Commission Regulation (EC) No 701/2009 of 3 August 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 1182/2008 fixing for 2009 the amount of aid in advance for private storage of butter

4.8.2009 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 202/3
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 701/2009
of 3 August 2009
amending Regulation (EC) No 1182/2008 fixing for 2009 the amount of aid in advance for private storage of butter
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) (1), and in particular Article 43(a) and (d), in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) World market prices for dairy products have collapsed notably due to an increased world supply and a drop in demand in connection with the financial and economic crisis. Community market prices for dairy products have fallen significantly. As a result of a combination of market measures taken since the beginning of this year Community prices have stabilised around support price levels. It is essential that such market support measures, as private storage, continue to apply as long as necessary for avoiding further deterioration of prices and disturbance of the Community market.
(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 826/2008 (2) lays down common rules for the granting of private storage aid for certain agricultural products.
(3) Article 4(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1182/2008 of 28 November 2008 fixing for 2009 the amount of aid in advance for private storage of butter (3) provides that the period for entry into contractual storage of butter is until 15 August 2009.
(4) In view of the current and foreseeable market situation it is necessary to continue to grant private storage aid for butter entered into contractual storage from 15 August 2009 until 28 February 2010.
(5) In order to avoid oversupply on the market, the removal from storage should take place, for the products entered after 15 August 2009, only as from 16 August 2010 and the contractual storage period should be of maximum 365 days.
(6) For reason of administrative efficiency and simplification, taking into account the particular situation for butter storage, checks provided for in Article 36(6) of Regulation (EC) No 826/2008 should be carried out in respect of at least one half of the contracts. Consequently, derogation from that Article should be introduced.
(7) Taking into account the length of the storage period under the extended measure, the advance payment, provided in Article 31(1) of Regulation (EC) No 826/2008 should be adapted for products stored after 15 August 2009.
(8) Regulation (EC) No 1182/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,