Commission Regulation (EC) No 980/2007 of 21 August 2007 providing for special measures for the management of the WTO tariff quota for New Zealand butter from September 2007 to December 2007, amending Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 and derogating from that Regulation

22.8.2007 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 217/18
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 980/2007
of 21 August 2007
providing for special measures for the management of the WTO tariff quota for New Zealand butter from September 2007 to December 2007, amending Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 and derogating from that Regulation
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (1), and in particular Article 29(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 of 14 December 2001 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards the import arrangements for milk and milk products and opening tariff quotas (2) as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2020/2006 (3) provides for the management of the WTO tariff quota for New Zealand butter on the basis of import licences allocated twice a year following the licence application periods as provided for in Article 34a.
(2) When import licences were allocated for the second half of 2007 for butter originating in New Zealand under quota number 09.4182 referred to in Annex III.A of Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001, applications for licences covered quantities less than those available for the products concerned. As a result, a quantity of 9 958,6 tonnes was not allocated.
(3) Given that the quota has always been entirely used before new management rules were introduced on 1 January 2007, the underuse may be the result of importers not yet accommodated to the new provisions and procedures.
(4) It is therefore appropriate to provide for an additional allocation period for the remaining quantity, and to reduce the security in order to facilitate access to traders.
(5) In addition to the notifications provided for in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 of 31 August 2006 laying down common rules for the administration of import tariff quotas for agricultural products managed by a system of import licences (4), the necessary communications between the Member States and the Commission should be specified, in particular for the purpose of monitoring the market in the case of New Zealand butter.
(6) Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products,