19.7.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 181/7 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1290/2003 of 18 July 2003 on a standing invitation to tender to determine levies and/or refunds on exports of white sugar for the 2003/04 marketing year THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 of 19 June 2001 on the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector (), as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 680/2002 (3, and in particular Article 22(2), Article 27(5) and (15) and Article 33(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) In view of the situation on the Community and world sugar markets, a standing invitation to tender should be issued as soon as possible for the export of white sugar in respect of the 2003/04 marketing year which, having regard to possible fluctuations in world prices for sugar, must provide for the determination of export levies and| or export refunds. (2)  The general rules governing invitations to tender for the purpose of determining export refunds for sugar estab- lished by Article 28 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 should be applied. (3)  In view of the specific nature of the operation, appro- priate provisions should be laid down with regard to export licences issued in connection with the standing invitation to tender and there should be a derogation from Commission Regulation (EC) No 1464/95 of 27 June 1995 on special detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences in the sugar sector (*), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1159/ 2003 (). However, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (°), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 325/2003 (), and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 120/89 of 19 January 1989 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the export levies and charges on agricultural products (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2194/96 (%), must continue to apply. (4)  The Management Committee for Sugar has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman, 1 () OJ L 178, 30.6.2001, p. 1. () OJ L 104, 20.4.2002, p. 26. () OJ L 144, 28.6.1995, p. 14. () OJL162,1.7.2003, p. 25. () OJ L 152, 24.6.2000, p. 1. ) o] () O] () O] 3 4 % OJ L 47, 21.2.2003, p. 21. L 16, 20.1.1989, p. 19. L 293, 16.11.1996, p. 3. 8 HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Atrticle 1 1. A standing invitation to tender shall be issued in order to determine export levies and/or export refunds on white sugar covered by CN code 1701 99 10 for all destinations excluding Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Monte- negro () and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. During the period of validity of this standing invitation, partial invitations to tender shall be issued. 2. The standing invitation to tender shall be open until 29 July 2004. Atticle 2 The standing invitation to tender and the partial invitations shall be conducted in accordance with Article 28 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 and with this Regulation. Atticle 3 1. The Member States shall establish a notice of invitation to tender. The notice of invitation to tender shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member States may also publish the notice, or have it published, elsewhere. 2. The notice shall indicate, in particular, the terms of the invitation to tender. 3. The notice may be amended during the period of validity of the standing invitation to tender. It shall be so amended if the terms of the invitation to tender are modified during that period. Atrticle 4 1. The period during which tenders may be submitted in response to the first partial invitation to tender: (a) shall begin on 25 July 2003; (b) shall end on Thursday 31 July 2003 at 10.00, Brussels local time. () Including Kosovo as defined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999.