Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector
Date: 1995-04-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural levy, milk, milk product, regulation of agricultural production

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

•fr 
•à 
•it 

-it 
4 
« 

Brussels,  19.04.1995 
C()M(95)  147  final 

95/0096  (CNS) 

Report  to  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament 

on  the  application  of  the  milk  quota  scheme 

in  Italy  and  Greece 

Proposal  for  a 

.COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC) 

amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3950/92 
establishing  an  additional  levy  in  the  milk 
and  milk  products  sector 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

Report to the Council  and the European Parliament 

on the application  of the milk quota scheme 

in Italy  and Greece 

Introduction 

1. 

On 27 July  1994 the Council  adopted on the basis of Commission  report COM (94) 64 final 

of 2 March  1994 and additional report COM(94) 150 final of  18 April  1994 Regulation (EC) 

No  1883/94  determining  the  guaranteed  total  quantities  for  the  period  1994/95.  The  last 

paragraph  of  Article  1 provides  as follows: 

"The increase in total quantities of deliveries granted for the period  1993/94 for Greece, Spain 

and  Italy  shall  be  established  for  Spain  and  shall  be  extended  for  the  period  1994/95  for 

Greece  and  Italy.  The  total  quantity  of  deliveries  for  Italy  includes  a  reserve  of 

347 701 tonnes for  allocation, in so far as necessary  and in agreement with the Commission, 

of  reference  quantities  to  producers  who  have  brought  legal  proceedings  against  a national 

administration  following  withdrawal  of  their  reference  quantities  and  obtained judgment  in 

their  favour.  Before  the period  1995/96 the Commission  will  submit to the Council  a report 

accompanied by proposals on whether the increase for  Greece and the amount of the increase 

for  Italy  must be  maintained  in  1995/96 and for  the subsequent years." 

This report, and the accompanying proposals, fulfils  that requirement. It reflects the situation 

observed  during  inspection  visits to the two Member  States, the most recent of which  ended 

on  15 February,  and  includes  all  significant  developments  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 

Commission  since the previous report. 

Requirements  to  be  met 

2. 

The  increases 

in  the 

national  guaranteed  quantity  allocated  from  1993/94  to  Italy 

(0.9  million  tonnes, including the reserve of 347  701  tonnes) and Greece (0.1  million  tonnes) 

were  subject  to  effective  implementation  of  the  quota  scheme.  Certain  key  requirements 

provide an  appropriate  framework  within  which  progress achieved  in  each  Member  State can 

be  assessed.  These  include: 

(a) 

(b) 

adoption  of  implementing  regulations; 

calculation  of  individual  reference  quantities  on  the  basis of  deliveries  to  purchasers 

in  1991/92,  together  with  individual  references  for  fat; 

(c) 

setting  up  and  equipping  of  a  central  agency  to  verify  production  records  and 

collection  of  levies; 

(d) 

(e) 

satisfactory  records  of  production; 

collection  of  levies  from  producers. 

In  addition,  from  the  1995/96  marketing  year  the  sum  of  the  quotas  allocated  by  Italy  must 

correspond  to  the  amounts  set  by  the  Council  (point  (f)  of  this  report). 

Commission  monitoring 

3. 

Following  the  adoption  of  the  Council  Regulation  on  27  July  1994  the  Commission 

departments have been  monitoring very  closely  the situation  in the two Member  States. In  the 

period  since  the  last  report  to  the  Council  the EAGGF  has  made  8 inspection  visits  to  Rome 

and  11 to the  regions of Italy  and 3 to Athens and the main  milk-producing  regions in  Greece. 

Commission  inspectors  have  received  full  cooperation  in  the  course  of  these  visits. 

As with  earlier  Commission  reports, the approach  in this report  is to measure progress  against 

the  requirements  identified  for  the  grant  of  increases  in  the  national  guaranteed  quantity. 

(a) 

Adoption  of  implementing  regulations 

4. 

In Italy  a legal  measure has been  adopted (Decreto Legge  No  727  of  23  December  1994) in 

order to  limit, in  1995/96, the grant of individual  quotas to a total that will  allow the national 

guaranteed  quantity  to  be  observed  (9  930  000  tonnes),  while  leaving  a  reserve  to  cover 

special  situations  and the outcome of  legal  proceedings  which  are still  pending.  A  number of 

other  measures  covering  such  matters  as  the  national  compensation  mechanism  and  the 

national  reserve  are  expected  to  be  adopted. 

On  9  November  1994  an  order  was  adopted  in  Greece  establishing  a  national  reserve  and 

determining the quotas for  1994/95  to which a 2.5% across-the-board cut was applied. All the 

laws  required  for  the  implementation  of  the  milk  quota scheme  have  now  been  adopted. 

The  Commission  has  expressed  reservations  about the  role  of  the  producers' associations  in 

administering  certain  aspects  of  the  scheme  in  Italy,  in  particular  the  compensation 

mechanism. 

The  Commission's  concern  about the  role  of  these  associations  is heightened  by  a provision 

in the national  implementing  rules which  leaves open the possibility  that the National  Union 

of  Milk  Producers  (UNALAT)  may  assume  responsibility  for  managing  the  flow  of 

information  on  milk  deliveries  and  other  aspects  of  the  quota  scheme.  In  particular,  the 

producers' associations effect the end-of-year compensations between producers with deliveries 

under and over quota. The Commission  has initiated an infringement  procedure under Article 

169 of  the Treaty  and has asked the Italian  authorities  to ensure that the quota  arrangements 

are  applied  independently  of  producers'  organizations  and  that  such  organizations  not  be 

involved,  in  any  case,  in  any  of  the  control  aspects. 

(b) 

Calculation  and  allocation  of  individual  reference  quantities  on  the  basis  of  deliveries  to 

purchasers  in  1991/92 

6. 

The  individual  reference  quantities  have  been  calculated  in the two  Member  States: 

in  Italy  they  have  been  fixed  partly  on  the  basis of  deliveries  in  1988/89  (known  as A 

quotas) and partly on the basis of the increase in deliveries between  1988/89  and  1991/92 

(known  as B  quotas,  which  are provisional); 

in  Greece,  in November  1993, the  authorities  altered  the  basis  for  allocating  the  quotas 

which  had  been  adopted  in  June  of  that year.  The  quotas  are now  calculated  according 

to  a formula  that includes  deliveries  in  1991/92  and  1992/93  with  greater  weight  being 

given  to the latter. 

7. 

There have been delays in the procedure for allocating quotas to producers, mainly as a result 

of  the  examination  of  appeals  against  allocation  decisions. 

In  Italy,  as  had  been  agreed  in  the  Council,  the  Commission  departments  verified  the 

procedure introduced for examining administrative appeals, and in particular inspection reports 

and supporting documents. Out of 40  843 applications for the review of individual  allocations, 

24  030  were  found  prima facie  to be justified,  by agreement  between  the national  authorities 

and  the  Commission,  and  were  included  in  the  amending  bulletin  of  15  December  1994, 

which raised the total for the individual quotas by 577  400  tonnes. The verification  undertaken 

in Rome and the regions confirmed  that the whole of the reserve had been properly  allocated. 

8. 

The authorities are continuing to examine appeals, of which  12  759  were still  outstanding on 

the  publication  of  the  amending  bulletin  for  1994/95.  Quantities  still  to  be  allocated  on 

completion  of  the  appeal  procedure  will  be  allocated  in  1995/96  and  charged  against  the 

reserve to be established  through the suppression  of part of the B  quotas. The balance of the 

B  quotas has been  retained  in  1995/96.  Room  for  manoeuvre  exists in that, where  necessary, 

quotas  can  be  allocated  later  to  producers  who  have  appealed,  even  in  situations  where  the 

reserve  has  been  used  up. The  reserve  of  235.948  tonnes  was  established  on the  publication 

of  the  1995/96  quotas. 

Examination  of  the  Law  adopted  by  the  Italian  Parliament  on  24  February  1995  indicates, 

however,  that  the  range  of  admissible  appeals  could  be  increased  considerably  as  a  result 

mainly  of  the  admission  of  claims  by  beneficiaries  of  regional  development  plans, and  of  the 

acknowledgement  of  entitlement  to  claimed  quotas  pending  a  final  decision  on  appeals.  The 

Commission  informed  the Italian  authorities  on  13 March  1995  that  it  cannot  accept  that  the 

sum  of the quotas  applicable, including those of producers  who have lodged  an appeal,  should 

exceed  the  guaranteed  total  quantity  at  any  time  after  1 April  1995. 

9. 

In  Greece  the  authorities  allocated  the  quotas  for  1994/95,  again  with  a  considerable  delay, 

the  allocation  only  being  made  in  November  1994.  As  in  Italy,  a  number  of  producers 

appealed  against  their  allocation.  All  have  now  been  dealt  with.  However,  a  difficulty  arose 

on  completion  of  the  procedure  in  that  an  extra  24  000  tonnes  of  quota  were  needed  as  a 

result  of judgments  awarded  in  favour  of  some  producers.  Because  the  original  reserve  was 

insufficient  (7  400  tonnes),  and  in  order  to  remain  within  the  national  guaranteed  quantity,  a 

2.5%  across-the-board  reduction  was  applied  to  all  quotas.  For  1994/95  an  allocation  of 

620  053  tonnes  was  made  and  a national  reserve  of  6  000  tonnes  established.  Requests  from 

new  producers  (  around  1 500)  have  still  to  be  met  however. 

It  has  been  established,  lastly,  from  the  end-of-year  accounts  that  2  300  producers  with  no 

quota  made  deliveries  in  1993/94.  Even  though  only  small  producers  were  involved  and  the 

production  was  declared,  the  Greek  authorities  have  been  asked  to  remedy  the  situation  as 

quickly  as possible  since  the  producers  in  question  will  be  subject  to  heavy  penalties  if  there 

is an  overrun  of the guaranteed  total  quantity,  and  consequently  measures have been  adopted. 

10. 

Allocation  of  quotas  for  direct  sales 

In  Italy  the quotas for  direct  sales were allocated  in accordance  with  the  same  conditions  and 

procedures  as  were  applied  to  deliveries. The  structural  conversion  of  marketing  from  direct 

sales to  deliveries  is continuing  and  Italy  has  agreed  to  a large number  of  individual  requests 

for  transfers  between  quotas  for  direct  sales  and  quotas  for  deliveries,  as provided  for  under 

the  Community  rules.  The  Commission  has  therefore  adjusted  the  allocation  of  the  overall 

quantities  for  Italy  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  630/95  of  23.03.1995. 

In Greece the quotas for  direct sales for  1993/94 were allocated  after  the end of the  marketing 

year.  The  quantity  allocated  concerns  only  162 producers  and  a total  of  862  tonnes  out of  the 

4  528  tonnes of national  quantity  available. No other significant  information  is available  since 

the producers  of  milk  for  direct  sales  have  not  submitted  declarations  for  1993/94  and  on  top 

of  that  direct  sales  are  officially  discouraged  on  public  health  grounds  in  a  number  of 

regions. 

(c) 

Setting  up  and  equipping  of  a  central  agency  to  verify  production  records  and  the  collection 

of  levies 

11. 

The  two  Member  States  have  designated  central  agencies. 

From  the  operational  point  of  view  EIMA  in  Italy  has  been  responsible  from  the  outset  for 

the  establishment  and  monitoring  of  the  quota  scheme  and  has  played  an  active  role  in  both 

these  tasks. 

The  situation  is  different  in  Greece.  The  powers,  functions  and  resources  of  the  central 

agency,  ELOG,  were  prescribed  by  law  in  June  1993  but  it  was  not  until  18 April  1994  that 

it  actually  took  on  responsibility  for  administering  the  quota  scheme.  The  head  office  in 

Thessalonika,  which  is  adequately  equipped,  has  been  the  main  driving  force  behind  the 

progress that has been achieved  in Greece. Concern was nevertheless expressed regarding  staff 

recruited  in  1994 on  a temporary  basis whose  contracts were not  renewed  in  1995  ELOG has 

now  recruited  a  number  of  staff  sufficient  to  fulfil  its  obligations. 

Up  to  now  the  two  agencies  established  in  Italy  and Greece  have  performed  their  duties, 

(d) 

Satisfactory  records  of  production 

12. 

The authorities' first duty was to approve purchasers. In Italy this has been  carried out by the 

regional  authorities.  In Greece ELOG administered the approval procedure. In Italy, with the 

exception  of  a number  of  marginal  cases  -  which  are now being  dealt with  -  , this task  can 

be  said  to  have  been  properly  carried  out.  In  Greece  it  would  appear  that  not  all  milk 

purchasers  have  been  identified  or approved.  The  authorities  at the  moment  are speeding up 

an  investigation  designed  to  complete  the  approval  procedure. 

13. 

In Italy the majority  of the declarations from  purchasers in the major milk-producing  regions 

arrived  before  the  statutory  deadline  of  15  May.  Where  a  purchaser  failed  to  fulfil  the 

obligation  to  submit  a declaration  of  deliveries,  the  producers' associations  equalled  out  the 

overruns  using  the supporting  documents  (invoices)  submitted  by  the  producers  in order to 

calculate  the  quantities  delivered  to  the  purchasers  who  had  failed  to  submit  returns. 

Administrative  checks  on  these  declarations,  by  EIMA,  which  should  have  been  completed 

by 31 August  1994, were considerably  delayed by virtue of the fact that this was the first year 

the  procedure  was  being  applied  and  it  was  only  in  mid-February  1995  that  the  Italian 

authorities  could  calculate  the  deliveries  for  1993/94  more  or  less  definitively  at 9  606  033 

tonnes.  The  only  significant  shortcoming  was the  failure  by  some  small  dairies to  determine 

the  fat  content  of  the  milk  delivered. 

Physical  checks on  dairies and producers,  required under Community  rules, were  undertaken 

and satisfactorily  carried out in most dairies. Purchasers who failed to submit returns were all 

included  in  the  sample  of  undertakings  to  be  checked,  which  was  sent  by  EIMA  to  the 

regional  authorities  responsible  for  carrying  out  the checks. 

14. 

In Greece, generally  speaking, declarations were submitted by  15 May  1994. Since the figures 

they  contained  were  frequently  inaccurate,  particularly  in  the  case  of  producers  who  had 

changed  purchaser  during  the year, the  central  agency,  ELOG,  asked purchasers  to  present 

a  second  declaration  and  once  that  had  been  processed  it  was  possible  to  establish  that 

deliveries  for  1993/94  were  below  the guaranteed  total  quantity:  602  106  tonnes  rather than 

625  985  tonnes.  Mistakes  have  still  to  be  corrected  but  are  unlikely  to  affect  that  figure 

significantly. 

As in Italy, small  dairies did not make an analysis of fat content.  Since this  involves  a small 

number  of  producers  only  (some  5%),  it  is  not  likely  to jeopardize  the  overall  operation  of 

the  system,  or  undermine  the  figures  provided  by  the  Greek  authorities  for  1993/94. 

The  declarations  made  by  purchasers  included  some  2  300  producers  who  had  no  quota, 

covering  deliveries  amounting  to  19  116  tonnes  (see  point  9). 

ELOG  carried  out  all  the  on-the-spot  checks  on  purchasers  planned  for  1993/94  with  the 

assistance  of  the  regional  agricultural  authorities. 

(e) 

Collection  of  levies  from  producers 

15. 

In Italy, as is permitted under Community  rules, levies were collected in the form of  advances 

during  the  marketing  year.  Greece  chose  not  to  apply  this  system. 

In  Italy,  after  equalling  out  had  taken  place  at  the  level  of  the  producers'  associations  and 

following  a number  of  transfers  between  quotas  for  deliveries 

and transfers  for direct sales, no overruns  were recorded at national  level,  and the purchasers 

were  called  upon  to  reimburse  the  advance,  as  required  under national  law. 

In  Greece  too  the  national  quota  was  not  exceeded.  Consequently,  as  provided  for  under 

Community  rules,  no  levy  was  collected,  including  from  producers  who  made  deliveries but 

had  no  quota. 

(f) 

Quantitative  aspects 

16. 

Following  the  publication  of  the  decision  of  31.03.1995, Italy  allocated  individual  quotas  to 

110.415  producers  as  follows: 

A  quota 

B  quota 

Total 

National 

(permanent) 

(provisional) 

(1  000  t) 

Deliveries 

Direct  sales 

Total 

8  330 

1  084 

9  414 

255 

25 

280 

8  585 

1  109 

9  694 

quota 

(i) 

9  632 

298 

9  930 

(1)  After 

transfer  between  quotas  for  direct  sales  and  quotas  for  deliveries  of 

420  000  tonnes  decided  on  23.03.1995 

Compared  with  the quotas allocated,  as shown  in the table above, deliveries in  1993/94 

are  calculated  to  be  9  606  033  tonnes  and  direct  sales to  217  687  tonnes, i.e.  a total  of 

9  823  720  tonnes.  From  these  figures  it  can  be  seen  that  production  is  1%  below  the 

national  guaranteed  quantity  (9  930  000  tonnes). 

There  is  a  danger,  however,  that  acknowledgement  of  the  quotas  of  producers 

appealing  against  their allocation  (see point  8 above)  could  bring the total  of the  quotas 

applicable  above  the  national  guaranteed  quantity.  If  that  should  happen,  financial 

consequences  may  be  drawn  as  part  of  the  accounts  clearance  operation,  as  has 

happened  in  the  case  of  other  Member  States  in  similar  circumstances. 

17. 

In  the  case  of  Greece,  the  quotas  allocated  for  1994/95  amount  to  620  053  tonnes,  as 

compared  with  a  total  reference  quantity  (deliveries)  of  625  985  tonnes.  Given  that 

production  declared  in  1993/94  amounted  to  602  106  tonnes,  it  is  very  likely  that 

production  in  1994/95  will  reach  the  level  of  the  national  guaranteed  quantity. 

Conclusions  en  the  implementation  of  the  system 

18.  With  some  exceptions  such  as  those  referred  to  in  paragraph  5,  all  the  laws  required 

have  been  adopted  in  Italy  and  Greece.  Significant  progress  has  been  achieved  in 

implementing  the  milk  quota  scheme,  although  there have  been  delays  in  completing 

the procedure  for  allocating  individual  quotas to producers in the two  countries and in 

the. recording  and  administrative  control  of  returns of  deliveries. 

The  Commission  concludes  therefore  that  the  two  Member  States  have  on  the  whole 

complied  with  the  Council  requirements  for  the  implementation  of  the  milk  quota 

scheme  in  1993/94,  and that Italy  has satisfied  those  concerning  the use  of the  reserve 

for allocation to producers who obtain judgment in their favour in legal proceedings and 

compliance  with  the  national  guaranteed  quantity  on  1 April  1995. 

The  Commission  departments  will  continue  to  ensure  that  the  scheme  is  properly 

applied  and  to  improve  various  aspects  that  remain  to  be  improved  and,  in  situations 

where it is not being applied properly, will  take any action that may be necessary  under 

the  accounts  clearance  procedure  and/or  the  infringement  procedure. 

Assessment  of  the request for an additional  increase  in the  Greek  quota 

19. 

In  their  memorandum  on  the  allocation  of  an  additional  quota,  the  Greek  authorities 

request  an  increase  of  125  000  tonnes  in  the  national  milk  quota  for  the  1995/96 

marketing year  in  addition  to the  increase  of  100  000  tonnes granted provisionally  for 

the  period  1993/94. 

m 

The arguments put forward are similar to those advanced in  1992 to support the request 

for an increase of  100  000 tonnes. The small, but rapidly growing quantity of milk  used 

for  the  preparation  of  fresh  products,  the  small  volume  of  the  Greek  quota  compared 

with  those  of  other  Member  States,  the  fact  that Greece  does  not  use  the  intervention 

mechanisms  provided  for  under the  COM  to  any  great  extent,  the  distance  of  Greece 

from  Community  regions  with  milk  surpluses,  a producer  price  at  a fairly  high  level 

compared  with  the target  price  and the  low  level  of  self-sufficiency  in  cow's  milk  are 

all  referred  to  in  the  Greek  memorandum. 

Greece  is  distinguished  by  its  distance  from  the  surplus  regions,  but  the  situation  as 

regards the  level  of  self-sufficiency  and the pressure on  milk  prices is  similar  in other 

Member States. 

20.  Although  the Commission  considers that Greece has generally  respected the conditions 

laid down  by  the Council  for the  introduction  of the quota scheme  and the  provisional 

increase  in  the  quota  decided  upon  at the  time  can  be  confirmed,  it  is  not  possible  at 

this  stage  to  accept  the  Greek  arguments  for  an  additional  increase  for  the  following 

reasons: 

(a)  Deliveries in Greece during the  1993/94 marketing year, corrected according to fat 

content, were of the order of 602  000 tonnes as against a quota of 625  985  tonnes. 

Production  was  therefore  around 24  000  tonnes  less  than the  quota. 

(b)  According  to  information  supplied  by  the  Greek  authorities,  deliveries  for  the 

1994/95 marketing year were, in December  1994,12.49% below the level  expected 

at that time of year. It is therefore  clear that the Greek  quota will  not be exhausted 

during  the  1994/95  marketing year. 

11 

(c)  Production of cheese from cow's milk almost doubled in Greece between 1993 and 

1994,  from  4  700  tonnes  to  8  400  tonnes.  The  increase  in  milk  production  in 

Greece went, to a great extent, therefore, to cheese production and this is one of 

the causes of the pressure on the market for drinking milk. It should however be 

noted that consumption of cheese totals 230 000 tonnes. 

Pre posai 

The Commission  proposes that the Council  reaffirm  for  1995/96 and subsequent years the 

increases  in  the  national  guaranteed  quantity  granted  to  Italy  and  Greece  and  confirm  as 

quotas for deliveries the reserve of 347 701  tonnes included in the additional quantity granted 

to Italy for  1994/95. 

12 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

amending  Regulation  (EEC) No 3950/92 
establishing an additional  levy in the milk 
and milk products sector 

i5> 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

When  adopting,  on  27  July  1994,  Regulation  (EC)  No  1883/94  fixing  the  total  guaranteed 
quantities for  1994/95, the Council  requested the Commission to submit a report accompanied 
by proposals on whether the increase for Greece and Italy must be maintained in  1995/96 and 
subsequent  years. 

Since the adoption  of that Council  Regulation, the EAGGF has monitored the situation in the 
two  Member States very closely, carrying out several  inspection  visits both to the capitals and 
to regions. The EAGGF inspectors have received  full cooperation during their visits. The most 
recent  mission  was  completed  on  15  February. 

The  attached  report  and the  accompanying proposals  are presented  pursuant to the  Council's 
request  and  include  an  evaluation  of  Greece's  request  for  a  further  increase  in  its  total 
guaranteed  quantity. 

»t 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No .... 

95/0096  (CNS) 

amending Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 establishing an additional  levy 
in the milk and milk products sector 

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 Commission1, 

Having regard  to the opinion  of the European  Parliament2, 

Whereas the situations in Italy and Greece have been the subject of a special examination  to 

verify  whether  the  increases  in  the  total  guaranteed  quantity  laid  down  in  Article 3  of 
Regulation  (EEC) No 3950/923 for  those two Member States can  be maintained  in  1995/96 

and subsequent years; whereas the Commission has submitted to the Council of the European 

Union and to the European  Parliament  a report  on the application  of the milk  quota scheme 
in Italy and Greece4; whereas the Commission concludes from the report that the two Member 

States have generally  fulfilled  the conditions  laid  down  by the Council  for  the introduction 

of the milk  quota  scheme and  in  Italy for  the use of the reserve of 347 701 tonnes, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS  REGULATION: 

OJ  No C 
OJ  No C 
OJ No L 405, 31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation last amended by Regulation (EC) No 630/95 
(OJ  No  L 66, 23.3.1995, p.  11). 

O 

Article 1 

Article 3(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 is hereby amended as follows: 

1.  The final sentence of the fourth  subparagraph is deleted. 

2.  The following  subparagraph is added: 

"The increase  in  the total  quantities  of  deliveries  granted  for the period  1994/95  for 

Greece and Italy is hereby confirmed  with effect from 1995/96." 

Article 2 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  seventh  day  following  its publication  in the 

Official  Journal of the European Communities. 

It shall apply from 1 April  1995. 

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

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 

tt 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(95) 147 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-95-126-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-87206-3 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg