

By way of derogation from Article 45 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 and the corresponding Articles of the other regulations on the common organisation of agricultural markets, Malta may for a period of five years from the date of accession grant State aid for the ferry transport of agricultural products from Gozo on a linear degressive basis (20 % reduction per year).

Malta shall submit an annual report to the Commission on the implementation of the State aid measures, indicating the form of the aid and the amounts.

[4] OJ L 187, 10.7.2001, p. 19.

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