Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No . . .

of . . .

fixing the basic prices and buying-in prices applicable in the fruit and vegetables sector for the 1996/97 marketing year

(96/C 125/21)

96/0072(CNS)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72 of 18 May 1972 on the common organization of the market in fruit and vegetables (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1363/95 (2), and in particular Article 16 (1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,

Whereas, pursuant to Article 16 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72, a basic price and a buying-in price are to be fixed for each marketing year for each of the products listed in Annex II to the said Regulation; whereas, in accordance with Article 1 (3) of the above Regulation, the marketing years for the products in question are as follows:

- for tomatoes and aubergines, from 1 January to 31 December,

- for apricots, from 1 May to 31 August,

- for peaches and nectarines, from 1 May to 31 October,

- for cauliflowers and table grapes, from 1 May to 30 April,

- for lemons and pears, from 1 June to 31 May,

- for apples, from 1 July to 30 June,

- for mandarins, satsumas and clementines, from 1 October to 15 May,

- for oranges, from 1 October to 15 July;

Whereas, however, pursuant to the third subparagraph of Article 16 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72, no basic price or buying-in price need be fixed for the slack marketing periods at the beginning and at the end of the marketing year;

Whereas, when the basic and buying-in prices for fruit and vegetables are fixed, account has to be taken of the objectives of the common agricultural policy; whereas the objectives of the common agricultural policy are, in particular, to guarantee a fair standard of living for the farming community and to ensure that supplies are available and that they reach consumers at reasonable prices;

Whereas the basic prices must be fixed by reference to the trend in the average prices recorded during the three previous years on the most representative producer markets within the Community for a product of defined commercial characteristics, such as variety or type, quality class, size and packaging; whereas the buying-in prices must be fixed by reference to the basic price in accordance with Article 16 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The basic and buying-in prices for fruit and vegetables for the 1996/97 marketing year, the periods during which they apply and the standard qualities to which they refer shall be as set out in 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.

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

Done at . . .

For the Council

. . .

(1) OJ No L 118, 20. 5. 1972, p. 1.

(2) OJ No L 132, 16. 6. 1995, p. 8.

ANNEX

BASIC PRICES AND BUYING-IN PRICES

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<(BLK0)NOTES>Note:

The prices given in this Annex do not include the cost of the packaging in which the product is presented.

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