Council Regulation (EC) No 2613/97 of 15 December 1997 authorizing Portugal to grant aid to sugar beet producers and abolishing all State aid from the 2001/2002 marketing year

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2613/97 of 15 December 1997 authorizing Portugal to grant aid to sugar beet producers and abolishing all State aid from the 2001/2002 marketing year
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 42 and 43 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Whereas the production of sugar beet, a new industry to Portugal, will be disadvantaged by natural problems, at least in its start-up phase; whereas, in order to protect it, sugar beet growers should be encouraged to increase production by means of a provision authorizing Portugal to grant temporary and diminishing adjustment aid over a period of the three marketing years from 1998/1999 to 2000/2001;
Whereas Portugal has been allocated by Council Regulation (EC) No 1599/96 (3) a national basic quantity for its continental territory of 70 000 tonnes of sugar for the refining of sugar from sugar beet; whereas a sugar beet refining establishment was recently constructed with Community financial assistance; whereas an appropriate level of aid should be authorized;
Whereas, in addition, it should be stipulated that, with effect from the 2001/2002 marketing year, all State aids authorized by virtue of Article 46 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81 of 30 June 1981 on the common organization of the market in sugar (4) are abolished,