Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables^f1, and in particular Article 33(1) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 33(1) Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 clearly sets out the conditions to be fulfilled in order for the Commission to impose additional import duties. For clarity and legal certainty, the same wording should also be used in Article 3(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1555/96 of 30 July 1996 on rules of application for additional import duties on fruit and vegetables^f2.

Regulation (EC) No 1555/96 provides for surveillance of imports of the products listed in the Annex thereto. That surveillance is to be carried out in accordance with the rules laid down in Article 308d 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^f3.

For the purposes of Article 5(4) of the Agreement on Agriculture^f4 concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations and in the light of the latest data available for 2003, 2004 and 2005, the trigger levels for additional duties on apples should be adjusted.

Regulation (EC) No 1555/96 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: