Document ID: 32000R1177

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1177/2000
of 31 May 2000
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1164/89 laying down detailed rules concerning the aid for fibre flax and hemp
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1308/70 of 29 June 1970 on the common organisation of the market in flax and hemp(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999(2), and in particular Article 4(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 3(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 619/71 of 22 March 1971 laying down general rules for granting aid for flax and hemp(3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1420/98(4), the aid for hemp is granted solely for varieties where the weight of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) determined by reference to the weight of a sample dried to a constant weight has on analysis been found not to exceed certain limits. In addition, Article 3(3) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1164/89 of 28 April 1989 laying down detailed rules concerning the aid for fibre flax and hemp(5), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1328/1999(6), provides that Member States must determine the average THC content of hemp on a certain percentage of the areas under hemp
(2) Scientific advances have been made since the Community method for the quantitative determination of THC in varieties of hemp was laid down in 1989 in Annex C to Regulation (EEC) No 1164/89. Furthermore, that method makes provision for a cumbersome sampling procedure for checks on production that is difficult to carry out in practice. A new method more suited to requirements and in line with current possibilities should therefore be laid down.
(3) The method used for determining the THC content of varieties of hemp on which aid is payable must be very accurate in order to ensure compliance with the conditions laid down in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 619/71. In addition, with a view to the findings regarding production provided for in Article 3(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1164/89, the method used must allow checks to cover a sufficiently representative percentage of the areas under hemp so as to ensure that crops correspond to those provided for under the common organisation of the market in this product. A method comprising two different procedures, one for each of the objectives pursued, should therefore be laid down.
(4) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Flax and Hemp,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annex C to Regulation (EEC) No 1164/89 is replaced by the Annex hereto.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 31 May 2000.

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