NoL277/16 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 29.10.77
COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC)No2370/77
of28October1977
onthesaleatareducedpriceofbutterfordirectconsumption inthe
Community
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,withoutdisturbingnormaltradeinbutter;whereas,
shouldaMemberStatemakeuseofCouncilRegula­
tion(EEC)No880/77of26April1977onthe
grantingofaidforbutterconsumption (5),the
measureslaiddowninthisRegulationshouldbe
combinedwiththeaidgrantedundertheabovemen­
tionedRegulation ;HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity ,
HavingregardtoCouncilRegulation (EEC)No
804/68of27June1968onthecommonorganization
ofthemarketinmilkandmilkproducts(J),aslast
amendedbyRegulation (EEC)No559/76(2),andin
particularArticles6(7),12(3)and28thereof,Whereas,toensureevendistributionthroughoutthe
Community ofthebuttermadeavailableto
consumersunderthismeasureandtoavoiddistur­
bancesofthemarketincertainMemberStates,the
maximumquantitiesqualifyingforthisaidshouldbe
fixedforeachMemberState,particularaccountbeing
takenoftheusuallevelofconsumption inthe
MemberStateconcerned ;whereas,givenitssocial
welfarecharacter,therestrictedquantitiesandthe
briefperiodinvolved,thissaleofbutterontheocca­
sionoftheChristmasandtheNewYearholidayscan
onlyachieveitsaimifthebutterinquestionis
consumedintheMemberStatewhereitisstoredand
ifsubsequentdistributiontothoseconcernedis
handledbythenationalauthorities ;HavingregardtoCouncilRegulation (EEC)No
985/68of15July1968layingdowngeneralrulesfor
interventiononthemarketinbutterandcream(3),as
lastamendedbyRegulation (EEC)No2714/72(4),and
inparticularArticle7athereof,
WhereasamajorfeatureoftheCommunitybutter
marketistheexistenceofstocksbuiltupfollowing
interventionunderArticle6(1)and(2)ofRegulation
(EEC)No804/68;
WhereasintheUnitedKingdomthemarketpricefor
butterisappreciablylowerthantheinterventionprice
lesstheaidgrantedunderRegulation (EEC)No
880/77;whereastherearealsolargestocksof
importedbutterwhichtendtokeeppricesdown;
whereasinthesecircumstances itisreasonablenotto
applythepresentmeasureinthatMemberState,and
indeedessentialifadisturbanceofthemarketistobe
avoided;Whereasitwillnotbepossibletodisposeofthese
stocksonnormaltermsduringthepresentmilkyear;
whereasprolongedstorageshouldbeavoidedinview
ofthehighcostinvolved;whereasstepsshouldthere­
forebetakentofacilitatedisposalofthisbutter;
WhereastheChristmasandNewYearholidaysmay
provideanopportunityforsellingbutteratareduced
pricefordirectconsumption ;whereas,ifthismeasure
wereappliedonlytobutterinpublicstorage,itwould
bedifficulttorundownthestocksofbutterinprivate
storage;whereas,therefore,thebutterwhichhasbeen
thesubjectofstoragecontractsunderArticle9(2)of
Regulation(EEC)No985/68shouldalsobereleased
tothemarketunderthismeasure;Whereas,withregardtoItaly,whichhasneither
publicstocksnorprivatestocksundercontractonits
territory,andwherethespecialfeaturesofproduction
precludetheuseofpricesupportmechanismsto
preventpricefluctuations ,CouncilRegulation(EEC)
No2291/77of18October1977onthegrantingof
aidforbutterconsumption inItaly(6)providesthat
aidmaybegrantedforbutterproducedinItalyand
intendedfordirectconsumption inthatMemberState
sothatItalianconsumerscanbenefit,oncomparable
terms,fromthereductioninthepriceofbutter;
whereasitisthereforenecessarytoadoptatthesame
timedetailedrulesfortheapplicationofthesaid
Regulation (EEC)No2291/77;Whereaseitherthereductioninthesellingpriceof
butterortheamountoftheaidshouldbesufficientto
ensurethatadditionalquantitiesaredisposedof
(>)OJNoL148,28.6.1968,p.13.
(2)OJNoL67,15.3.1976,p.9.
(3)OJNoL169,18.7.1968,p.1. (5)OJNoL106,29.4.1977,p.31.
(*)OJNoL268,20.10.1977,p.15. (4)OJNoL291,28.12.1972,p.15.

29.10.77 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL277/17
2.Thequantitiesreferredtoinparagraph 1shallbe
asfollows:
(tonnes)
Breakdown
MemberStateTotalquantityPublicstoragePrivatestorage
(minimum (maximum
quantity)amount)
Belgiumand
Luxembourg 5500 200 5300
Denmark 2500 2500 —
Germany 24000 17000 7000
France 27000 700020000
Ireland 2000 — 2000
Netherlands 4000 2500 1500WhereasbuttersoldunderthisRegulationshouldbe
clearlydistinguished atallmarketingstagesfrom
otherbutter;whereas,tothisend,provisionsshould
beadoptedconcerningtheputting-upofthebutterin
smallpackets;whereasatimelimitforpacking
shouldbefixedtoensurethattheoperationproceeds
smoothly ;
Whereasasystemofsupervisionshouldbesetupto
ensurethatthebutterisnotdivertedfromitsdestina­
tion;whereasthekeepingofstockrecordsatall
marketingstages,theprovisionofasecurityand,in
thecaseofbutterfromprivatestorage,thecondition
thataidwillbepaidonlyifcertainrequirementsare
met,wouldcontributetothisend;whereas,moreover,
asregardsbutterinpublicstorage,theprovisionsof
CommissionRegulation (EEC)No1687/76of30
June1976layingdowncommondetailedrulesfor
verifyingtheuseand/ordestinationofproductsfrom
intervention('),aslastamendedbyRegulation (EEC)
No2375/77(2),shouldapply;whereasthesameprovi­
sionsmaybeappliedtobutterinprivatestorage;
Whereasthenecessaryinformationshouldbecommu­
nicatedtotheCommissionregularlytoenableitto
followtheprogressoftheoperationintheMember
States;
WhereasthemeasuresprovidedforinthisRegulation
areinaccordancewiththeopinionoftheManage­
mentCommitteeforMilkandMilkProducts,
HASADOPTED THISREGULATION :Article2
1.Butterfrompublicstorageshallbesoldex-cold
storagedepotatthebuying-inpriceappliedbythe
interventionagencyconcernedonthedaywhenthe
contractofsaleisconcluded,less70unitsofaccount
per100kilograms .
Itshallbesoldinlotsofnotlessthanfivetonnes.
2.Contractsofsaleshallbeconcludedbefore10
December1977.
3.Thepurchasershalltakedeliveryofthebutter
notlaterthan12daysafterthecontractofsaleis
concluded .
Beforetakingdelivery,thepurchasershall:
—paythepurchasepriceofthebutter,
—giveapackingsecurityinanamountof75units
ofaccountper100kilograms.
Exceptincaseofforcemajeure,ifthepurchaserhas
nottakendeliveryofthebutterwithinthelimitspeci­
fied,thesaleshallbecancelledinrespectofthe
remainingquantities.
Article3
1.Butterfromprivatestorageshallqualifyforaid
of70unitsofaccountper100kilograms.
2.Thepersonwhoconcludedthestoragecontract
shall,before5December1977,submitanapplication
forremovalfromstoragetotheinterventionagency
withwhichheconcludedthecontract,statingthe
quantitiesofbutterheproposestoremovefrom
storageandspecifyingitscharacteristics inthe
mannerdeterminedbytheinterventionagency,and
thedatefixedforremovalfromstorage.
Theagencyshallwithoutdelayissueanacknowledge­
mentofreceiptauthorizingorrefusing,whereappro­
priateinpart,inaccordancewithArticle4,removal
fromstorageinpursuanceofthisRegulation .Article1
1.TheMemberStatesshall,subjecttothecondi­
tionslaiddowninthisRegulationand,inparticular,
tothemaximumquantitiesspecifiedinparagraph2:
(a)sellatareducedpricebutterwhichhasbeenthe
subjectofthemeasuresprovidedforinArticle6
(1)ofRegulation (EEC)No804/68andhasbeen
storedforatleastfourmonths;
(b)grantaidinrespectofbutterwhichhasbeen,
duringthe1977/78milkyear,thesubjectofa
storagecontractpursuanttoArticle8(2)ofRegula­
tion(EEC)No985/68andwhichhasbeenstored
undercontractforatleastfourmonthsonthedate
oftheappplicationreferredtoinArticle3(2).
(>)OJNoL190,14.7.1976,p.1.
(2)Seepage29ofthisOfficialJournal.

NoL277/18 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 29.10.77
—Botertegenverlaagdeprijs(Verordening (EEG)nr.
2370/77)',
—'Smørtilnedsatpris(forordning (EØF)nr.
2370/77)',
—Burroaprezzoridotto(regolamento (CEE)n.
2370/77)'.Article4
TheMemberStatesshalltaketheappropriatestepsto
ensureasfaraspossibleabalanceddistributionofthe
quantitiesofbutterreferredtoinArticle1,having
regardinparticulartothequantityofbutternormally
soldbythepartiesconcernedfordirectconsumption .
Article5
1.Thebuttershallbeusedexclusivelyfordirect
consumption intheMemberStatewhereremoval
fromstoragetakesplace.
ForthepurposesofthisRegulation,Belgiumand
LuxembourgshallberegardedasasingleMember
State.
2.Thebuttershallbemarketedinpackets
weighingnotmorethan500grams,bearingonthe
uppersurface,inlettersatleast5mmhigh:
(a)oneormoreofthefollowingdesignations :
—'Christmasbutter',
—'BeurredeNoel',
—'Weihnachtsbutter ',
—'Kerstboter ,Article7
1.Ifthebutterisresold,theobligationsasregards
theusetobemadeofthebutterandthelatestdatefor
packingshallbeincorporatedinthecontractofsale.
Suchcontractsshallbedrawnupinwritingandshall
specifythatthepurchaserisawareofthepenalties
imposedbytherelevantMemberStateforbreachesof
theaforesaidobligations .
2.Holdersofbuttershallkeepstockrecordssetting
outinrespectofeachdeliverythenameandaddress
ofthepurchaserandthequantitypurchased .
3.However,attheretailstagearecordofquantities
purchasedshallsuffice.Theretailtrademayonlysell
thebutterfordirectconsumption .
Article8
Withregardtobutterfromprivatestorage,theprovi­
sionsofRegulation (EEC)No1687/76shallapply
fromthedatewhenthebutterisremovedfrom
storage.
Article9
ForthepurposesofRegulation (EEC)No1687/76the
buttershallbeconsideredashavingcompliedwith
theprescribeduseand/ordestinationwhenitisesta­
blishedthatithasbeenputupinsmallpacketsand
takenoverbytheretailtradeintheMemberState
whereitwasremovedfromstorage.
Article10
TheaidprovdidedforinArticle3(1)shallbepaid
onlyonproductionoftheproofreferredtoinArticle
12ofRegulation(EEC)No1687/76,andinrespectof
thequantitiesspecifiedinsuchdocuments .
Article11
1.TheMemberStatesshalltakeallnecessarysteps
toensurethattheeffectofthepricereductionoraid
isfeltattheretailstage.
2.Tothisend,MemberStatesshallfixamaximum
retailpriceforthebutter.
However,theMemberStatesmaysubstituteforsucha
provisionotherprovisionsofequivalenteffect.—'Julesmer,
—'BurrodiNatale';
(b)themaximumpricereferredtoinArticle11(2),
wheretheMemberStateconcernedhasfixedsuch
apricepursuanttothatprovision.
However,theMemberStatesmayfixthemaximum
weightreferredtoaboveat250grams.
3.Thebuttershallbepackedbefore31December
1977,intheMemberStatewherethebutteristobe
offeredforsalefordirectconsumption ,andinanesta­
blishmentapprovedforthepurposebytheMember
Stateconcernedandontheconditionsdeterminedby
thatMemberState.
Article6
1.Thebuttershallremaininitsoriginalpacking
untilitisputupinsmallpackets.
Itshallbeaccompanied byalistofthepackages
enablingthebuttertobeidentifiedandspecifyingthe
dateofremovalfromstorage.
2.Packagescontainingbutterinbulkorputupin
smallpacketsshallbear,intettersatleast2cmhigh,
oneormoreofthefollowingdesignations :
—'Butteratreducedprice(Regulation (EEC)No
2370/77)',
—'Beurreaprixréduit(règlement (CEE)n°
2370/77)',
—Butterzurherabgesetzten Preisen(Verordnung
(EWG)Nr.2370/77)',

29.10.77 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL277/19
Article12
1.Subjecttotheconditionslaiddowninthis
Articleandtoamaximumof7000tonnes,Italyshall
grantaidof70unitsofaccountper100kilogramsfor
thedirectconsumptionofItalianButtermanufactured
fromcream.
2.Theholdersofthebutterinvolvedshall,before
10December1977,sendanapplicationforaidtothe
Italianinterventionagencysettingthequantity,the
dateandthepackingcentrewherethebutteristobe
putupinsmallpackets.
3.TheItalianinterventionagencyshallassoonas
possibleafterthebutterconcernedhasbeen
purchasedandputupforsalefordirectconsumption ,
authorizeorrefuse,whereappropriateinpart,theaid
referredtoinparagraph 1.
4.TheprovisionsofArticles4,5,7,9,10and11of
thisRegulationshallapplytothedistributionofthe
quantityofbutterreferredtoinparagraph 1,itspack­
aginginsmallpackets,itsmarketingandthepayment
oftheaid.5.TheprovisionsofRegulation(EEC)No1687/76
shallapplywitheffectfromthedatewhenthebutter
isputupinsmallpacks.
Article13
MemberStatesshallinformtheCommission onthe
Tuesdayofeachweek:
—ofthequantitiesofbutterfrompublicstorage
whichhavebeenthesubjectofcontractsofsale
withtheinterventionagencypursuanttothisRegu­
lation,
—ofthequantitiesofbutterfromprivatestoragein
respectofwhichtheMemberStatehasissued
acknowledgments ofreceiptasprovidedforinthe
secondsubparagraph ofArticle3(2),orinthecase
ofItaly,thedocumentprovidedforinArticle12
(3)specifyingthequantitiesauthorizedorrefused.
Article14
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceontheday
followingitspublicationintheOfficialJournalof
theEuropeanCommunities .
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicableinallMember
States.
DoneatBrussels,28October1977.
FortheCommission
FinnGUNDELACH
Vice-President