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 73 thereof,

Whereas:

Article 11(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1282/2001^f2 requires wine growers to submit harvest and production declarations no later than 10 December, with a view to knowing the volume of Community wine production in good time.

In a particular Member State the procedure for notifying declarations has just been computerised. Most producers must prepare their declarations at local support centres for farmers. As these centres must also simultaneously set up the electronic case-files for these declarations and update the area declarations and single payment scheme for the first year, it will not be possible to deal with all the producers' files by the deadline.

To resolve the problem, which is not the fault of the producers, and to avoid their being unjustly penalised, those producers should be granted an extension for the submission of harvest and production declarations.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: