Article 6

Without prejudice to Article 15, for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into Portugal, within the quantitative limits set in Article 1(1) and (2), a reduction may be applied to the import duty fixed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1249/96.

The Commission, taking account of the existing market conditions, shall decide whether the reduction provided for in paragraph 1 shall be applied, so as to ensure that the import quotas are fully used.

If the Commission decides to apply the reduction referred to in paragraph 1, the amount of the reduction shall be fixed on a flat-rate basis or by tendering procedure, at a level enabling, firstly, disturbance of the Spanish and Portuguese markets as a result of imports into those Member States to be avoided and, secondly, the quantities referred to in Article 1(1) and (2) to be actually imported.

The amount of the flat-rate reduction and, if the reduction is fixed in accordance with the tendering procedure referred to in Article 8(1), the amount of the latter reduction, shall be fixed in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 195(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

In the case of imports into Portugal, the amount of the reduction referred to in paragraph 3 shall be fixed in such a way that the duty actually paid does not exceed EUR 50 per tonne.

The reduction may be differentiated for imports of maize and/or sorghum under Regulation (EC) No 1528/2007.

The import duty reduction provided for in paragraph 1 shall be applied on importation into Spain of maize falling within CN code 1005 90 00 and sorghum falling within CN code 1007 00 90 and on importation into Portugal of maize falling within CN code 1005 90 00, covered by licences issued by the Spanish and Portuguese competent authorities as provided for in this Regulation and with the consent of the Commission. These licences shall be valid only in the Member State in which they are issued.