No L 267/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.11. 95 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2599/95 of 30 October 1995 opening and providing for the administration of a Community tariff quota for rum originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States (1996 to 1999) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas the Fourth ACP-EEC Convention (') entered into force on 1 September 1991 ; Whereas, pursuant to Protocol 6 to the said Convention, with regard to the arrangements applicable from 1996 the Council has decided, on the basis of a report from the Commission, to discontinue as from 1 January 1996 the quota for ‘lightt ACP rum and to retain a tariff quota for ‘traditional’ ACP rum until full liberalization on 1 January 2000; Whereas the volume of the tariff quota decided on by the Council has been set at 58 000 hectolitres of pure alcohol for 1996, 61 000 hectolitres for 1997, 64 000 hectolitres for 1998 and 67 000 hectolitres for 1999 ; Whereas for these reasons an appropriate definition of ‘traditional’ ACP rum should be given ; whereas to that end the general definition of rum given in Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89 (3 which stipulates that traditional rum is characterized by a high content of volatile substances other than ethyl and methyl alcohol, should be taken as a basis ; Whereas equal and continuous access to the said quota should be ensured for all Community importers and the rates laid down for the quota should be applied consis- tently to all imports of the products in question into all Member States until the quota is exhausted ; whereas the decision for the opening of tariff quotas in fulfilment of its international obligations should be taken by the Community ; whereas, to ensure the efficient common administration of these quotas, however, there is no obstacle to authorizing the Member States to draw from the quota volumes the necessary quantities corres- ponding to actual imports ; whereas, however, this method of administration requires close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission and the latter must, in particular, be able to monitor the rate at which the quotas are used up and inform the Member States accordingly ; Whereas measures should be laid down to ensure that Protocol 6 is implemented under conditions such as to permit the development of traditional trade flows between the ACP States and the Community, and between the Member States, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 The following products originating in ACP States shall be imported free of customs duties for the periods and within the limits of the Commuity tariff quotas shown next to each of them. Taric . Quota O;Ider CN code sub- Description Period yolgll-nef %uota ° division in hl o uty pure alcohol) 09.1617 | ex 2208 40 10 *10 Rum with a content of volatile substances | 1.1.1996-31.12.1996 58 000 Free ex 2208 40 50 *10 other than ethyl and methyl alcohol | 1.1.1997-31.12.1997 61 000 equal to or exceeding 225 grams per | 1.1.1998-31.12.1998 64 000 hectolitre of pure alcohol with a 10 % | 1.1.1999-31.12.1999 67 000 tolerance () O] No L 229, 17. 8. 1991, p. 3. () OJ No L 160, 12. 6. 1989, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by the 1994 Act of Accession.