Commission Regulation (EC) No 1918/2006 of 20 December 2006 opening and providing for the administration of tariff quota for olive oil originating in Tunisia

21.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 365/84
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1918/2006
of 20 December 2006
opening and providing for the administration of tariff quota for olive oil originating in Tunisia
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 865/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the common organisation of the market in olive oil and table olives and amending Regulation (EEC) No 827/68 (1), and in particular Article 10(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 3 of Protocol No 1 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (2) as amended by Article 3(1) of the Protocol to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union (3), approved by Council Decision 2005/720/EC (4), opens a tariff quota of 56 700 tons at a zero rate of duty for imports of olive oil falling within CN codes 1509 10 10 and 1509 10 90, wholly obtained in Tunisia and transported direct from there to the Community.
(2) 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 (5) applies to import licences for import tariff quota periods starting from 1 January 2007.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 lays down in particular detailed provisions on applications, the status of applicants and the issue of licences. That Regulation limits the period of validity of licences to the last day of the import tariff quota period.
(4) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (6), Commission Regulation (EC) No 1345/2005 of 16 August 2005 laying down detailed rules for the application of the system of import licences for olive oil (7) and Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006 should apply without prejudice to additional conditions and derogations laid down in this Regulation.
(5) The supply of olive oil to the Community market allows the quantity under the tariff quota to be disposed of in principle without disturbing the market, provided that the imports are not concentrated to a short period of the marketing year. Provision should therefore be made for import licences to be issued between January and October according to a monthly schedule.
(6) Taking into account the advantage of the zero rate duty, the security for import licenses issued in the framework of tariff quotas opened under this Regulation should be fixed at a higher amount than that fixed by Regulation (EC) No 1345/2005.
(7) For the sake of clarity, Commission Regulation (EC) No 312/2001 of 15 February 2001 laying down detailed rules of application for the importation of olive oil originating in Tunisia and derogating from certain provisions of Regulations (EC) No 1476/95 and (EC) No 1291/2000 (8) should be repealed.
(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Olive Oils and Table Olives,