17.12.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC333/19
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)onthecommonorganizationofthemarketin
potatoes
(92/C333/17)
COM(92)mfinal
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon25November1992)
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity,andinparticularArticles42and
43thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropean
Parliament,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee,
Whereastheoperationanddevelopmentofthecommon
marketinagriculturalproductsmustbeaccompaniedby
theestablishmentofacommonagriculturalpolicy,to
includeinparticularacommonorganizationofagri­
culturalmarketswhichmaytakevariousforms
dependingontheproduct;
Whereastheproductionofpotatoesconstitutesa
substantialfactorinagriculturalincome;whereasappro­
priatemeasuresshouldthereforebetakentoensure
stabilityofthemarketandafairincomeforthe
producersconcerned;
Whereas,giventhespecialfeaturesofthemarketinfresh
potatoes,theformationofproducerorganizationswhose
membersareobligedtocomplywithcertainrules,in
particularasregardsthemarketingoftheirentirecrop
throughtheproducergrouptowhichtheybelong,is
likelytocontributetotheattainmentoftheobjectivesof
thecommonorganizationofthemarket;
Whereasprovisionshouldthereforebemadefor
measurestofacilitatetheformationandoperationof
suchorganizations ;whereas,tothatend,MemberStates
shouldbepermittedtograntaidtosuchorganizations ,
thisaidbeinginpartfinancedbytheCommunity;
whereasthisaidshould,however,belimitedinamount
andbeofatransitionalanddegressivenaturesothatthe
financialresponsibilityofproducerswillprogressively
increase;
Whereastheestablishment ofasingleCommunity
marketinpotatoesrequirestheintroductionofasingle
tradingsystemattheexternalfrontiersoftheCommunity;whereastheapplicationoftheCommon
CustomsTariffdutiesshouldsuffice,asarule,to
stabilizetheCommunitymarketbypreventingtheprice
levelinnon-member countriesandfluctuationsthereof
fromhavingrepercussionsonpricesrulingwithinthe
Community ;
Whereasthecompetentauthoritiesmustbeinaposition
constantlytofollowtrademovementsinordertoassess
markettrendsandtotakeanymeasuresrendered
necessarythereby;whereastothisendprovisionshould
bemadeforarequirementtoissueimportlicences,ifthe
increaseorriskofincreaseofimportsfromthird
countriesjustifysucharequirement ;
Whereas,inmostcases,thesystemthusintroducedwill
enableallquantitativerestrictionsattheexternal
frontiersoftheCommunitytobedispensedwith;
whereasthismachinerymightinexceptionalcircum­
stancesproveinadequate;whereas,inordernottoleave
theCommunitymarketwithoutdefenceagainstdisturb­
anceswhichmightariseinsuchcasesaftertheimport
barrierswhichexistedpreviouslyhavebeenremoved,the
Communityshouldbeenabledtotakeallnecessary
measureswithoutdelay;
Whereastheestablishmentofasinglemarketwouldbe
jeopardizedbythegrantingofcertainaids;whereasthe
provisionsoftheTreatywhichallowthereviewofaids
grantedbyMemberStatesandtheprohibitionofthose
whichareincompatiblewiththecommonmarketshould
thereforebeapplicabletopotatoes;
WhereastheCommunityshouldbearthefinancial
responsibilityfortheexpenditureincurredbythe
MemberStatesasaresultoftheobligationsarisingout
oftheapplicationofthisRegulation,inaccordancewith
thelegislativeprovisionsrelatingtothefinancingofthe
commonagriculturalpolicy;
Whereas,inordertofacilitateimplementation ofthe
proposedmeasures,aprocedureshouldbeprovidedfor
whichestablishesclosecooperationbetweenMember

NoC333/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 17.12.92
StatesandtheCommissionwithinamanagement
committee;
WhereasthetransitionfrompresentCommunity
arrangementsandthosecurrentlyinforceintheMember
Statestothoseintroducedbythisregulationshouldbe
effectedassmoothlyaspossible;whereastransitional
measuresmaythusprovenecessary,
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION :
Article1
1.Acommonorganizationofthemarketinpotatoes
shallbeestablishedandshallcoverthefollowing
products:2.FortheotherproductslistedinArticle1(1)the
marketingyearshallbeginon1Julyofeachyearand
endon30Juneofthefollowingyear.
TITLEI
Producergroups
Article3
1.Forthepurposesofthisregulation,'recognized
producergroup'meansagroupofproducersofpotatoes
inthefreshstateformedontheinitiativeofthe
producersforthepurpose,inparticular,of:
a)concentration ofsupplyandstabilizationofthe
marketbymarketingalltheproduceoftheir
members;
b)jointadaptationoftheirproductiontothe
requirementsofthemarketandimprovementof
productquality;\
c)promotionofrationalization andmechanization of
cultivationandharvestingoperationsinorderto
renderproductionmoreprofitable;
d)adoptionofcommonrulesforproduction,
andrecognizedbyaMemberStateinaccordancewith
paragraph3.
2.Forthepurposesofthisregulation,'recognized
association'meansanassociationofrecognizedproducer
groupspursuingthesameobjectivesasthesegroupsand
recognizedbyaMemberStateinaccordancewith
paragraph3.
3.MemberStatesshallrecognize,forthepurposesof
theproductionandmarketingofpotatoesinthefresh
state,theproducergroupsandassociationsthereof
whichrequestrecognitionandfulfilthefollowing
generalconditions,inthatthey:
a)applycommonrulesfortheproductionofpotatoes
andforplacingthemonthemarket(atthefirststage
ofmarketing)inthefreshstate;
b)includeintheirstatutestheobligation,forproducers
whoaremembersofagroupandforrecognized
producergroupswhicharemembersofanas­
sociation,to:
—complywiththeircommonrulesforproduction,
—marketthewholeoftheirproductionthroughthe
grouporassociation .
Thisobligationshallnotapply,however,toproduce
forwhichproducershaveconcludedsalescontracts
beforejoiningthegroup,providedthatthegrouphas
beeninformedoftheexistenceofsuchcontractsand
hasapprovedthem;
c)provideproofofadequateeconomicactivity;
d)exclude,throughoutthewholerangeoftheirac­
tivities,anydiscrimination betweenCommunity
producersorgroupsongroundsof,inparticular,
nationalityorplaceofestablishment ;
e)includeintheirstatutesprovisionsensuringthat
membersofagrouporassociationwhowishtogive
uptheirmembershipmaydosoonlyafteroneyearofCNCode Description
a)0701
07011000
070190
07019010Potatoes,freshorchilled:
Seed
Other:
Forthemanufactureofstarch
b)07019051
07019059
07019090from1Januaryto15May
from16Mayto30June
Other
c)0710
07101000Vegetables(uncookedorcookedby
steamingorboilinginwater),frozen:
Potatoes
d)0712
07121000Driedvegetables,whole,cut,sliced,
brokenorinpowder,butnotfurther
prepared:
Potatoes,whethernornotcutorsliced
butnotfurtherprepared
e)1105
11051000
11052000Flour,meal,flakes,granulesandpellets
ofpotatoes:
Flourandmeal
Flakes,granulesandpellets
f)2004
200410
20041010
20041099Othervegetablespreparedorpreserved
otherwisethanbyvinegaroraceticacid,
frozen:
Potatoes :
Cooked,nototherwiseprepared
Other
g)2005
200520
20052090Othervegetablespreparedorpreserved
otherwisethanbyvinegaroraceticacid,
notfrozen:
Potatoes :
Other
2.ForthepurposesofthisRegulation,'newpotatoes
meanspotatoesharvestedusuallybeforefullmaturity
andwhoseskinmayeasilyberemovedbyfriction.
Article2
1.FortheproductslistedinArticle1(1)(b)falling
withinCNcodes07019051and07019059the
marketingyearshallbeginon1Januaryofeachyear
andendon30Juneofthesameyear.

17.12.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC333/21
However,insuchcasesaidshallonlybegrantedinthe
amountofthecostsofformationoftheneworgan­
ization(preparatoryworkanddrawing-upofthe
documentsofconstitutionandthestatutes).
3.Aidshallbegrantedsolelyinaccordanceeither
withthisregulationorwithRegulation(EEC)No
1360/78onproducergroupsandassociationsthereof(x).
4.TheaidsreferredtointhisArticleshallbenotified
totheCommissioninareporttransmittedbythe
MemberStatesattheendofeachbudgetyear.
ThedetailedrulesfortheapplicationofthisArticleshall
bedrawnupinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddown
inArticle11.
TITLEII
Tradewithnon-member countries
Article5
1.Thegeneralrulesfortheinterpretation ofthe
CommonCustomsTariffandthespecialrulesforits
applicationshallapplytotheclassificationofthe
productscoveredbythisregulation;thetariffnomen­
clatureresultingfromtheapplicationofthisregulation
shallbeincorporatedintotheCommonCustomsTariff.
2.SubjecttoCommunityprovisionstothecontrary
andtoexceptionsdecideduponbytheCouncilactingby
qualifiedmajorityonaproposalfromtheCommission :
—thelevyingofanychargehavinganeffectequivalent
toacustomsduty,
—theapplicationofanyquantitativerestrictionor
measurehavingequivalenteffect,
onimportsfromnon-membercountriesoftheproducts
referredtoinArticle1shallbeprohibited .
Article6
1.IfthequantitiesofproductsreferredtoinArticle1
importedfromnon-membercountriesincreaseorriskto
increasesignificantly,importationintotheCommunity
oftheseproductsmaybemadesubjecttoproductionof
animportlicenceissuedbyaMemberStatetoany
interestedpartymakinganapplicationforsuchalicence,
regardlessofwhereintheCommunitythepartyisestab­
lished.
Eachlicenceshallbevalidforagivenimportintothe
Community .
2.Thelistofproductsforwhichimportlicencesshall
berequiredshallbedrawnupinaccordancewiththe
procedurelaiddowninArticle11.
Thedurationofthevalidityofimportlicencesandthe
detailedrulesfortheapplicationofthisArticleshallbe
laiddownbymeansofthesameprocedure .membershipfollowingrecognitionandprovidedthey
informthegrouporassociationoftheirintentionat
leastthreemonthsbeforetheyleave.Theseprovisions
shallapplywithoutprejudicetoanynationallawsor
regulationsdesignedtoprotectthegrouporas­
sociationorcreditorsthereof,inspecifiedcases,
againstanyfinancialconsequenceswhichmightarise
fromamemberleaving,andtoprecludeamember
fromleavingduringthefinancialyear;
f)havethenecessarylegalstatusorcapacitytoexercise
rightsandbesubjecttoobligationsinaccordance
withnationallaw;
g)includeintheirstatutestheobligationtokeep
separateaccountsfortheactivitiesinrespectofwhich
theyhavebeenrecognized;
h)refrainfromholdingadominantpositiononthe
commonmarketoronasubstantialpartthereof.
Theauthoritycompetenttorecognizeproducergroups
andassociationsthereofshallbetheMemberState
withinwhoseterritorytheproducergrouporassociation
hasitsregisteredheadoffice.
4.RulesfortheapplicationofthisArticle,andin
particularthedefinitionof'placingonthemarket'for
thepurposesofparagraph3(a)and(b),andrules
concerningtheconditionlaiddowninparagraph3(e)
shallbedrawnupinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaid
downinArticle11.
Article4
1.TheMemberStatesmaygrantaidtorecognized
producerorganizations ,inrespectofthefirstfiveyears
followingtheirrecognition,toencouragetheirformation
andfacilitatetheiradministrativeoperation.Theamount
ofsuchaid:
—shallnotbemorethan5,4,3,2and1%respectively
ofthevalueofproductionmarketedwithinthe
frameworkoftheproducerorganizationinthefirst,
second,third,fourthandfifthyearsrespectively,
—maynotexceedtherealcostofformingand
operatingtheorganizationconcerned,
—shallbepaidinannualinstalmentsuptotheendof
theseventhyearfollowingrecognition .
Inrespectofeachyear,thevalueofproductionshallbe
calculatedonthebasisof:
—thevolumeofproduceactuallymarketedeachyear
inaccordancewiththesecondindentofArticle3(3)
(b),
—averageproducerpricesachievedonthemarket.
2.Producerorganizationswhichhavebeenformed
fromorganizationsalreadylargelyinconformitywith
thetermsandconditionssetoutinthisregulationshall
beentitledtotheaidreferredtointhisArticleonlyinso
farastheyaretheresultofamergeroforganizations
designedtoimprovetheachievementoftheaimssetout
inArticle3. (')OJNoL166,23.6.1978,p.1.

NoC333/22 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 17.12.92
Article7
1.Where,byreasonofimportsorexports,the
Communitymarketinoneormoreoftheproductslisted
inArticle1experiencesoristhreatenedwithserious
disturbanceswhichmayendangertheobjectivessetout
inArticle39oftheTreaty,appropriatemeasuresmaybe
appliedintradewithnon-membercountriesuntilsuch
disturbanceorthreatofdisturbancehasceased.
ThedetailedrulesfortheapplicationofthisArticleshall
bedrawnupinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddown
inArticle11.
2.Ifasituationasreferredtoinparagraph 1arises,
theCommissionshall,attherequestofaMemberState
oronitsowninitiative,decideuponthenecessary
measures,whichshallbeimmediatelyapplicable.Ifthe
CommissionreceivesarequestfromaMemberState,it
shalltakeadecisionthereonwithin24hoursfollowing
receiptoftherequest.
3.ThemeasuresdecideduponbytheCommission
maybereferredtotheCouncilbyanyMemberState
withinthreeworkingdaysfollowingthedayonwhich
theywerecommunicated .TheCouncilshallmeet
withoutdelay.Itmay,actingbyaqualifiedmajority,
amendorrepealthemeasuresinquestion.
TITLEIII
Generalprovisions
Article8
Saveasotherwiseprovidedinthisregulation,Articles92,
93and94oftheTreatyshallapplytotheproductionof
andtradeintheproductslistedinArticle1.
Article9
1.TheprovisionsofCommunitylegislationonthe
financingofthecommonagriculturalpolicyshallapply
tothemarketintheproductslistedinArticle1.
2.ExpenditurebytheMemberStatesunderArticle4
shallbeeligibleforreimbursement fromtheEAGGF
(GuidanceSection).TheCommissionshalldeterminethe
rateofCommunitypart-financing inlinewiththe
criteriaandlimitationssetoutinArticle13ofRegu­
lation(EEC)No2052/88inaccordancewiththe
procedurelaiddowninArticle29ofRegulation(EEC)
No4253/88.
Article10
1.MemberStatesandtheCommission shall
communicatetoeachothertheinformationnecessaryfor
applyingthisregulation.Detailedrulesforthecommuni­
cationanddistributionofsuchinformationshallbe
adoptedinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin
Article11.2.MemberStatesshallnotifytheCommissionof
provisionslaiddownbylaw,regulationoradministrative
actionpursuanttothisregulationnotlaterthanone
monthafteradoptionthereof.
Article11
1.TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyacommittee
composedoftherepresentatives oftheMemberStates
andchairedbytherepresentativeoftheCommission .
2.TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmit
tothecommitteeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.
Thecommitteeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraft
withinatimelimitwhichthechairmanmaylaydown
accordingtotheurgencyofthematteratissue.The
opinionshallbedeliveredbythemajoritylaiddownin
Article148(2)oftheTreatyinthecaseofdecisions
whichtheCouncilisrequiredtoadoptonaproposal
fromtheCommission .Thevotesoftherepresentatives of
theMemberStateswithinthecommitteeshallbe
weightedinthemannersetoutinthatArticle.The
chairmanshallnotvote.
3.TheCommissionshalladoptmeasures,whichshall
applyimmediately .However,ifthesemeasuresarenotin
accordancewiththeopinionoftheCommittee,they
shallbecommunicated bytheCommissiontothe
Councilforthwith.Inthatevent,theCommissionmay
deferapplicationofthemeasureswhichithasadopted
fornotmorethanonemonthfromthedateofsuch
communication .
TheCouncil,actingbyaqualifiedmajority,maytakea
differentdecisionwithinthetimelimitreferredtointhe
previousparagraph.
Article12
TheCommitteemayconsideranyotherquestion
referredtoitbyitschairmaneitheronhisowninitiative
orattherequestoftherepresentativeofaMember
State.
Article13
Shouldtransitionalmeasuresbenecessarytofacilitate
thetransitionfromthesysteminforce,inparticularif
theintroductionofthenewsystemonthedateprovided
forwouldgiverisetosubstantialdifficulties,such
measuresshallbeadoptedinaccordancewiththe
procedurelaiddowninArticle11.
Article14
ThisRegulationshallbesoappliedthatappropriate
accountistaken,atthesametime,oftheobjectivesset
outinArticles39and110oftheTreaty.
Article15
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceon1January1993.
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyand
directlyapplicableinallMemberStates.