Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No . . .

of . . .

amending Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 on the common organization of the market in beef and veal (94/C 83/24)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas the implementation of the new premium scheme introduced under the reform of the common agricultural policy has created certain additional problems with regard to the granting of the special premium for producers holding male bovine animals; whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3611/93 (2), should be amended accordingly;

Whereas, under Article 4b (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 805/68, the special premium may be granted a second time after the animal has reached the age of 22 months; whereas this possibility may encourage certain producers to carry on with fattening their uncastrated male bovine animals with the sole intention of obtaining the second premium; whereas it has been found that, for the heavy carcases resulting therefrom, the markets are somewhat restricted and the result is an unwanted increase in the quantity of beef produced; whereas the special premium for uncastrated male bovine animals should therefore be granted only once in the life of those animals and before they have reached the age of 22 months;

Whereas the choice of 1992 as one of the years which may be chosen as reference year for the setting of the regional ceiling has resulted, in certain parts of the Community, in a considerable unexpected increase in premium applications compared with previous years; whereas the application in future years of exaggeratedly high regional ceilings could jeopardize efforts to control production, this being one of the prime objectives of the reform; whereas it is therefore inappropriate to adopt 1992 as the reference year, in place of which 1989 should be the reference year adopted.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 is hereby amended as follows:

1. Article 4b (2) is replaced by the following:

'2. The premium shall be granted no more than:

(a) once in the life of each uncastrated male bovine animal of between 10 and 21 months of age;

(b) twice in the life of each castrated male bovine animal,

- the first time at the age of 10 months,

- the second time after it has reached the age of 22 months.

To qualify for the premium, any animal for which an application has been made must be held for fattening by the producer for a given period.`;

2. In the third subparagraph of Article 4b (3), (b) is replaced by the following:

'(b) "regional ceiling": the number of animals within a region and under a reference year which have qualified for the special premium; the Member States may choose 1989, 1990 or 1991 as the reference year for their entire territory. The Member States shall inform the Commission, by 31 July 1994, of the reference year of their choice.`

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 1995.

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

Done at . . .

For the Council

. . .

(1) OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 24.

(2) OJ No L 328, 29. 12. 1993, p. 7.