COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2499/96 of 23 December 1996 amending Regulation (EC) No 1588/94 laying down detailed rules for the application to milk and milk products of the arrangements provided for in the Europe Agreements between the Community of the one part and Bulgaria and Romania of the other part

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3383/94 of 19 December 1994 on certain procedures for applying the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, of the other part (1), and in particular Article 1 thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3382/94 of 19 December 1994 on certain procedures for applying the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Romania, of the other part (2), and in particular Article 1 thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 of 22 December 1995 establishing certain concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural products and providing for an autonomous and transitional adjustment to certain agricultural concessions provided for in the Europe Agreements so as to take account of the Agreement on Agriculture concluded as part of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2490/96 (4), and in particular Article 8 thereof,

Whereas Regulation (EC) No 3066/95 provides for autonomous, transitional measures to adjust the agricultural concessions covered by the Europe Agreements concluded between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria respectively, of the other part, from 1 January 1996 until the entry into force of the Additional Protocols to the Europe Agreements currently being negotiated with the countries in question; whereas application of that Regulation was extended until 31 December 1997 by Regulation (EC) No 2490/96;

Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 1588/94 (5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1477/96 (6), adopts the detailed rules for the application to milk and milk products of the arrangements provided for in the above Agreements; whereas that Regulation must be amended to take account of the extension of the measures for milk products provided for by Regulation (EC) No 3066/95;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 1588/94 is hereby amended as follows:

1. Article 2 is replaced by the following:

'Article 2

With effect from 1 January 1997 the quantities referred to in Annex I shall be spread over the year as follows:

- 25 % during the period 1 January to 31 March,

- 25 % during the period 1 April to 30 June,

- 25 % during the period 1 July to 30 September,

- 25 % during the period 1 October to 31 December.`;

2. Annex I is replaced by the Annex hereto.

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 January 1997.

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

Done at Brussels, 23 December 1996.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 368, 31. 12. 1994, p. 5.

(2) OJ No L 368, 31. 12. 1994, p. 1.

(3) OJ No L 328, 30. 12. 1995, p. 31.

(4) See page 13 of this Official Journal.

(5) OJ No L 167, 1. 7. 1994, p. 8.

(6) OJ No L 188, 27. 7. 1996, p. 7.

ANNEX

'ANNEX I

A. CHEESES FROM ROMANIA

The following quantities of cheeses covered by the CN codes quoted may be imported in the Community with an 80 % reduction in the rate of customs duty:

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B. CHEESES FROM BULGARIA

1. The following quantities of cheeses covered by the CN codes quoted may be imported in the Community with an (80 %) reduction in the rate of customs duty:

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2. The following quantities of cheeses covered by the CN codes quoted may be imported in the Community free of customs duties:

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