21. 5. 98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 151/19 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1054/98 of 20 May 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/94 laying down special detailed rules for the application of the system of advance-fixing certificates for certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty, and Regulation (EC) No 1222/94 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of granting export refunds on certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty, and the criteria for fixing the amount of such refunds THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3448/93 of 6 December 1993 laying down the trade arrangements applicable to certain goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products ('), and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 8(3) and Article 20 thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 1222/94 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1909/97 (%), stipu- lates that for eggs exported in any form other than oval- bumin, the rate of the refund cannot be fixed in advance; whereas, for exports of eggs in the natural state, the granting of a refund is now subject to obtaining an export licence comprising advance fixing of the refund; whereas, therefore, advance fixing of refunds for eggs incorporated into goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty should also be allowed for a period identical to that applicable to these products when exported in the natural state; Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 1223/94 of 30 May 1994 laying down special detailed rules for the ap- plication of the system of advance-fixing certificates for certain agricultural products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2340/96 (%), stipulates that, during the period of reflection referred to in Article 3(3), a number of special measures, listed in the second subparagraph, may be adopted; whereas it is necessary to provide a single measure, namely the rejection of applica- tions; whereas, in the absence of such a measure, which may be applied at the latest on the first day on which the certificates can be issued, the latter should be issued for the quantity and rate of refund requested; Whereas, in order to improve the management of accept- ance or rejection of advance-fixing certificates, the days () OJ L 318, 20. 12. 1993, p. 18. () OJ L 136, 31. 5. 1994, p. 5. () OJ L 268, 1. 10. 1997, p. 20. () OJ L 136, 31. 5. 1994, p. 33. () OJ L 318, 7. 12. 1996, p. 9. on which Member States inform the Commission of applications for certificates should be changed; whereas the time taken to issue certificates should be shortened whenever possible, while still carrying out the checks needed to ensure proper management; Whereas the current situation regarding exports of milk products in the form of goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty calls for very close monitoring of the advance fixing of refunds; whereas the present validity period of certificates for milk products exported in the form of goods not covered by Annex II to the Treaty is three months following the month of application for butter, and six months following the month of application for milk powder; whereas the validity period of certificates for milk products exported in the natural state is four months following the month of application; whereas a longer va- lidity period creates increased uncertainty regarding the amounts committed in respect of refunds which have not been paid, and complicates budgetary monitoring; whereas the validity period of certificates for all milk products exported in the form of goods should accordingly be reduced to a period identical to that ap- plicable to milk products exported in the natural state; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee on horizontal questions concerning trade in processed agricultural products not listed in Annex II, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 In Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1222/94, the first subparagraph is hereby replaced by the following: ‘However, a system of fixing the rate of the refund in advance shall be applicable for basic products.’