Commission Regulation (EC) No 2555/2000 of 20 November 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 as regards the use of land set aside for the production of raw materials for the manufacture within the Community of products not primarily intended for human or animal consumption
Date: 2000-11-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural product, crop production, fallow, land use, raw material, textile plant

L 292/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21.11.2000

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2555/2000

of 20 November 2000

amending Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council
Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 as regards the use of land set aside for the production of raw
materials for the manufacture within the Community of products not primarily intended for
human or animal consumption

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17
May 1999 establishing a support system for producers of
certain arable crops (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No
1672/2000 (2), and in particular Article 9 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The flax and hemp sector has recently been reformed.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1673/2000 of 27 July 2000
on the common organisation of the markets in flax and
hemp grown for fibre (3), provides for a processing aid
for flax and hemp straw. These two products, intended
for fibre production, have also been added to the
support system for producers of certain arable crops and
are therefore eligible for area aid.

Under Commission Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 (4),
amended by Regulation (EC) No 827/2000 (5),
the
production of linseed and hemp seed on set-aside land is
possible provided that such seed is intended for uses
other than textiles. Article 25 of that Regulation stipu-
lates that the raw materials listed in Annex I are not
eligible for any other aid, in particular under interven-
tion schemes intended to stabilise agricultural markets.
In the case of hemp, the varieties used to produce fibre
are the same as those used for other purposes, which
may pose problems during controls aimed at verifying
compliance with Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 2461/
1999. This is not a problem in the case of flax because
the varieties are different. Under those circumstances
hemp seed should be deleted from the list of raw mate-
rials which can be grown on set-aside land.

(3)

the new scheme for flax concerns flax
In addition,
intended for the production of fibre, which is a broader
concept than the expression ‘flax for textile use’ used
hitherto in Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999. The termi-
nology used in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2461/
1999 should therefore be adapted.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 13.
(3) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 16.
(4) OJ L 299, 20.11.1999, p. 16.
(5) OJ L 101, 26.4.2000, p. 21.

Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 stipulates
that the raw materials listed in Annex II may be grown
on land set aside on condition that they are intended for
use in the manufacture of the end products listed in
Annex III.

Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 provides for
the possibility of growing perennial plants such as
Miscanthus sinensis on set-aside land. New information
indicates that that plant can, after having been shredded,
be used as litter for horses or for drying or cleaning
plants, which is a non-food use which meets the objec-
tive of Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999.

Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 should
therefore be amended to introduce that new use for
Miscanthus sinensis.

The Management Committee for Cereals has not deliv-
ered an opinion within the time limit laid down by its
chairman,

(5)

(6)

(7)

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 2461/1999 is amended as follows:

1. In Annex I, the description of the products falling within
CN code ex 1204 00 90 is replaced by the following:

‘ex 1 204 00 90

Linseed other than for sowing but
intended for uses other than fibre
production’;

2. In Annex I, the following CN code is deleted:

‘ex 1 207 99 91

Hemp seeds other than for sowing
and mentioned in Annex B to
Commission Regulation (EEC) No
1164/89, destined for uses other than
textiles’;

3. In Annex III, the following indent is inserted after the 11th

indent:

‘— Miscanthus sinensis falling within CN code 0602 90 51,
shredded, intended for use as horse litter, mulch, addi-
tives to improve compost and litter for the drying and
cleaning of plants,’.

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 292/19

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

Article 2

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

Done at Brussels, 20 November 2000.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission