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COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 3461/81

of 2 December 1981

making provision for the conclusion of short-term storage contracts for table wines of types A I, R I and R II in the French part of wine-growing zone C II

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN

COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/79 of 5 February 1979 on the common organization of the market in wine (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3456/80 (2), and in particular Article 60 thereof,

Whereas there is a risk that the application as from 16 December 1981 of the guide and activating prices for the 1981/82 wine year may result in serious disturbances of the market in the French part of wine-growing zone C II, where supply greatly exceeds demand, mainly owing to very large quantities of table wine held by the trade, in addition to local production which is also very high; whereas, in this situation, the most appropriate approach is to withdraw some of the table wine held by the trade from the market during the first months of the 1981/82 wine year; whereas this can be achieved by making provision for short-term storage contracts for these wines under the conditions laid down in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2600/79 (3), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2629/81 (4);

Whereas the Management Committee for Wine has not delivered an opinion within the time limit laid down by its chairman,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Short-term storage contracts for table wines of types A I, R I and R II and for table wines in a close economic relationship with such table wines may be concluded under the conditions laid down in Article 2.

Article 2

1. The contracts referred to in Article 1 may be concluded with the French intervention agency by any person holding the table wines referred to in Article 1 in the course of their business activities, except producers and retailers as defined in Article 4 of Regulation No 134.

2. The contracts referred to in Article 1 may be concluded until 31 December 1981 in the French part of wine-growing zone C II for table wines held in that area since 13 October 1981 at the latest, and not so held before 13 April 1981.

3. For the purposes of this Regulation, the following wines shall be considered as being in a close economic relationship with table wines of categories:

- A I: white table wines with an actual alcoholic strength of not less than 12 % vol and not exceeding 14 % vol, except those of type A III,

- R I: red table wines with an actual alcoholic strength of not less than 12 % vol and not exceeding 12;5 % vol, except those of type R III,

- R II: red table wines with an actual alcoholic strength exceeding 12;5 % vol and not exceeding 14;5 % vol, except those of type R III.

4. The provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 2600/79, with the exception of Article 2, shall apply to the contracts referred to in Article 1, all references to the producer being construed as references to the holder.

Article 3

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

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

Done at Brussels, 2 December 1981.

For the Commission

Poul DALSAGER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 54, 5. 3. 1979, p. 1.

(2) OJ No L 360, 31. 12. 1980, p. 18.

(3) OJ No L 297, 24. 11. 1979, p. 15.

(4) OJ No L 258, 11. 9. 1981, p. 14.