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(1)(f) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 provides for the possibility of a crisis distillation measure in the event of exceptional market disturbance due to major surpluses. Such measures may be limited to certain categories of wine and/or certain areas of production, and may apply to quality wines psr at the request of the Member State concerned.

By letter of 18 February 2005, the French Government requested that crisis distillation be opened for quality still wine produced in specified regions (psr) in its territory. Further information was forwarded on 25 February and 25 March 2005.

Considerable surpluses have been recorded on the French market in quality still wine psr, which are reflected in a fall in prices and a worrying rise in stocks towards the end of the current marketing year. In order to reverse this negative trend, and so remedy the difficult market situation, stocks of quality still wine psr should be reduced to a level that can be regarded as normal in terms of covering market requirements.

Since the conditions laid down in Article 30(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 are satisfied, a crisis distillation measure should be opened for a maximum of 1.5 million hectolitres of quality still wine psr.

The crisis distillation opened by this Regulation must comply with the conditions laid down by 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 as regards the distillation measure provided for in Article 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. Other provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 must also apply, in particular those concerning the delivery of alcohol to intervention agencies and the payment of advances.

The price distillers must pay producers should be set at a level that permits the market disturbance to be dealt with by allowing producers to take advantage of the possibility afforded by this measure.

The product of crisis distillation must be raw or neutral alcohol only, for compulsory delivery to the intervention agency in order to avoid disturbing the market for potable alcohol, which is supplied largely by the distillation provided for in Article 29 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: