Commission Regulation (EC) No 1005/2002 of 12 June 2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 as regards the recognition of producer groups, the auction scheme, the national reserve and transfer agreements in the raw tobacco sector

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1005/2002
of 12 June 2002
amending Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 as regards the recognition of producer groups, the auction scheme, the national reserve and transfer agreements in the raw tobacco sector
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 546/2002(2), and in particular Article 7, Article 9(5), Article 11 and Article 14a thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 of 22 December 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council 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 486/2002(4), lays down the conditions for the recognition of producer groups. In island areas where only a very small amount of tobacco is produced and in isolated production areas where tobacco production is in decline the minimum thresholds required in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 for the establishment of a producer group may not be achieved in certain cases. An alternative criterion should therefore be introduced for island areas and the minimum percentage required for the recognition of producer groups should be reduced so that the producers in question may have access to the variable part of the premium.
(2) Article 6(5) and Article 9(5) of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 have been amended by Regulation (EC) No 546/2002. The corresponding rules of application provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 should therefore be adapted accordingly.
(3) Article 33(1)(d) of Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 stipulates that for quota transfer purposes the agreement between the parties must be registered by the competent authority within 30 days of the final date for the issue of quota statements. To accelerate and simplify that procedure, the time limit for the registration of the agreement should start to run on the actual day on which the quota statement is issued.
(4) Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 should be amended accordingly.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Tobacco,