9.1.97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 5/17 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 18/97 of 8 January 1997 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 laying down detailed rules for the application of premium schemes in the beef and veal sector THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2222/96 (3, and in particular Articles 4i (5) and 25 thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92, of 23 December 1992, laying down detailed rules for the application of the premium schemes provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 on the common organisation of the market in beef and repealing Regula- tions (EEC) No 1244/82 and (EEC) No 714/89 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) 2311/96 (%), lays down certain rules of application for the early marketing premium for veal calves; whereas in order to ensure an efficient management of the scheme it is necessary to clarify certain provisions, in particular regarding the presentation of the carcase and the notification to the Commission of relevant information; Whereas in order to avoid speculative movements of animals the retention period fixed in Article 50 (4) (a) of Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 should be extended; Whereas Article 4i (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 allows, under certain conditions, for the use of other statistics than those published by Eurostat as references for determining the maximum carcase weight for eligible veal calves; whereas Germany has presented alternative figures for veal production in 1995; whereas, after verifica- tion of those statistics, the Commission can agree to them being used for the calculation of the maximum weight; whereas, consequently, the weight for Germany indicated in Annex IV to Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 should be altered; Whereas Article 53 (a) of Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 provides that the conversion rate to apply on the proces- sing premium and the early marketing premium shall be the agricultural rate valid on 1 January of the calendar year of slaughter;, whereas in the light of the market- oriented nature of the premjums the conversion rates () OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 24. @) OJ No L 296, 21. 11. 1996, p. S0. () OJ No L 391, 31. 12. 1992, p. 20. () OJ No L 313, 3. 12. 1996, p. 9. should more closely reflect the actual economic circum- stances; whereas, therefore, the agricultural rate shall be the one applicable on the first day of the month preced- ing the month of slaughter; Whereas in the light of the late publication of the Community’s implementing rules and in order to provide equal access to the scheme certain transitional measures should be adopted with regard to the deadline by which applications for premiums should be submitted; Whereas the provisions of this Regulation are in accord- ance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Beef and Veal, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Regulation (EEC) No 3886/92 is hereby amended as follows: 1. Article 50 (2) shall be replaced by the following: ‘2. The carcase weight of each animal shall be estab- lished following the carcase specification used for the establishment of the statistical production of veal in 1995 as communicated to the Statistical Office of the Commission, where appropriate after application of uniform national coefficients used in 1995 for the purpose of taking into account a different presentation of the carcase when weighed warm at the weighing scale of the slaughter premises.’ 2. In Article 50 (4) (a) the figure of ‘60’ shall be replaced by ‘90’ 3. In Article 50 (4) (b) the words ‘or part thereof shall be deleted. 4. The following sentence shall be added to the first subparagraph of Article 50a (1): ‘However, applications for animals slaughtered before 25 December 1996 may be submitted until 15 January 1997 inclusive. 5. The third indent of Article 50a (2) shall be deleted. 6. In the second subparagraph of Article 50b (3) the word ‘daily’ shall be deleted.