Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, and in particular the first paragraph of Article 41 thereof,

Whereas:

In order to take account of the principle that the operative event for the exchange rate is fixed as the first day of the period for which certain aid is granted, the operative event for 2004 for the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, hereinafter called ‘the new Member States’, should be fixed as the date of their accession to the European Union for the purposes of the support schemes for which the operative event for the exchange rate falls on 1 January.

It is therefore appropriate to derogate for 2004 from those provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2808/98 of 22 December 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application of the agrimonetary system for the euro in agriculture^f1, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2342/1999 of 28 October 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal as regards premium schemes^f2, and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2550/2001 of 21 December 2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goat meat as regards premium schemes and amending Regulation (EC) No 2419/2001^f3 which concern the exchange rate in the beef and veal, sheepmeat and goat meat and energy crop sectors and for structural and environmental measures. The operative event for the exchange rate to be used in the new Member States for the purposes of those support schemes should be set as the date of entry into force of the 2003 Treaty of Accession. Accordingly, the exchange rate must be fixed by the Commission on the basis of the average pro rata temporis of the rates applicable during the month preceding the said date of entry into force.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the relevant Management Committees,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: