Commission Regulation (EC) No 1806/2004 of 18 October 2004 amending Regulation (EC) No 2879/2000 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999 on measures to provide information on, and to promote, agricultural products in third countries

19.10.2004 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 318/11
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1806/2004
of 18 October 2004
amending Regulation (EC) No 2879/2000 laying down detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999 on measures to provide information on, and to promote, agricultural products in third countries
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999 of 14 December 1999 on measures to provide information on, and to promote, agricultural products in third countries (1), and in particular Article 11 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Practical experience has shown that it is necessary to improve further the implementation of the information and promotion regime for third countries market as provided for in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2879/2000 (2).
(2) It is necessary to provide that each Member State designates the competent authority or authorities for the application of Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999. Member States should inform the Commission of the names and contact details of these authorities, so as to ensure that this information can be made available in a continuously updated list, made available to all interested parties via the internet.
(3) In order to evaluate and compare proposals of information and promotion programmes these proposals should be submitted according to a single format in all Member States.
(4) Practical experience has shown that the periods for Member States to conclude contracts with the selected professional or interprofessional organisations are too short, in particular in case where several such organisations in more than one Member State are involved. Those periods need therefore to be prolonged.
(5) The use of model contracts ensures that in all Member States the selected programmes are carried out under the same conditions. Where necessary, Member States should however be permitted to vary certain terms of the contracts in order to take account of national rules.
(6) It should be clarified that for multiannual programmes an internal report should be submitted after completion of each annual phase, even in cases where no application for payment is made.
(7) Practical experience has shown that the current requirements for circulation, four times a year, of quarterly reports between Member States and the Commission are too cumbersome. The Member States should be obliged to circulate those reports only twice a year.
(8) The interest rate to be paid by the beneficiary of an undue payment should be aligned with the interest rate for amounts receivable not repaid on the due date established in Article 86 of Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (3).
(9) Regulation (EC) No 2879/2000 should be amended accordingly.
(10) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion delivered at the joint meeting of the management committees on agricultural product promotion,