18. 12. 96 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 327/27 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2404/96 of 17 December 1996 amending Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 laying down detailed rules for increasing the consumption and utilization of apples and the consumption of citrus fruit THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1195/90 of 7 May 1990 on measures to increase the consumption and utilization of apples('), and in particular Article 5 thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1201/90 of 7 May 1990 on measures to increase the consumption of citrus fruit (3), and in particular Article 4 thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1907/94 (%), lays down detailed rules for increasing the consumption and utilization of apples and the consumption of citrus fruit; Whereas, in view of the experience gained and to ensure that the measures are based on the most recent data, the period between the final date for the submission of aid applications and the start of the promotional campaign should be reduced; whereas Article § of Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 should be amended to this end; Whereas the conditions governing the signing of contracts and payments referred to in Article 7 and 8 respectively of Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 should be adjusted so that they correspond to the conditions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 3582/93 (%), as amendend by Regulation (EC) No 2134/96 (%), as regards promoting the consumption of milk in the Community and in Regulation (EC) No 1318/93 (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 715/96 (%), on the promotion of quality beef; - Whereas, for reasons of sound financial management, provision should be made for an independent assessment of the programmed operations in addition to the internal assessment already provided for in the third indent of () OJ No L 119, 11. 5. 1990, p. 53. () OJ No L 119, 11. 5. 1990, p. 65. () O] No L 205, 3. 8. 1990, p. 8. () O No L 194, 29. 7. 1994, p. 29. () OF No L 326, 28. 12. 1993, p. 23. () O] No L 285, 7. 11. 1996, p. 15. () OJ No L 132, 29. 5. 1993, p. 83. () O] No L 99, 20. 4. 1996, p. 13. Article 8 (4) of Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90; whereas the detailed rules for its implementation and funding should also be laid down; Whereas point 6 of Annex II to Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 stipulates that the cost of the programme is to be expressed in national currency; whereas, with a view to bringing the Regulation into line with the other Regula- tions on promotion, it is also necessary to specify that the cost of the programme and its budget are to be expressed in ecus; Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 2280/90 should be amended accordingly; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fruit and Vegetables, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Regulation (EEC) No 2282/90 is hereby amended as follows: 1. In Article 5 the dates ‘31 August’, ‘30 September’ and ‘31 October’ are replaced by ‘31 October, ‘30 November’ and ‘31 December’ respectively. 2. The words ‘with all due speed’ in the first paragraph of Article 6 are replaced by ‘before 15 July of the year following their submission.’ 3. Article 7 is replaced by the following: Article 7 1. Each interested party shall be informed without delay by the contracting competent body of the outcome of its application. 2. The contracting competent bodies shall conclude contracts for the selected measures with the interested parties within two months following notification of the list. The bodies shall use for this purpose the standard contracts provided to them by the Commission. The contracts shall contain the applicable general terms and conditions which the contracting party must acknowledge and accept.