27. 6. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 169/15 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1169/97 of 26 June 1997 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 of 28 October 1996 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits ('), and in particular Article 2 (2), Article 3 (4) and Articles 6 and 8 thereof, Whereas Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introduces an aid scheme for producer organizations which deliver for processing certain citrus fruits harvested in the Com- munity and listed in Article 1 thereof; Whereas the marketing years for citrus fruit should be defined with a view to ensuring that the scheme is applied uniformly; Whereas, with a view to improving the way the scheme operates, the authorities should know of all producer organizations marketing the citrus production of their members, of members of other producer organizations and of individual producers which wish to qualify under the scheme; whereas processors who sign contracts with such producer organizations should also send the author- ities the information necessary to ensure that the scheme operates properly; Whereas the aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits is based on contracts between producer organiza- tions granted recognition or preliminary recognition pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organization of the market in fruit and vegetables(?) and processors; whereas producer organizations can also act as processors in certain cases; whereas the type and duration of contracts and the particulars to be included in them should be specified with a view to the application of the aid scheme; Whereas contracts for each product listed in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 must be concluded by a given date so that the producer organizations can plan and processors can be assured of regular supplies; whereas the parties to such contracts should nevertheless be au- () OJ No L 297, 21. 11. 1996, p. 49. () O] No L 297, 21. 11. 1996, p. 1. thorized to change, by amendments to the contracts and subject to a ceiling, the quantities originally stipulated therein so that the scheme is as effective as possible; Whereas there is a close link between the raw materials delivered for processing and the finished product obtained; whereas the raw materials should accordingly at least meet certain minimum requirements; Whereas applications for aid or for advances on the aid for all products should include all the particulars needed for checking eligibility; Whereas, with a view to ensuring that the aid scheme is properly applied, producer organizations and processors must forward the requisite information and must keep updated documentation suitable for the purposes of all inspections and controls deemed necessary; Whereas the administation of the aid scheme makes it necessary for procedures to be laid down for physical and documentary checking of delivery and processing opera- tions, for the checks to be required to cover a sufficiently representative number of applications for aid and advances and for certain penalties to be laid down for producer organizations and processors in the event of breaches of the regulations, in particular for false declara- tions and failure to process products delivered; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are to replace those laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 3338/93 of 3 December 1993 laying down detailes rules for the application of Council Regulations (EC) No 3119/93 and (EEC) No 1035/77 as regards measures to encourage the processing of certain citrus fruits and the marketing of products processed from lemons (*), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2251/96 (%), whereas that Regulation should accordingly be repealed; Whereas exceptional transitional measures should be taken for lemons and oranges delivered to processors at the beginning of the 1997/98 marketing year to facilitate a smooth switchover from the former system to the new scheme; () OJ No L 299, 4. 12. 1993, p. 26. () OJ No L 302, 26. 11. 1996, p. 17.