19.12.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 345/27 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2755/98 of 18 December 1998 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of the specific arrangements for the supply of sheepmeat and goatmeat to the French overseas departments for 1999 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3763/91 of 16 December 1991 introducing specific measures in respect of certain agricultural products for the benefit of the French overseas departments ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2598/95 (%), and in particular Article 4(5) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3813/92 of 28 December 1992 on the unit of account and the conversion rates to be applied for the purposes of the common agricultural policy (°), as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 150/95 (%), and in particular Article 12 thereof, Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 3763/91, the number of pure-bred breeding sheep and goats originating in the Community and qualifying for aid with a view to developing production potential in the French overseas departments should be determined for each annual period of application; Whereas the aid referred to above for the supply of pure- bred breeding sheep and goats originating in the rest of the Community to the French overseas departments should be fixed; whereas that aid must be fixed in the light, in particular, of the costs of supply from the Community market and the conditions resulting from the geographical situation of the French overseas depart- ments; Whereas special needs may arise during the course of different marketing years for the supply to the French overseas departments of pure-bred breeding sheep and goats; whereas, therefore, the French authorities should be granted a degree of flexibility in administering the supply arrangements, in that they should be allowed to issue aid certificates for animals intended for certain overseas departments in excess of the maximum quantities avail- able to those departments, provided that the maximum quantities available to the four departments of both male and female animals are respected; whereas, so as to take account of those special needs, the French authorities () OJ L 356, 24. 12. 1991, p. 1. () OJ L 267, 9. 11. 1995, p. 1. () OJ L 387, 31. 12. 1992, p. 1. () OJ L 22, 31. 1. 1995, p. 1. should notify the Commission of the cases where that facility was used for the issue of certificates; Whereas common detailed rules for the application of the arrangements for the supply of certain agricultural prod- ucts to the French overseas departments are laid down in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 131/92(), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1736/96 (°); whereas additional detailed rules should be laid down in line with current commercial practice in the sheepmeat and goat- meat sector, in particular as regards the term of validity of aid certificates and the securities ensuring operators’ compliance with their obligations; Whereas, with a view to sound administration of the supply arrangements, a timetable should be laid down for the lodging of certificate applications and for a period of reflection for their issue; Whereas, with a view to bringing the administration of the aid more closely into line with the requirements of the French overseas departments, the aid and the quant- ities to which the latter may apply should be fixed annually per calendar year; Whereas Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1103/ 97 of 17 June 1997 on certain provisions relating to the introduction of the euro(’) provides that as from 1 January 1999, all references to the ecu in legal instru- ments are to be replaced by references to the euro at the rate of EUR 1 to ECU 1; whereas, for the sake of clarity, the denomination ‘euro’ should be used in this Regula- tion since it is to apply from 1 January 1999; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Sheep and Goats, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The aid provided for in Article 4(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 3763/91 for the supply to the French overseas depart- ments of pure-bred breeding sheep and goats originating in the Community and the number of animals in respect of which that aid is granted shall be as fixed in the Annex hereto. () OJ L 15, 22. 1. 1992, p. 13. (9 OJ L 225, 6. 9. 1996, p. 3. () OJ L 162, 19. 6. 1997, p. 1.