No L 327/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 12. 96 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2402/96 of 17 December 1996 opening and setting administrative rules for certain annual tariff quotas for sweet potatoes and manioc starch THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1095/96 of 18 June 1996, on implementation of the concessions set out in Schedule CXL drawn up in the wake of the conclusion of the GATT XXIV.6 negotations ('), and in particular Article 1 (1) thereof, Having regard to Council Decision 96/317/EC of 13 May 1996 concerning the conclusion of the results of consulta- tions with Thailand under GATT Article XXIII (), Whereas Decision 96/317/EC of 13 May 1996 adjusted the import arrangements for manioc starch of CN code 1108 14 00 laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 of 19 December 1995 opening and providing for the administration of certain import quotas for sweet potatoes and manioc starch intended for certain uses for 1996 (), whereas that Regulation was accordingly amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1031/96 (%; Whereas the Community undertook in the World Trade Organization multilateral trade negotiations to open two annual nil duty tariff quotas for products of CN code 0714 20 90 in favour of the People’s Republic of China and other countries respectively, and two tariff quotas for manioc starch of CN code 1108 14 00 for certain uses; Whereas action should be taken to open for 1997 and subsequent years the annual tariff quotas in question for sweet potatoes and manioc starch and to set appropriate administrative rules; whereas the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 as amended following Deci- sion 96/317/EC should be taken over; Whereas to ensure that the quotas are well managed and in particular that the quantities set for each year are not exceeded specific rules on the lodging of applications and issuing of licences must be adopted; whereas these either supplement or waive the provisions of Commission Regu- ) OJ No L 146, 20. 6. 1996, p. 1. %) O] No L 122, 22. 5. 199, p. 1. ) O] No L 314, 28. 12. 1995, p. 29. 4 O] No L 137, 8. 6. 1996, p. 4. lation (EEC) No 3719/88 (%), as last amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 2350/96 (%; Whereas it is necessary to differentiate sweet potatoes for human consumption and those for other uses; whereas the presentation and packaging of sweet potatoes of CN code 07142010 for human consumption should be specified and products not meeting that presentation and packaging specification should be held to fall within CN code 0714 20 90; Whereas the management and surveillance rules contained in Regulation (EC) No 3015/95 for imports between 1 January and 31 December 1996 should be retained, notably the requirement that an export docu- ment issued by the Chinese authorities or under their responsibility be presented for goods originating in China; Whereas for manioc starch account must be taken of the Community’s new commitment by Decision 96/317/EC to open an additional autonomous annual quota of 10 500 tonnes of which 10000 tonnes is reserved for the Kingdom of Thailand; whereas under the terms agreed with Thailand the end-use requirements previously imposed on manioc starch quotas are waived; whereas it should be required that manioc starch imported from Thailand against its reserved quantity be accompanied by an export certificate issued by the competent Thai author- ity; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The following are opened from 1 January 1997: (1) a nil duty annual tariff quota for importation into the Community of 5000 tonnes of sweet potatoes not for human consumption of CN code 0714 20 90 origin- ating in third countries other than the People’s Re- public of China; () OJ No L 331, 2. 12. 1988, p. 1. () OJ No L 320, 11. 12. 1996, p. 4.