13. 3. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 72/7 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 626/85 of 12 March 1985 on the purchasing, selling and storage of unprocessed dried grapes and figs by storage agencies THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 516/77 of 14 March 1977 on the common organization of the market in products processed from fruit and vegeta- bles (), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 988/84 (%), and in particular Articles 4 (8) an 18 thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1223/83 of 20 May 1983 on the exchange rates to be applied in agriculture (°), as last amended by Regula- tion (EEC) No 855/84 (*), and in particular Article 4 (3) thereof, Whereas Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 516/77 provides that storage agencies must be approved by the Member States concerned and that in respect of dried grapes the storage agencies must purchase up to the limits of the guarantee thresholds laid down by Council Regulation (EEC) No 989/84 (%) ; whereas in order to be approved as a storage agency the interested party must have at its disposal facilities which allow for appropriate preservation and handling of the products ; Whereas Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 516/77 lays down that dried figs and dried grapes to be purchased shall comply with quality standards to be determined ; whereas dried figs must, in order to qualify for the payment of the minimum price fixed, comply with the requirements set out in Annex II to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1709/84 (5 and dried grapes shall comply with the requirements set - out in Annex II to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2347/84 (') ; whereas these requirements should also be complied with when the products are sold to the storage agency; whereas in addition the products should meet the conditions necessary for storage ; Whereas in order to ensure that sellers of dried grapes and dried figs are given equal treatment and that the () OJ No L 73, 21. 3. 1977, p. 1. () OJ No L 103, 16. 4. 1984, p. 11. % OJ No L 132, 21. 5. 1983, p. 33. () O] No L 90, 1. 4. 1984, p. 1. () O] No L 103, 16. 4. 1984, p. 19. (&) O] No L 162, 20. 6. 1984, p. 8. () OJ No L 219, 16. 8. 1984, p. 1. storage agencies are applying the measures correctly, the Member States must supervise the transaction carried out by storage agencies ; whereas to that end a contract should be concluded for each purchase and a copy thereof should be sent to the competent authori- ties together with proof that the products qualify for sale to the storage agency; Whereas equal access to the products and equal treat- ment of purchasers can be ensured if, when the selling price is fixed in advance, the storage agencies accept all applications received on any one day simul- taneously until supplies are exhausted ; ' Whereas, where the selling price is determined by means of an invitation to tender, these principles can be respected by giving the notice of invitation to tender appropriate publicity ; Whereas, since the object of the tendering procedure is to obtain the best price, the award must go to the highest tender; whereas, however, the highest price can be accepted only if it corresponds to the actual market situation ; whereas minimum selling prices should therefore be determined in accordance with a Community procedure, having due regard to the tenders received ; Whereas, to ensure efficiency in the disposal of stored products, minimum sale quantities should be laid down ; Whereas invitations to tender must include sufficient information to - allow proper identification of the products concerned ; Whereas the submission of an application or a tender is facilitated if prospective purchasers are permitted to inspect the product; whereas it should consequently be provided that the parties concerned waive in advance their right to lodge any complaint in respect of the quality and characteristics of the products which may be assigned to them ; Whereas fulfilment of the obligations contracted must be guaranteed through the lodging of a security which can be partly or wholly forfeited ; Whereas, so that these operations may be carried out expeditiously, it should be laid down that the rights and obligations involved in a sale contract or a tender must be exercised or fulfilled within certain time limits ;