Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 of 19 December 2000 on information and promotion actions for agricultural products on the internal market^f1, and in particular Article 12 thereof,

Whereas:

Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 provides the criteria to determine the sectors and products for which information and/or promotion actions may be carried out on the internal market. Those themes and products are listed in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 94/2002^f2.

Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 requires that every two years the Commission shall draw up a list of the themes and products referred to in Article 3 of that Regulation.

Seed oils of Community origin, in particular rapeseed oil, as well as honey and beekeeping products are products where market balance could be improved through information and/or generic promotion measures, in particular by providing adequate and up-to-date information to consumers on the qualities, nutritional value, taste, applicable standards and labelling of those products. Therefore, those products should be included in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 94/2002.

In order to encourage consumption of quality products in the meat sector, it is appropriate to make all quality meats produced according to a Community or a national quality scheme eligible for promotional measures. Therefore, those products should be included in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 94/2002.

For reasons of clarity and simplification, it is appropriate to incorporate the themes in Annex I(a) and the products in Annex I(b) to Regulation (EC) No 94/2002 into one single list which will cover both themes and products and to include, for each product and theme, provisions related to these in the corresponding guidelines for promotion on the internal market in Annex III to that Regulation.

Products with a protected designation of origin (PDO), with a protected geographical indication (PGI) or with a traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG) in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs^f3 or Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs^f4, and products from organic farming, in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs^f5, are quality products the production and consumption of which are considered a priority in the context of the common agricultural policy. Those products should therefore be included in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 94/2002, so as to ensure that they can benefit from all promotion and information measures provided for in the internal market promotion regime.

It is necessary to draw new guidelines concerning the newly added products in order to achieve the expected results of the promotional measures, and to revise existing guidelines in order to take account of developments in the market situation and in the common agricultural policy, as well as available experience from the evaluation of the most recent promotion and information measures.

Regulation (EC) No 94/2002 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The next deadline after the adoption of these measures for the submission of applications for Community support for promotional programmes is 31 January. There is limited time for the proposing organisations and Member States to adjust or prepare proposals taking into account the rules of the newly amended Regulation. Therefore it is necessary that this Regulation enters into force after 31 January.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion delivered at the meeting of the joint management committee for the promotion of agricultural products,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: