22.12.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 341/3 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2529/2001 of 19 December 2001 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 36 and 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas: (1) The provisions concerning the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat have been estab- lished in a number of regulations. For reasons of clarity these regulations should be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation. Council Regulations (EEC) No 2644/80 of 14 October 1980 laying down general rules for inter- vention with regard to the sheepmeat and goatmeat sector (¥, (EEC) No 3901/89 of 12 December 1989 defining lambs fattened as heavy carcasses (°), (EEC) No 1323/90 of 14 May 1990 instituting specific aid for sheep and goat farming in certain less-favoured areas of the Community (%), (EEC) No 3493/90 of 27 November 1990 laying down general rules for the granting of premiums to sheepmeat and goatmeat producers (7), (EEC) No 338/91 of 5 February 1991 determining the Community standard quality of fresh or chilled sheep carcasses (*) and Council Regulation (EC) No 2467/98 of 3 November 1998 on the common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat (°) are replaced by new arrangements in this Regulation and should there- fore be repealed. (2) A common organisation of the agricultural markets may take various forms depending on the product. (3)  In order to attain the objectives set out in Article 33 of the Treaty, in particular market stability and a fair standard of living for the agricultural community () O] C 213 E 31.7.2001, p. 275. (¥ Opinion delivered on 25 October 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (*) Opinion delivered on 17 October 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] L 275, 18.10.1980, p. 8. () OJ L 375, 23.12.1989, p. 4. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1266/95 (OJ L 123, 3.6.1995, p. 3). (®) OJ L 132, 23.5.1990, p. 17. Regulation as last amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 193/98 (O L 20, 27.1.1998, p. 18). () O] L 337, 4.12.1990, p. 7. Regulation as last amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 2825/2000 (O] L 328, 23.12.2000, p. 1). (®) OJ L 41, 14.2.1991, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2536/97 (L 347, 18.12.1997, p. 6). () OJ L 312, 20.11.1998, p.1. Regulation amended by Regulation (EC) No 1669/2000 (O] L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 8). concerned, it is necessary to provide for certain arrange- ments facilitating adjustment of supply to market requirements. Provision should be made for internal market measures comprising, in particular, a premium to sheepmeat and goatmeat producers and a private storage scheme. () The amount of the premium to be granted to producers must take account of the different specialisations of production systems in the Community. The premium for she-goats should be granted to producers in specific areas where goat rearing is mainly directed towards the production of goatmeat and goat and sheep rearing techniques are similar in nature. (5)  Provision should also be made for the payment of a supplementary premium to producers in areas where sheep and goat production constitutes a traditional activity or contributes significantly to the rural economy. The granting of the supplementary premium should be limited to producers whose holdings have at least 50 % of their area used for agriculture situated in less-favoured areas, as defined pursuant to Council Regu- lation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 27 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and appealing certain regulations (7). (6) It is opportune for administrative purposes that the earliest date for the payment of the premiums should coincide with the beginning of the budgetary year. In order to achieve the desired economic impact, premiums must be granted within certain time limits. (7) It is necessary to provide for the possibility to change the amounts of the premiums in the light of develop- ments in production, productivity and the markets. (8)  In order to avoid encouraging production and increased expenditure it is appropriate to maintain individual ceil- ings for producers. The total number of premium rights of each Member State should be fixed on the basis of levels already established. (%) O] L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80.