Commission Regulation (EC) No 2624/1999 of 10 December 1999 on imports of rice originating in the overseas countries and territories (OCTs) under an additional tranche in respect of 1999

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2624/1999
of 10 December 1999
on imports of rice originating in the overseas countries and territories (OCTs) under an additional tranche in respect of 1999
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Decision 91/482/EEC of 25 July 1991 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Economic Community(1), as last amended by Decision 97/803/EC(2), and in particular Article 108a(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2603/97 of 16 December 1997 laying down the detailed implementing rules for imports of rice originating in the ACP countries or the overseas countries and territories (OCTs)(3), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1595/98(4), lays down rules on issuing import licences for up to 35000 tonnes of rice originating in the OCTs in January each year;
(2) the applications for licences submitted in January 1999 related to a total quantity far exceeding that available. However, as a result of withdrawals of applications for licences by operators under Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2603/97 after the fixing of a percentage reduction, licences have in fact only been issued for a substantially reduced quantity. An additional tranche should therefore be opened for imports of rice originating in the OCTs in respect of 1999;
(3) in the light of this experience, there are also grounds for limiting withdrawal of applications to cases where the application of a percentage reduction would result in the issue of an import licence for a quantity that is not economically viable;
(4) the submission of applications for import licences in respect of this additional tranche and the issue thereof should be carried out in line with Regulation (EC) No 2603/97, subject to certain derogations ensuring the proper administration of this tranche;
(5) the Management Committee for Cereals has not delivered an opinion within the time limit laid down by its chairman,