29.7.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L193/13 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1672/2000 of 27 July 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops, to include flax and hemp grown for fibre THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 36 and 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Whereas: (1)  The common agricultural policy aims to attain the objectives referred to in the Treaty, taking account of the market situation. (20  The flax and hemp sector has undergone profound changes since the entry into force of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1308/70 of 29 June 1970 on the common organisation of the market in flax and hemp (°). In addi- tion to the traditional production of long flax fibre for textiles and the traditional uses of hemp fibres, flax and hemp are now also being grown for a new market in short fibres. Since these short fibres can be used for new materials, their production should be encouraged in order also to promote innovative markets offering a future. (3)  Given its attractiveness, the aid provided for in Regula- tion (EEC) No 1308/70 has given rise, in some Member States, to purely speculative production. Steps taken to combat this phenomenon have further complicated the legislation governing this sector and have not always had the desired success. (4)  In order to solve the problems facing the market in flax and hemp grown for fibre, the amount of aid granted to the growers concerned should be comparable to that for competitor crops. To that end, and with a view to () O] C 56 E, 29.2.2000, p. 17. (¥ Opinion delivered on 6 July 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] C 140, 18.5.2000, p. 3. (*) Opinion delivered on 14 June 2000 (not yet published in the Offi- cial Journal). () OJ L 146, 4.7.1970, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2702/1999 (O] L 327, 14.12.1999, p. 7). (9 O] L 160, 26.6.1999, simplifying the applicable legislation, these crops should be included in the support system for producers of certain arable crops established by Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 (¥). Moreover, where there is a need to ensure continued production, Council Regulation (EC) No 1673/2000 of 27 July 2000 on the common organ- isation of the market in flax and hemp grown for fibre () provides for aid for processing flax and hemp straw. Aid for processing should lead to an increase in the purchase price of flax and hemp straw and make production more profitable for producers. (5)  To ensure a smooth transition to the level of support granted for cereals and to solve the current problems caused by the existence of different aid schemes for fibre flax and seed flax, the payments for flax and hemp grown for fibre should be the same as those granted for linseed, which must themselves be aligned with those for cereals by the 2002/2003 marketing year. Additional aid in Finland and Sweden, as envisaged for competing crops in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 12511999, is also justified in the case of flax and hemp. (6)  To take account of the recent establishment of flax and hemp production in particular near processing plants, eligibility for the scheme laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 should be extended to cover the areas and crops in question. (7)  To avert the danger that the aims of Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 might be circumvented, the granting of the per-hectare aid for flax and hemp grown for fibre should be made subject to certain conditions as regards cultiva- tion. (8)  Specific measures should be laid down for hemp, to ensure that illegal crops cannot be hidden among the crops eligible for area payments, thereby disturbing the common market organisation for hemp. Provision must therefore be made for area payments to be granted only for areas sown to varieties of hemp offering certain guarantees with regard to the psychotropic substance content. p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EQ) No 2704/1999 (O] L 327, 21.12.1999, p. 12). () See page 16 of this Official Journal.