Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine^f1, and in particular Article 33 thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 of 25 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine with regard to market mechanisms^f2 lays down, inter alia, the detailed rules for disposing of stocks of alcohol arising from distillation under Articles 27, 28 and 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 held by intervention agencies.

In accordance with Article 80 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000, tendering procedures should be organised for the sale of wine alcohol for new industrial uses with a view to reducing the stocks of wine alcohol in the Community and enabling small-scale industrial projects to be carried out and such alcohol to be processed into goods intended for export for industrial uses. The wine alcohol of Community origin in storage in the Member States consists of quantities produced from distillation under Articles 27, 28 and 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999.

Since 1 January 1999 and in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2799/98 of 15 December 1998 establishing agrimonetary arrangements for the euro^f3, the prices offered in tenders and securities must be expressed in euro and payments must be made in euro.

Minimum prices should be fixed for the submission of tenders, broken down according to the type of end-use.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: