Commission Regulation (EC) No 335/2003

of 21 February 2003

amending Regulation (EC) No 2316/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1038/2001(2), and in particular Article 9 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2316/1999(3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 327/2002(4), lays down detailed rules for applying Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 with respect to the conditions for granting area payments for certain arable crops and lays down the conditions for set aside.

(2) Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1017/94 of 26 April 1994 concerning the conversion of land currently under arable crops to extensive livestock farming in Portugal(5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2582/2001(6), applications have been submitted for conversion of an area equivalent to 29575 hectares. The base area should therefore be adjusted accordingly.

(3) In response to applications by Belgium, new base areas should be fixed in accordance with the regionalisation plan of the Member State concerned.

(4) The Member States have notified the results of the tests to determine the tetrahydrocannabinol levels in the hemp varieties sown in 2002. Those results should be taken into account when drawing up the list of hemp varieties qualifying for area payments in the coming marketing years and the list of varieties temporarily accepted for 2003/04, which will require further testing during that marketing year.

(5) Regulation (EC) No 2316/1999 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 2316/1999 is hereby amended as follows:

1. in Annex VI, the details given under the headings "Belgium" and "Portugal" are replaced by the details given in Annex I hereto;

2. Annex XII is replaced by Annex II hereto.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from the 2003/2004 marketing year.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 February 2003.

For the Commission

Franz Fischler

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 16.

(3) OJ L 280, 30.10.1999, p. 43.

(4) OJ L 51, 22.2.2002, p. 14.

(5) OJ L 112, 3.5.1994, p. 2.

(6) OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 5.

ANNEX I

"ANNEX VI

>TABLE>"

ANNEX II

"ANNEX XII

(Article 7a(1))

VARIETIES OF FLAX AND HEMP GROWN FOR FIBRE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SUPPORT SYSTEM

1. Flax grown for fibre

Adélie

Agatha

Angelin

Argos

Ariane

Aurore

Belinka

Caesar Augustus

Diane

Diva

Electra

Elise

Escalina

Evelin

Exel

Hermes

Ilona

Laura

Liflax

Liviola

Marina

Marylin

Nike

Opaline

Rosalin

Venus

Veralin

Viking

Viola

2a. Hemp grown for fibre

Carmagnola

Beniko

Chamaeleon

Cs

Delta-Ilosa

Dioica 88

Epsilon 68

Fedora 17

Felina 32

Felina 34 - Félina 34

Ferimon - Férimon

Fibranova

Fibrimon 24

Futura 75

Juso 14

Red Petiole

Santhica 23

Uso 31

2b. Hemp grown for fibre authorised in the 2003/2004 marketing year

Delta 405

Bialobrzeskie

Fasamo

Fedora 19

Fédrina 74

Fibrimon 56

Futura

Santhica 27"