17.10.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L2731 (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is obligatory) REGULATIONS COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1182/2007 of 26 September 2007 laying down specific rules as regards the fruit and vegetable sector, amending Directives 2001/112/EC and 2001/113/EC and Regulations (EEC) No 827/68, (EC) No 2200/96, (EC) No 2201/96, (EC) No 2826/ 2000, (EC) No 1782/2003 and (EC) No 318/2006 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, 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 European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions, Whereas: 1 The current regime for the fruit and vegetables sector is laid down in Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (2), Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the markets in processed fruit and vegetable products (}) and Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 of 28 October 1996 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits (%). In the light of experience it is necessary to change the regime for the fruit and vegetables sector in order to achieve the following objectives: improving the competi- tiveness and market orientation of the sector so as to 0J C 175, 27.7.2007, p. 53. O] L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 47/2003 (OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 64). OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29. Regulation as last amended by the Act of Accession of 2005. OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 49. Regulation as last amended by the Act of Accession of 2003. contribute to achieving sustainable production that is competitive both on internal and external markets; reducing fluctuations in producers’ income resulting from crises on the market; increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the Community; and continuing the efforts made by the sector to maintain and protect the environment. Since those objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States due to the common nature of the market in fruit and vegetables and can therefore, by reason of the need for further common action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives. The Commission has submitted a separate proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets which could initially incorporate certain provisions of a horizontal nature covering the fruit and vegetables sector and applying to a range of other agricultural products, in particular provisions on a manage- ment committee. It is appropriate to leave such provisions in Regulations (EC) No 2200/96 and (EC) No 2201/96. Those provisions should however be updated, simplified and streamlined so as to allow for their easy incorporation into the Regulation establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets. As regards other provisions specific to the fruit and vegetables sector, the scope of the changes to the current regime make it necessary, in the interests of clarity, to incorporate all such provisions into a separate Regulation. Where such provisions are to some extent also of a horizontal nature and apply to a range of other agricultural