Commission Regulation (EC) No 1249/2000 of 15 June 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 in the raw tobacco sector as regards the final date for using the specific aid, the repayment of unused amounts and detailed rules for the advance on the specific aid

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1249/2000
of 15 June 2000
amending Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 in the raw tobacco sector as regards the final date for using the specific aid, the repayment of unused amounts and detailed rules for the advance on the specific aid
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 660/1999(2), and in particular Article 7 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 40(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 of 22 December 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 as regards the premium scheme, production quotas and the specific aid to be granted to producer groups in the raw tobacco sector(3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 909/2000(4), fixes 30 June of the year following that of harvest as the final date by which the specific aid must be used by producer groups. The specific aid is paid on the basis of deliveries which may be made up to 30 April of the year following that of harvest and, therefore, certain producer organisations have difficulties using the specific aid in full within the following two months and meeting the 30 June deadline. A longer period should therefore be laid down for using the specific aid. Moreover, to ensure that unused amounts are paid back within the given deadlines, the Member States should be obliged to recover any unused amounts from producer organisations.
(2) Article 42(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 allows the Member States to pay producer organisations an advance on the specific aid on the basis of the quantities of tobacco delivered to the processor. To allow an actual advance to be granted, the application for an advance should be based on the quantities of tobacco covered by cultivation contracts rather than waiting for the deliverey of the product, bearing in mind that the advance is paid on condition that a security is lodged equal to 115 % of that advance. The advance should however be limited to 50 % of those quantities.
(3) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Tobacco,