Commission Regulation (EC) No 2402/96 of 17 December 1996 opening and setting administrative rules for certain annual tariff quotas for sweet potatoes and manioc starch

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2402/96 of 17 December 1996 opening and setting administrative rules  for certain annual tariff quotas for sweet potatoes and manioc starch
THE  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1095/96 of 18 June 1996, on implementation of the  concessions set out in Schedule CXL drawn up in the wake of the conclusion of the GATT XXIV.6  negotations  (1), and in particular Article 1 (1) thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision 96/317/EC of 13 May 1996 concerning the conclusion of the results  of consultations with Thailand under GATT Article XXIII  (2),
Whereas Decision 96/317/EC of 13 May 1996 adjusted the import arrangements for manioc starch of CN  code 1108  14  00 laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 of 19 December 1995 opening  and providing for the administration of certain import quotas for sweet potatoes and manioc starch  intended for certain uses for 1996  (3); whereas that Regulation was accordingly amended by  Commission Regulation (EC) No 1031/96  (4);
Whereas the Community undertook in the World Trade Organization multilateral trade negotiations to  open two annual nil duty tariff quotas for products of CN code 0714  20  90 in favour of the  People's Republic of China and other countries respectively, and two tariff quotas for manioc  starch of CN code 1108  14  00 for certain uses;
Whereas action should be taken to open for 1997 and subsequent years the annual tariff quotas in  question for sweet potatoes and manioc starch and to set appropriate administrative rules; whereas  the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 as amended following Decision 96/317/EC  should be taken over;
Whereas to ensure that the quotas are well managed and in particular that the quantities set for  each year are not exceeded specific rules on the lodging of applications and issuing of licences  must be adopted; whereas these either supplement or waive the provisions of Commission Regulation  (EEC) No 3719/88  (5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2350/96  (6);
Whereas it is necessary to differentiate sweet potatoes for human consumption and those for other  uses; whereas the presentation and packaging of sweet potatoes of CN code 0714  20  10 for human  consumption should be specified and products not meeting that presentation and packaging  specification should be held to fall within CN code 0714  20  90;
Whereas the management and surveillance rules contained in Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 for imports  between 1 January and 31 December 1996 should be retained, notably the requirement that an export  document issued by the Chinese authorities or under their responsibility be presented for goods  originating in China;
Whereas for manioc starch account must be taken of the Community's new commitment by Decision  96/317/EC to open an additional autonomous annual quota of 10  500 tonnes of which 10  000 tonnes  is reserved for the Kingdom of Thailand; whereas under the terms agreed with Thailand the end-use  requirements previously imposed on manioc starch quotas are waived; whereas it should be required  that manioc starch imported from Thailand against its reserved quantity be accompanied by an export  certificate issued by the competent Thai authority;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the  Management Committee for Cereals,