EN OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 13.4.2000 L92/9
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 757/2000
of 12 April 2000
opening an invitation to tender for the reduction in the duty on maize imported into Portugal
from third countries
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the EuropeanCommunity,
HavingregardtoCouncilRegulation(EEC)No1766/92of30
June 1992 on the common organisation of the market incereals(
1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1253/
1999(2), and in particular Article 12(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)Pursuant to the Agreement on Agriculture concluded
during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade nego-tiations, the Community has undertaken to import acertain quantity of maize into Portugal.
(2)Commission Regulation (EC) No 1839/95 of 26 July1995 laying down detailed rules for the application oftariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum intoSpain and imports of maize into Portugal(
3), as
amendedbyRegulation(EC)No1963/95(4),laysdown
the rules governing the administration of those specialarrangements. This Regulation lays down the specialadditionaldetailedrulesnecessaryforimplementingtheinvitation to tender, in particular those relating to thelodging and release of the security to be lodged byoperators to ensure compliance with their obligationsand, in particular, the obligation to process or use theimported product on the Portuguese market.
(3)In the light of current market needs in Portugal, aninvitation to tender for the reduction in the duty onimportsofmaizeshouldbeopenedintheframeworkofthese special arrangements for imports.
(4)As a result of the temporary closure of the Danube totrade,transportcostsformaizeoriginatingincountriesthrough which that river flows and which no longerhave access by sea to the Iberian peninsula haveincreased considerably. Accordingly, the rate of dutyapplying to such imports no longer reflects the realimpact of the costs of transport. As a consequence, totakethesefactsintoaccountafurtherreductionshould
bemadeintheimportdutyforthepurposesofinvita-tions to tender opened by this Regulation.
(5)The Management Committee for Cereals has not deliv-ered an opinion within the time limit set by itschairman,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. An invitation to tender is hereby opened for the reduc-
tionintheimportdutyreferredtoinArticle10(2)ofRegula-tion(EEC)No1766/92onmaizetobeimportedintoPortugal.
2. Theinvitationtotendershallbeopenuntil25May2000.
During that period, weekly invitations shall be issued withquantitiesandclosingdatesasshowninthenoticeofinvitationto tender.
3. Regulation (EC) No 1839/95 shall apply save as other-
wise provided for in this Regulation.
Article 2
Importlicencesissuedundertheseinvitationstotendershallbe
valid50daysfromthedatetheyareissued,withinthemeaningof Article 10(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1839/95.
Article 3
The reduction in duty granted under the invitations to tender
shallbeincreasedbyEUR 10pertonneforimportsoriginatingin landlocked countries through which the Danube flows.
Article 4
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceonthedayofitspublica-
tion in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicableinallMemberStates.
Done at Brussels, 12 April 2000.
For the Commission
Franz FISCHLER
Member of the Commission
(1) OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 18.
(3) OJ L 177, 28.7.1995, p. 4.
(4) OJ L 189, 10.8.1995, p. 22.