No L.90/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 1.4.84 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 856/84 of 31 March 1984 amending Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 on the common organization of the market in milk and milk products THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlhiament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (°), Whereas the market in milk products in the Community is suffering from structural surpluses as a result of an imbalance between supply and demand for the products covered by Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1600/83 (®); Whereas, to correct this imbalance, Regulation (EEC) No 1079/77 (*), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 861/84 (), introduced a uniform co- responsibility levy on all milk delivered to dairies and on certain dairy products sold direct from the farm; Whereas, despite application of this co-responsibility levy, quantities of milk delivered are increasing at a rate such that disposal of surpluses is imposing financial burdens and market difficulties which are jeopardizing the very future of the common agri- cultural policy; Whereas a careful examination of the different possible ways of re-establishing balance in the milk sector shows that, despite the administrative difficulties which its implementation may involve, the most effective method, and the one having the least (*) OJ No C 314, 19. 11. 1983, p. 5. (*) Opinion delivered on 15 March 1984 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (*) Opinion delivered on 29 February 1984 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 13. ) OJ No L 163, 22. 6. 1983, p. 56. (*) OJ No L 131, 26. 5. 1977, p. 6. (") See page 21 of this Official Journal. drastic effect on the incomes of producers, is the introduction for an initial period of five years of an additional levy on quantities of milk delivered beyond a guarantee threshold; Whereas the sum of the reference quantities must not exceed a guaranteed total quantity laid down for the Community as a whole; whereas, in the light of the level of internal consumption and current export possibilities, this guaranteed total quantity should be fixed at 97,2 million tonnes of milk or milk equivalent, corresponding to the guarantee threshold laid down by the Council in 1983; whereas this quantity should be distributed among the Member States on the basis of deliveries on their territory during the 1981 calendar year, in order to ensure proper management and control of the system; Whereas, in order to allow for transition to the new system, the guaranteed total quantity should be increased to 98,2 million tonnes for the first year of application of the additional levy; Whereas, when that guaranteed total quantity is incorporated, account must also be taken of the structural characteristics of certain States; Whereas in Ireland the dairy industry contributes directly or indirectly to about 9% of the gross national product, a proportion materially higher than the Community average; whereas the development of alternative agricultural production in place of dairy production would in Ireland encounter obstacles which would be difficult to overcome; whereas in these circumstances the guaranteed quantity for Ireland should be fixed by reference to 1983 deliveries; Whereas in Italy in 1981 the .collection of milk production was the lowest of the last ten years; whereas the average yield per cow in Italy is lower than the Community average; whereas the apparent increase in deliveries between 1981 and 1983 corresponds in large part to a structural change consisting of a reduction in direct deliveries offset by an increase in deliveries to dairies; whereas, accordingly, reference should be made to the quantity deivered in 1983 for Italy as well; Whereas moreover, in order to allow for the special situation of Member States in  which the