EN Official Journal of the European Union L 349/1

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1526/2007

of 17 December 2007

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 (1). Community demand for the products to which that Regulation applies should be met under the most favourable conditions. For that purpose from 1 January 2008 certain existing tariff quota volumes should be increased or reduced and some new Community tariff quotas should be opened at zero rates of duty for appropriate volumes, while avoiding any disturbance of the markets for those products.

(2) The quota volume for two Community tariff quotas is insufficient to meet the needs of Community industry for the current quota period ending at 31 December 2007. Consequently those volumes should be increased with effect from 1 January 2007.

(3) It is no longer in the Community interest to continue to grant Community tariff quotas in 2008 for certain products on which duties were suspended in 2007. 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, clarity requires Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 to be replaced in its entirety.

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

(6) Having regard to the economic importance of this Regulation, it is necessary to rely on the grounds of urgency provided for in point 1,3 of the Protocol on the role of national parliaments in the European Union annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaties establishing the European Community.

(7) Since quota periods start on 1 January 2008, this Regulation should apply from the same date and enter into force immediately,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96 shall be replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

For the quota period from 1 January to 31 December 2007, in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96:

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2603 is fixed at 6 500 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2950 is fixed at 12 000 tonnes.

Article 3

With effect from 1 January 2008 in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96:

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2030 is fixed at 1 500 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2603 is fixed at 6 500 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2624 is fixed at 600 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2907 is fixed at 2 500 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2914 is fixed at 5 000 tonnes,

— the quota volume of the tariff quota for order number 09.2950 is fixed at 12 000 tonnes.

Article 4

In Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2505/96, tariff quotas for order numbers 09.2763, 09.2806, 09.2808, 09.2810, 09.2812, 09.2814, 09.2816 and 09.2818 shall be inserted with effect from 1 January 2008.

Article 5

Tariff quotas for order numbers 09.2610, 09.2612, 09.2625, 09.2627, 09.2809, 09.2882, 09.2904, 09.2919, 09.2920, 09.2979 and 09.2995 shall be closed with effect from 1 January 2008.

Article 6

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2008.

However, Article 2 shall apply from 1 January 2007.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 17 December 2007. For the Council The President J. SILVA

(1) OJ L 345, 31.12.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 728/2007 (OJ L 166, 28.6.2007, p. 1).