L 122/8 Official Journal of the European Union 9.5.2006 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 704/2006 of 8 May 2006 opening and providing for the administration of a tariff quota for frozen meat of bovine animals covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 02062991 (1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal (1), and in particular Article 32(1) thereof, Whereas: The WTO schedule CXL requires the Community to open an annual import quota of 53 000 tonnes of frozen beef covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 02062991 (order number 09.4003). Imple- menting rules should be laid down for the quota year 2006/2007 starting on 1 July 2006. The 2005/2006 quota was managed in conformity with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) No 715/2005 of 12 May 2005 opening and providing for the administration of a tariff quota for frozen meat of bovine animals covered by CN code 0202 and products covered by CN code 0206 29 91 (1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006) (?). That Regulation introduced a method of administration based on an import performance criterion ensuring that the quota is allocated to professional operators able to import beef without undue speculation. The experience obtained from the application of that method shows that there are positive results and therefore it is appropriate to maintain the same method of administration for the quota period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. In view of the forthcoming entry into force of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, without prejudice to Article 39 of that Treaty, and in order to enable operators of those countries to () OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 1913/2005 (O] L 307, 25.11.2005, p. 2). () O] L 121, 13.5.2005, p. 48. benefit from this quota as of the date of their accession, the quota period should be divided into two sub-periods and the quantity available under this quota should be staggered over these periods, taking into account the traditional trade patterns between the Community and the supplier countries within this quota. It is appropriate to determine a reference period for eligible imports which is long enough to provide for a representative performance while also sufficiently recent to reflect the latest development in trade. For control reasons, applications for import rights should be submitted in the Member States where the operator is entered in the national VAT register. In order to prevent speculation, a security relating to import rights should be fixed for each applicant under the quota. To oblige operators to apply for import licences for all the import rights allocated, it should be established that such obligation constitutes a primary requirement within the meaning of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85 of 22 July 1985 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of secu- rities for agricultural products (%). Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 of 9 June 2000 laying down common detailed rules for the appli- cation of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (*) and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1445/95 of 26 June 1995 on rules of application for import and export licences in the beef and veal sector and repealing Regu- lation (EEC) No 2377/80 (°) should be applicable to import licences issued under this Regulation, save where derogations are appropriate. (®) OJ L 205, 3.8.1985, p. 5. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 673/2004 (OJ L 105, 14.4.2004, p. 17). () OJ L 152, 24.6.2000, p. 1. Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 410/2006 (O] L 71, 10.3.2006, p- 7) G d] L 143, 27.6.1995, p. 35. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 1118/2004 (O] L 217, 17.6.2004, p. 10).