Commission Regulation (EC) No 887/2005 of 10 June 2005 opening crisis distillation as provided for in Article 30 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 for certain wines in Greece
Date: 2005-06-10
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Greece, agricultural surplus, common organisation of markets, distillation, market intervention, table wine, viticulture

L 148/34

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Official Journal of the European Union

11.6.2005

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 887/2005

of 10 June 2005

opening crisis distillation as provided for in Article 30 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 for
certain wines in Greece

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17
May 1999 on the common organisation of
in
wine (1), and in particular Article 33(1)(f) thereof,

the market

Whereas:

Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 provides
for the possibility of a crisis distillation measure in the
event of exceptional market disturbance due to major
surpluses. Such measures may be limited to certain cate-
gories of wine and/or certain areas of production, and
may apply to quality wines produced in specified regions
(quality wines psr) at the request of the Member State
concerned.

the Greek Government
By letter of 7 April 2005,
requested that crisis distillation be opened for
table
wine produced in Greece and on the market in quality
wines psr.

Considerable surpluses have been recorded on the market
in table wine and quality wines psr in Greece, which are
reflected in a fall in prices and a worrying rise in stocks
towards the end of the current marketing year. In order
to reverse this negative trend, and so remedy the difficult
market situation, stocks of Greek wine should be reduced
to a level that can be regarded as normal
in terms of
covering market requirements.

Since the conditions laid down in Article 30(5) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1493/1999 are satisfied, a crisis distil-
lation measure should be opened for a maximum of
340 000 hectolitres of table wine and 40 000 hectolitres
of quality wines produced in specified regions (quality
wines psr).

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

in wine with regard to market mechanisms (2) as regards
the distillation measure provided for in Article 30 of
Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. Other provisions of
Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 must also apply,
in
particular those concerning the delivery of alcohol to
intervention agencies and the payment of advances.

The price distillers must pay producers should be set at a
level that permits the market disturbance to be dealt with
by allowing producers to take advantage of the possi-
bility afforded by this measure.

The product of crisis distillation must be raw or neutral
alcohol only, for compulsory delivery to the intervention
agency in order to avoid disturbing the market
for
potable alcohol, which is supplied largely by the distil-
lation provided for in Article 29 of Regulation (EC) No
1493/1999.

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

(6)

(7)

(8)

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Crisis distillation as provided for in Article 30 of Regulation
(EC) No 1493/1999 is hereby opened for a maximum of
340 000 hectolitres of table wine and 40 000 hectolitres of
quality wines produced in specified regions (quality wines psr)
in Greece, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC)
No 1623/2000 concerning this type of distillation.

Article 2

Producers may conclude contracts as provided for in Article 65
of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 (hereinafter referred to as
contracts) from 13 June to 1 July 2005.

Contracts shall be accompanied by proof that a security equal
to EUR 5 per hectolitre has been lodged.

Contracts may not be transferred.

Article 3

The crisis distillation opened by this Regulation must
comply with the conditions laid down by Commission
Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 of 25 July 2000 laying
down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No
1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market

1.
If the total quantities covered by the contracts submitted
to the intervention agency exceed the quantities laid down in
Article 1, Greece shall determine the rates of reduction to be
applied to those contracts.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation last amended by the 2003

(2) OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 45. Regulation last amended by Regulation

Act of Accession.

(EC) No 616/2005 (OJ L 103, 22.4.2005, p. 15).

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Greece shall take the administrative steps necessary to
2.
approve the contracts not
than 18 July 2005. The
later
approval shall specify any rate of reduction applied and the
quantity of wine accepted per contract and shall stipulate that
the producer may cancel the contract where the quantity to be
distilled is reduced.

Greece shall notify the Commission before 1 August 2005 of
the quantities of wine covered by approved contracts.

Greece may limit the number of contracts that individual

3.
producers may conclude under this Regulation.

Article 4

The quantities of wine covered by approved contracts
1.
shall be delivered to the distilleries not
than 15
November 2005. The alcohol obtained shall be delivered to
the intervention agency in accordance with Article 6(1) not
later than 15 March 2006.

later

The security shall be released in proportion to the quan-
2.
tities delivered when the producer presents proof of delivery to
a distillery.

Article 6

1.
Distillers shall deliver the product obtained from distil-
lation to the intervention agency. That product shall be of an
alcoholic strength of at least 92 % vol.

2.
The price to be paid to the distiller by the intervention
agency for the raw alcohol delivered shall be EUR 2,281/%
vol/hl where it
is produced from table wine and EUR
2,667/% vol/hl where it is produced from quality wines psr.
The payment shall be made in accordance with Article 62(5)
of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000. However, payment of these
prices may only be made from 16 October 2005.

Distillers may receive an advance on those amounts of EUR
in the case of alcohol produced from table
1,122/% vol/hl
in the
wine
alcohol
case of
and EUR 1,508/% vol/hl
produced from quality wines psr.
In that case the advances
shall be deducted from the prices actually paid. Articles 66
and 67 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 shall apply.
However, payment of these advances may only be made from
16 October 2005.

The security shall be forfeit where no delivery is made within
the time limit laid down in paragraph 1.

Article 7

Article 5

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The minimum price paid for wine delivered for distillation
under this Regulation shall be EUR 1,914/% vol/hl for table
wine and EUR 2,30/% vol/hl for quality wines psr.

It shall apply from 13 June 2005.

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

Done at Brussels, 10 June 2005.

For the Commission

Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission