Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 of 20 February 2006 establishing a temporary scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry in the Community and amending Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy^f1,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 968/2006 of 27 June 2006 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 establishing a temporary scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry in the Community^f2, and in particular Article 16a(1) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 3(8) of Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 provides for the payment of a retroactive increase of the amounts paid under the temporary restructuring scheme to certain undertakings and growers. Article 16a of Regulation (EC) No 968/2006 lays down the details concerning the calculation of that increase. According to the third subparagraph of paragraph 1 of that provision, the Commission has to fix the amounts per Member State concerned in view of putting the Member States in a position to make these payments to the beneficiaries in June 2008.

The retroactive payments concerns the amounts which make up the positive difference between the aid granted to undertakings and growers in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 marketing years and the aid which would have been granted under the conditions valid for the 2008/09 marketing year.

The amounts fixed for France and Belgium take into account the cross-borders deliveries of chicory and the payment, by the French authorities, of the French growers having supplied the Belgian inulin syrup producers as well as the payment, by the Belgian authorities, of the Belgian growers having supplied the French inulin syrup producer,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: