L 29810 Official Journal of the European Union 27.10.2006 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1599/2006 of 26 October 2006 fixing the export refunds on milk and milk products THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products ('), and in particular Article 31(3) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 31(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 provides that the difference between prices on the world market for the products listed in Article 1 of that Regulation and prices for those products on the Community market may be covered by an export refund. (2)  Given the present situation on the market in milk and milk products, export refunds should therefore be fixed in accordance with the rules and certain criteria provided for in Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999. (3)  The second subparagraph of Article 31(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 provides that the world market situation or the specific requirements of certain markets may make it necessary to vary the refund according to destination. (4)  In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Community and the Dominican Republic on import protection for milk powder in the Dominican Republic (%) approved by Council Decision 98/486/EC (}), a certain amount of Community milk products exported to the Dominican Republic can benefit from reduced customs duties. For this reason, export refunds granted to products exported under this scheme should be reduced by a certain percentage. (5)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Export refunds as provided for in Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 shall be granted on the products and for the amounts set out in the Annex to this Regulation subject to the conditions provided for in Article 1(4) of Commission Regu- lation (EC) No 174/1999 (*. Atrticle 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on 27 October 2006. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 26 October 2006. () OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 1913/2005 (O] L 307, 25.11.2005, p. 2). For the Commission Jean-Luc DEMARTY Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development J L 218, 6.8.1998, p. 46. () O] L 218, 6.8.1998, p. 45. L 20, 27.1.1999, p. 8.