Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal^f1, and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 33(3) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 33(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1(1) of that Regulation and prices for those products within the Community may be covered by an export refund.

Given the present situation on the market in beef and veal, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and criteria provided for in Article 33 of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999.

The second subparagraph of Article 33(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 provides that the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund according to destination.

Refunds should be granted only on products that are allowed to move freely in the Community and that bear the health mark as provided for in Article 5(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin^f2. Those products should also comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs^f3, and of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption^f4.

Pursuant to the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1964/82 of 20 July 1982 laying down the conditions for granting special export refunds on certain cuts of boned meat of bovine animals^f5, the special refund is to be reduced if the quantity of boned meat to be exported amounts to less than 95 %, but not less than 85 %, of the total weight of cuts produced by boning.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 418/2007^f6 should therefore be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: