Commission Regulation (EC) No 263/2002 of 13 February 2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2550/2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat as regards premium schemes
Date: 2002-02-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural guidance, aid system, aid to agriculture, goatmeat, representative rate, sheepmeat

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 43/9

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 263/2002

of 13 February 2002

amending Regulation (EC) No 2550/2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council
Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and
goatmeat as regards premium schemes

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2799/98 of 15
December 1998 establishing agrimonetary arrangements for
the euro (1), and in particular Article 9 thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 of 19
December 2001 on the common organisation of the market in
sheepmeat and goatmeat (2), and in particular Article 4(6),
Article 5(4) and Article 11(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2550/2001 (3)
lays
down detailed rules for the application of Regulation
(EC) No 2529/2001 on the common organisation of the
market in sheepmeat and goatmeat as regards premium
schemes, but does not define how the conversion of the
premiums and payments into the national currency in
the Member States not having adopted the euro should
be carried out. For that reason there is a need to define
the method of conversion into national currencies and
in particular the operative event and the exchange rate
applicable.

As to the operative event, for applying the criteria set
forth in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2799/98, it is
appropriate to define it as the first day of the calendar
year for which the premia are paid. As to the exchange
rate to apply, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2808/
98 (4), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2452/
2000 (5), lays down detailed rules for the application of
the agrimonetary system for the euro in agriculture.
Article 1 of this Regulation states that the exchange rate
to be used shall be the rate most recently fixed by the
European Central Bank (ECB) prior to the operative
event.

(3)

However, for the purposes of attaining the goals of the
sheep and goat common market organisation, the rate
applicable on the date of the operative event should be

(1) OJ L 349, 24.12.1998, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 341, 22.12.2001, p. 3.
(3) OJ L 341, 22.12.2001, p. 105.
(4) OJ L 349, 24.12.1998, p. 36.
(5) OJ L 282, 8.11.2000, p. 9.

fixed in such a way as to ensure in principle that such
aids, premiums and amounts do not undergo any sharp
fluctuations on conversion into national currency due to
the exchange rate on a single date. To this end, the best
solution appears to be an average of the exchange rates
applicable during the month preceding the year in
respect of which the premium is granted, calculated pro
rata temporis.

(4)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of the Sheep and Goats
Management Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The following Article is hereby added to Regulation (EC) No
2550/2001:

‘CHAPTER IIIa

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 18a

Conversion into national currency

The operative event for the exchange rate to be applied to
the amount of the premiums and payments referred to in
Articles 4, 5 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001
shall be the commencement of the calendar year in respect
of which the premium or payment is granted.

The exchange rate to be used shall be the average of the
exchange rates applicable in the month of December
preceding the date of the operative event, calculated pro rata
temporis. It shall be fixed by the Commission during the
month following the date of the operative event.’

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2002.

L 43/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.2.2002

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

Done at Brussels, 13 February 2002.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission