Commission Regulation (EC) No 554/2003

of 27 March 2003

fixing the rates of the refunds applicable to certain cereal and rice-products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in cereals(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1666/2000(2), and in particular Article 13(3) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 of 22 December 1995 on the common organisation of the market in rice(3), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 411/2002(4), and in particular Article 13(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 13(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 and Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 provide that the difference between quotations of prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1 of each of those Regulations and the prices within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1520/2000 of 13 July 2000 laying down common implementing rules for granting export refunds on certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty, and the criteria for fixing the amount of such refunds(5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1052/2002(6), specifies the products for which a rate of refund should be fixed, to be applied where these products are exported in the form of goods listed in Annex B to Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 or in Annex B to Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 as appropriate.

(3) In accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1520/2000, the rate of the refund per 100 kilograms for each of the basic products in question must be fixed for each month.

(4) The commitments entered into with regard to refunds which may be granted for the export of agricultural products contained in goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty may be jeopardised by the fixing in advance of high refund rates. It is therefore necessary to take precautionary measures in such situations without, however, preventing the conclusion of long-term contracts. The fixing of a specific refund rate for the advance fixing of refunds is a measure which enables these various objectives to be met.

(5) Now that a settlement has been reached between the European Community and the United States of America on Community exports of pasta products to the United States and has been approved by Council Decision 87/482/EEC(7), it is necessary to differentiate the refund on goods falling within CN codes 1902 11 00 and 1902 19 according to their destination.

(6) Pursuant to Article 4(3) and (5) of Regulation (EC) No 1520/2000 provides that a reduced rate of export refund has to be fixed, taking account of the amount of the production refund applicable, pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1722/93(8), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1786/2001(9), for the basic product in question, used during the assumed period of manufacture of the goods.

(7) Spirituous beverages are considered less sensitive to the price of the cereals used in their manufacture. However, Protocol 19 of the Act of Accession of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark stipulates that the necessary measures must be decided to facilitate the use of Community cereals in the manufacture of spirituous beverages obtained from cereals. Accordingly, it is necessary to adapt the refund rate applying to cereals exported in the form of spirituous beverages.

(8) It is necessary to ensure continuity of strict management taking account of expenditure forecasts and funds available in the budget.

(9) The Management Committee for Cereals has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The rates of the refunds applicable to the basic products appearing in Annex A to Regulation (EC) No 1520/2000 and listed either in Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 or in Article 1(1) of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95, exported in the form of goods listed in Annex B to Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 or in Annex B to amended Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 respectively, are hereby fixed as shown in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on 28 March 2003.

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

Done at Brussels, 27 March 2003.

For the Commission

Erkki Liikanen

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21.

(2) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 329, 30.12.1995, p. 18.

(4) OJ L 62, 5.3.2002, p. 27.

(5) OJ L 117, 15.7.2000, p. 1.

(6) OJ L 160, 18.6.2002, p. 16.

(7) OJ L 275, 29.9.1987, p. 36.

(8) OJ L 159, 1.7.1993, p. 112.

(9) OJ L 242, 12.9.2001, p. 3.

ANNEX

to the Commission Regulation of 27 March 2003 fixing the rates of the refunds applicable to certain cereals and rice products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty

>TABLE>