Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2008 of 26 June 2008 temporarily suspending customs duties on imports of certain cereals for the 2008/2009 marketing year

27.6.2008 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 166/19
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 608/2008
of 26 June 2008
temporarily suspending customs duties on imports of certain cereals for the 2008/2009 marketing year
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) (1), and in particular Article 187 in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In order to promote the supply of cereals to the Community market during the 2007/2008 marketing year, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2008 of 20 December 2007 temporarily suspending customs duties on imports of certain cereals for the 2007/2008 marketing year (2) suspended those duties until 30 June 2008, whilst providing for the possibility of reintroducing them in the event of disruption or threatened disruption on the Community market. The market situation since that measure was adopted and the likely short-term trends are not expected to result in the duties being reintroduced, given the price situation. The suspension of duties should, on the basis of that text, therefore continue to apply until the end of the 2007/2008 marketing year.
(2) The outlook for the cereals market for the start of the next marketing year (2008/2009) would suggest that prices will remain high, given the low stock levels and current estimates from the Commission regarding the quantities which will actually be available under the 2008 harvest. In order to make it easier to maintain a flow of imports which will help maintain market equilibrium, there is a need to ensure continuity in cereal imports policy by maintaining the temporary suspension of customs duties on imports during the 2008/2009 marketing year for cereals to which this measure currently applies. Furthermore, in order to apply equivalent conditions to the supply of certain other cereals to the Community market, the measure should be extended to products falling under CN codes 1008 10 00 and 1008 20 00.
(3) However, it must be possible to lift this suspension of duties without delay in the event of disruption or threatened disruption on the Community market, notably due to imported quantities or if cereals from the new harvest are available on the Community market in sufficient quantities to ensure market equilibrium. To this end, provision should be made for the Commission to take appropriate steps to reintroduce customs duties immediately should the market situation so warrant, and to lay down the criteria whereby this situation should be considered as such.
(4) The Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chairman,