Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation)^f1, and in particular Article 142 in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,

Whereas:

Under Article 142 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, in order to guarantee the supplies necessary for the production of the products referred to in Article 62(2) of that Regulation, the Commission may suspend, in whole or in part, the application of import duties for certain quantities of sugar.

Articles 30 to 30d of Commission Regulation (EC) No 950/2006 of 28 June 2006 laying down detailed rules of application for the 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 marketing years for the import and refining of sugar products under certain tariff quotas and preferential agreements^f2 laid down detailed rules of application for importing the industrial sugar referred to in Article 62(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

In order to ensure that the supplies necessary for the production of the products referred to in Article 62(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 are available at a price corresponding to the world price, a complete suspension of import duties on sugar intended for the production of those products is in the Community’s interest for the 2008/2009 marketing year, for a quantity corresponding to half of its industrial sugar needs.

The quantities of industrial import sugar for the 2008/2009 marketing year should therefore be set accordingly.

The Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its Chair,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: