EN Official Journal of the European Union L 25/1

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 151/2006

of 24 January 2006

amending Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 26 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) On 20 December 1996 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products (1). Community demand for the products in question is to be met under the most favourable conditions. New Community tariff quotas should therefore be opened at reduced or zero rates of duty for appropriate volumes, and certain existing tariff quotas should be extended, without disturbing the markets for these products.

(2) Since the quota amount for certain Community tariff quotas is insufficient to meet the needs of Community industry for the current quota period, these tariff quotas should be increased with effect from 1 January 2005 and adjusted with effect from 1 January 2006.

(3) It is no longer in the Community’s interest to continue to grant Community tariff quotas in 2006 for certain products on which duties were suspended in 2005. These products should therefore be removed from the table in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96.

(4) In view of the many changes to be made, the entire text of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 should be replaced in the interests of clarity.

(5) Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6) In view of the economic importance of this Regulation, it is necessary to rely upon the grounds of urgency provided for in point I.3 of the Protocol annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaties establishing the European Communities on the role of national parliaments in the European Union.

(7) Since the Annex to this Regulation is to apply from 1 January 2006, it should enter into force immediately,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 shall be replaced by the Annex to this Regulation with effect from 1 January 2006.

Article 2

For the quota period from 1 January to 31 December 2005, in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96:

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2603 is fixed at 3 900 tonnes at a 0 % rate of duty,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2975 is fixed at 540 tonnes at a 0 % rate of duty.

Article 3

For the quota period from 1 January to 31 December 2006, in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96:

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2002 is fixed at 600 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2003 is fixed at 1 400 000 units,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2030 is fixed at 300 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2603 is fixed at 4 500 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2612 is fixed at 1 500 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2624 is fixed at 425 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2837 is fixed at 600 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2975 is fixed at 600 tonnes,

— the quota amount of tariff quota 09.2979 is fixed at 800 000 units.

Article 4

Tariff quotas 09.2004, 09.2009, 09.2018, 09.2021, 09.2022, 09.2023, 09.2028, 09.2613, 09.2621, 09.2622, 09.2623, 09.2626, 09.2630, 09.2881, 09.2964, 09.2985 and 09.2998 shall be closed with effect from 1 January 2006.

Article 5

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

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 24 January 2006. For the Council The President K.-H. GRASSER

(1) OJ L 345, 31.12.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1151/2005 (OJ L 185, 16.7.2005, p. 27).