25.6.76 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 166/39 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1432/76 of 21 June 1976 laying down general rules to be applied in the event of the market in rice being disturbed . THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1418/ 76 of 21 June 1976 on the common organization of ‘the market in rice (!), and in particular Article 21 (2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas Article 21 of Regulation (EEC) No 1418/76 provides that the necessary measures may be taken when quotations or prices on the world market for one or more of the products listed in Article 1 (1) (a) and (b) of that Regulation reach the level of Community prices; whereas, in order to prevent such a situation from persisting and worsening, and the Community market from being thereby disturbed or threatened with disturbance, the circumstances. in which that situation could arise should be specified and general rules for the application of the provisions referred to above should be laid down; Whereas it is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of rice; whereas, to that end, levies could be charged on exports and the issue of export licences totally or partially suspended; Whereas it is also necessary to establish criteria for calculating the export levy in the light of the economic situation; whereas, consequently, in order to pursue an export policy which will be adequate in this situation and which will meet market require- ments, it is necessary that the levy should be subject solely to the criteria governing export arrangements; ) See page 1 of this Official Journal. Whereas Community obligations to supply food aid are such that exports of products for that purpose should be excluded from this Regulation, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. For the purposes of Article 21 of Regulation (EEC) No 1418/76, quotations or prices on the world market shall be regarded as having reached the level of Community prices when they approach or exceed the threshold price. 2. The situation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be regarded as likely to persist and worsen where there is an imbalance between supply and demand and where that imbalance is likely to continue in view of foreseeable production and market price trends. ' 3. The Community market shall be regarded as being disturbed or threatened with disturbance, as a result of the situation referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, where international trade prices are so high as to impede importation of products listed in Article 1 (1) (a) and (b) of Regulation (EEC) No 1418/76 into the Community, so as to jeopardize the stability of the market or the security of supplies. Article 2 1. Where the conditions specified in Article 21 of Regulation (EEC) No 1418/76 are met, in accordance with the criteria laid down in Article 1, the following measures may be taken: — application of an export levy; in addition, a special export levy may be determined by a tendering procedure in respect of a fixed quantity;