Council Regulation (EEC) No 4078/88 of 19 December 1988 opening and providing for the administration of a Community tariff quota for cut flowers and flower buds, fresh, originating in Israel (1988/89)

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 4078/88  of 19 December 1988  opening and providing for the administration of a Community tariff quota for cut flowers and flower buds, fresh, originating in Israel (1988/89)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas Article 2 of the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the State of Israel (1) provides that fresh cut flowers and flower buds, falling within the CN codes appearing in Article 1, originating in that  country, may be imported into the Community at reduced rates of customs duty within the limits of an annual Community tariff quota for 17 000 tonnes;
Whereas, within these limits of that quota, Common Customs Tariff duties are to be abolished progressively over the same periods and in accordance with the same timetables as laid down in Articles 75 and 243 of the Act of Accession of Spain and  Portugal; whereas, for the period 1 December 1988 to 31 October 1989, the quota duties are to be equal to 62,5 % of the basic duties from 1 December to 31 December 1988 and to 50 % of the basic duties from 1 January to 31 October 1989;
Whereas, within the limits of this tariff quota, the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic are to apply duties calculated in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 4162/87 of 21 December 1987 laying down the arrangements for Spain's and  Portugal's trade with Israel and amending Regulations (EEC) No 449/86 and (EEC) No 2573/87 (2); whereas the tariff quota in question should therefore be opened for the period from 1 December 1988 to 31 October 1989 amounting, by virtue of the pro rata  temporis clause, to 15,583 tonnes for the period in question;
Whereas large-flowered and small flowered roses and unifloral and multifloral carnations are only covered by these quotas subject to the conditions laid down by Council Regulation (EEC) No 4088/87 of 21 December 1987 establishing conditions for the  application of preferential customs duties on imports of certain floricultural products originating in Cyprus, Israel and Jordan (3); whereas these favourable tariff arrangements apply only to imports in respect of which certain price conditions are  observed; whereas, in addition, Israel has undertaken to respect the traditional division of trade flows between roses and carnations;
Whereas equal and continuous access to the quota should be ensured for all Community importers and the rates laid down for the quota should be applied consistently to all imports of the products in question into all the Member States until the quota is  exhausted; whereas it is appropriate not to provide for allocation among Member States, without prejudice to the drawing, on the tariff quota, of such quantities as they may need, under conditions and according to a procedure to be determined; whereas  this method of administration requires close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission and the latter must in particular be able to monitor the rate at which the tariff quota is used and inform the Member States accordingly;
Whereas, since the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg are united within and jointly represented by the Benelux Economic Union, all transactions concerning the administration of quota shares collected by  that economic union may be carried out by any of its members;