Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 of 19 June 2001 on the common organisation of the market in the sugar sector^f1, and in particular Article 9(3) thereof,

Whereas:

France has intervention stocks of white sugar. In order to respond to market needs, it is appropriate to make the stocks of white sugar accepted into intervention between 1 April and 30 June 2005 by the French intervention agency available on the internal market.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1262/2001 of 27 June 2001 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 as regards the buying in and sale of sugar by intervention agencies^f2 should apply to such a sale. It is appropriate to derogate from that Regulation where necessary and to specify some specific rules of procedure.

To take account of the situation on the Community market, provision should be made for the Commission to fix a minimum selling price for each partial invitation to tender.

The French intervention agency should communicate the tenders to the Commission. The tenderers should remain anonymous.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: