Commission Regulation (EC) No 803/98 of 16 April 1998 laying down detailed rules for 1998 for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2275/96 introducing specific measures for live plants and floricultural products

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 803/98 of 16 April 1998 laying down detailed rules for 1998 for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2275/96 introducing specific measures for live plants and floricultural products
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2275/96 of 22 November 1996 introducing specific measures for live plants and floricultural products (1), and in particular Article 5 thereof,
Whereas Regulation (EC) No 2275/96 provides for a Community financial contribution to measures to increase the consumption of Community live plants and floricultural products within the Community and abroad;
Whereas the principal measures eligible for a Community financial contribution should be defined;
Whereas such measures must form part of a coherent strategy and provide guarantees as to the achievement in the medium term of the planned objectives and as to the satisfaction of Community interests; whereas they must commit the main operators in the sector, be presented in a standard form and contain the information necessary for their assessment;
Whereas the procedure to be followed and the criteria to be applied for determining for 1998 the Member States in which the promotional measures are to be implemented and for allocating the overall amount available for the measures among them should be laid down;
Whereas the procedures for the submission of applications for assistance by the professional organisations and for the assessment and selection of the measures by the bodies authorized by the Member States should be laid down; whereas the procedures should allow the Commission to forward its observations to the Member States;
Whereas provision should be made for the possibility of a second round of financing;
Whereas the various provisions concerning fulfilment of the commitments made should be laid down in contracts concluded between the parties concerned and the competent national authorities on the basis of standard contracts supplied by the Commission;
Whereas, for 1997, the second allocation of funds was made on 13 October 1997; whereas, in view of this late date, the date for payment of the advance for the programmes in question should, exceptionally, be carried forward for the period concerned;
Whereas the constraints of budget management require a penalty to be applied where the deadline for presentation of payment applications is not complied with;
Whereas the Member States should check the implementation of the measures and the Commission should be kept informed of the results of the measures provided for in this Regulation;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Live Plants,