Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3616/92 of 15 December 1992 adopting conversion measures for tobacco of the varieties Mavra, Tsebelia, Forchheimer Havanna II c and hybrids of Geudertheimer

COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 3616/92  of 15 December 1992  adopting conversion measures for tobacco of the varieties Mavra, Tsebelia, Forchheimer Havanna II c and hybrids of Geudertheimer
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco (1), and in particular Article 14 thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1676/85 of 11 June 1985 on the value of the unit of account and the conversion rates to be applied for the purposes of the common agriculture policy (2), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2205/90 (3),  and in particular Article 5 (3) thereof,
Whereas the programme for the conversion of the varieties Mavra, Tsebelia, Forchheimer, Havanna II c and hybrids of Geudertheimer to other varieites of tobacco or to agricultural crops othe than tobacco must enable the quantities of such tobacco  produced within the framework of the maximum guaranteed quantities to be reduced to the level of the specific guarantee thresholds fixed from the 1993 harvest;
Whereas concersion to other varieties of tobacco may take place within the limit of the quotas available and in respect of quantities resulting in expenditure corresponding to conversion to crops other than tobacco;
Whereas those qualifying under conversion measures must definitively forego their right to produce any of the varieties of tobacco in question which are eligible for a premium and must undertake to grow other varieties of tobacco or agricultural  products other than tobacco; whereas the quotas thus freed remain available for other producers within the limit of the specific guarantee threshold for the Member State in accordance with Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3477/92 of 1 December 1992 laying  down detailed rules for the application of the raw tobacco quota system for the 1993 and 1994 harvests (4);
Whereas the aid for conversion to crops other than tobacco should be fixed at the level which producers could expecto to receive if they continued to produce the variety in question in order to make it easier for them to make the necessary investments  and progressively utilize that land for the new crop; whereas the aid must be reduced in the case of producers continuing to produce tobacco qualifying for the Community premium;
Whereas the inclusion in the conversion programme as a matter of course of producers whose areas fall within a former production zone no longer recognized under Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3478/92 of 1 December 1992 laying down detailed rules for the  application of the premium system for raw tobacco (5) will make it easier for Member States to apply a policy encouraging quality;
Whereas the quantities which may be converted to other varieties of tobacco should be defined taking account of the ratio of the aid for conversion to other varieties of tobacco to the aid for conversion to crops other than tobacco; whereas conversion  to crops other than tobacco should, where appropriate, be encouraged;
Whereas the agricultural conversion rate to be applied for the conversion of aid into national currency must be the same for all recipients and must be fixed so that it corresponds to the rate applicable at the beginning of the marketing period for the  harvest;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Tobacco,