L 85/8 Official Journal of the European Union 2.4.2003 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 597/2003 of 1 April 2003 opening public sales of wine alcohol for use as bioethanol in the European Community THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (5)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001 (3), Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 of 25 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine with regard to market mechanisms (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1795/2002 (*), and in particular Article 92 thereof, Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 16232000 lays down, inter alia, the detailed rules for disposing of stocks of alcohol obtained from distillation under Articles 27, 28 and 30 of Regula- tion (EC) No 1493/1999 and held by the intervention agencies. (2)  Public sales of wine alcohol for use in the fuel sector in the Community should be organised with a view to reducing Community stocks of wine alcohol and to some extent ensuring supplies to firms approved under Article 92 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000. Commu- nity stocks of wine alcohol held by the Member States come from distillation under Articles 35, 36 and 39 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 of 16 March 1987 on the common organisation of the market in wine (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1677/1999 (°), and under Articles 27, 28 and 30 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. (3)  In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2799/98 of 15 December 1998 establishing agrimonetary arrangements for the euro (’), the selling price and secu- rities must be expressed, and payments made, in euro. (4)  Given that there are risks of fraud by substitution of alcohol, it would appear necessary to reinforce checks on the final destination of the alcohol, allowing the intervention agencies to call on the help of international control agencies and to check the alcohol sold by means of nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. 1 () OJL 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. () OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10. () OJ L 194, 31.7.2000, p. 45. () OJ L 272,10.10.2002, p. 15. () OJ L 84, 27.3.1987, p. 1. (9 OJ L 199, 30.7.1999, p. 8. () OJ L 349, 24.12.1998, p. 1. accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Atrticle 1 Four lots of alcohol (references 18/2003 EC, 19/2003 EC, 20/ 2003 EC and 21/2003 EC) comprising 50 000 hectolitres, 90 000 hectolitres, 100 000 hectolitres and 10 000 hectolitres respectively at 100 % vol. are hereby put up for public sale for use in the fuel sector within the Community. The alcohol has been obtained from distillation as provided for in Article 35 of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 and Articles 27 and 30 of Regula- tion (EC) No 1493/1999 and is held by the Spanish and Italian intervention agencies. Atticle 2 The location and references of the vats making up the lots, the quantity of alcohol in each vat, the alcoholic strength and the characteristics of the alcohol are as set out in the Annex hereto. The lots shall be awarded to the four firms approved under Article 92 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000. Atticle 3 All communications concerning this public sale shall be sent to the following Commission department: Commission of the European Communities Directorate-General for Agriculture, Unit D-4 Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200 B-1049 Brussels Fax: (32-2) 295 92 52 E-mail address: agri-d4@cec.eu.int Atrticle 4 The public sales shall take place in accordance with Articles 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 100 and 101 of Regulation (EC) No 1623/ 2000 and Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2799/98.