Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products^f1, and in particular Article 29(1) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001^f2 lays down, inter alia, detailed rules for the application to milk and milk products of the import arrangements provided for in the Europe Agreements between the Community and its Member States, of the one part, and certain central and east European countries, of the other part. In order to implement the concessions provided for by Council and Commission Decisions 2005/430/EC^f3 and 2005/431/EC^f4 on the conclusion of Additional Protocols to the Europe Agreements establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Bulgaria and Romania, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, the new import tariff quotas should be opened and certain existing quotas should be increased as from 1 July 2005, date of the entry into force of the Additional Protocols.

Council Regulation (EC) No 747/2001^f5 provides for quota No 09.1302, concerning certain agricultural products originating in Israel, to be managed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, in accordance with Articles 308a to 308c of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 of 2 July 1993 laying down provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 establishing the Community Customs Code^f6. It is appropriate to take account of that quota in Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001.

Annex XII to Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 contains a reference to the body issuing certificates in Cyprus which should be deleted by reason of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union.

Regulation (EC) No 2535/2001 should therefore be amended accordingly.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: