6.7.2005   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 173/5

(1)

Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 introduces storage arrangements for unprocessed dried grapes and unprocessed dried figs during the final two months of the marketing years of those products. The arrangements consist of a system for approving the storage agencies and paying them storage aid and financial compensation. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/1999 (2) establishes the conditions which the storage agencies must meet in order to be approved, in particular as regards the steps they must take to ensure that the products are stored properly.

(2)

The second indent of the second subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1622/1999 establishes transitional measures for unprocessed dried figs applying until the end of the 2003/04 marketing year.

(3)

Weather conditions during part of the 2004/05 marketing year were poor and fruit was unable to develop satisfactorily. As a result, some producers chose to harvest their fruit at a size slightly smaller than the standard but meeting the other quality conditions required for human consumption. In order to prevent those quantities being diverted to the production of fig paste, which would mean a substantial financial loss, it is necessary to extend the abovementioned transitional measures and provide for an additional minimum size for the 2004/05 marketing year.

(4)

Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1622/1999 provides for the products held by storage agencies to be sold by tender procedure. The intended use for unprocessed dried figs is a specific industrial use to be specified in the tender notice by the competent authority. In view of the lack of economic interest engendered by that approach no tenders were submitted so the competent authorities should be given the opportunity to expand the range of possible uses of the products to be sold from storage by adding direct animal feed and use in composting and biodegrading processes.

(5)

It is necessary to establish the physical and documentary check procedures for these new uses both at the time of entry into storage and at the time of removal.

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 1622/1999 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Products Processed from Fruit and Vegetables,

1.

In Article 2, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

‘2.   The products shall be delivered to the storage agencies in stackable plastic crates. However, on a transitional basis, unprocessed dried grapes may be delivered in suitable containers until the end of the 2001/02 marketing year, and unprocessed dried figs until the end of the 2004/05 marketing year.

The delivered products must:

2.

Article 4 is amended as follows:

3.

Article 10 is amended as follows: