5.10.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 250/23 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2110/2000 of 4 October 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 1162/95 laying down special detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences for cereals and rice THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 176692 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in cereals ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1666/ 2000 (3, and in particular Article 13(11) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 of 22 December 1995 on the common organisation of the market in rice (}), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1667/2000 (¥, and in particular Articles 9(2) and 13(15) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 7(3) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1162/ 95 (°), last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1432/ 1999 (%), lays down the conditions under which export licences for products in the cereals and rice sectors are to be issued. The Commission may, within three working days following the submission of licence applications, decide not to grant applications. Such a measure may in some cases disrupt the continuity of supplies of products in respect of which regular supplies are necessary. To remedy that situation, operators so requesting should be given the opportunity to obtain an export licence without refund. However, special condi- tions of use must be attached to such licences. (2)  Article 13(7) of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 and Article 13(11) of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 stipulate that the provisions of those Articles relating to refunds may be waived in respect of products eligible for refunds as part of food aid operations. The rate of the refund applicable to national supplies eligible for export refunds as part of food aid operations should therefore be deter- mined. (3)  Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1162/95 lays down the method for calculating the refund for the products referred to in Article 1(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92. Paragraph 2 of that Article lays down a different calculation method where the term of validity of the export licence extends beyond the end of the marketing year. The two paragraphs lay down reference 181, 1.7.1992, p. 21. 193, 29.7.2000, p. 1. 329, 30.12.1995, p. 18. 193, 29.7.2000, p. 3. 117, 24.5.1995, p. 2. 166, 1.7.1999, p. 56. periods for maize and grain sorghum which are different from those for other cereals. Article 12(4) and (5) provide for a similar system for rice. (4 Since the adoption of the Regulation, it has been found that those provisions could be applied in different ways by the Member States and this could result in distortion of competition between operators. The provisions must therefore be clarified so that they can be applied uniformly throughout the Community. (5)  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 Regulation (EC) No 1162/95 is amended as follows: 1. in Article 7, the following paragraph is added: ‘3a.  Without prejudice to Article 16 of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92, at the request of operators, export licences without refund shall be issued on the day of submission of applications, except where an export duty is applicable to the product in question on the day of submission. Where, at the time of export, an export duty has been fixed for the product covered by licences issued pursuant to the first subparagraph, that duty shall apply. Such export licences shall be valid for 30 days from the day of issue. One of the following wordings shall be entered in Section 22 of the licence: — Limitacion establecida en el apartado 3 bis del articulo 7 del Reglamento (CE) n° 116295 — Begransning, jf. artikel 7, stk. 3a, i forordning (EF) nr. 1162/95 — Kiirzung der Giiltigkeitsdauer nach Artikel 7 Absatz 3a, der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1162/95 — Tlepropiopdg mou mpoPAénetar oo dapdpo 7 mapaypagog 3a Tou kavoviopoy (EK) apw). 1162/95 — Limitation provided for in Article 7(3a) of Regulation (EC) No 1162/95