L 142)26 Official Journal of the European Union 30.5.2006 COMMISSION DECISION of 11 May 2006 on the allocation of import quotas for controlled substances for the period 1 January to 31 December 2006 under Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document number C(2006) 1819) (Only the Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Slovenian and Spanish texts are authentic) (2006/373[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council on ‘Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (!), and in particular to Article 7 thereof, Whereas: () O] L 244, 29.9.2000, p. 1. Commission Regulation 412.2004, p. 28). The quantitative limits for the placing on the market in the Community of controlled substances are set out in Article 4 and Annex III of the Regulation. Article 4(2)(i)(d) prohibits each producer and importer placing any methyl bromide on the market or using any for their own account after 31 December 2004. Article 4(4)(i)(b) allows a derogation from this prohi- bition if methyl bromide is used to meet the licensed requests for critical uses of those users identified as described in Article 3(2)(ii). The quantity of methyl bromide licensed for critical uses for the period 1 January to 31 December 2006 will be published in a separate Commission decision. Article 4(2)(iii) allows a derogation from Article 4(2)(i)(d) if methyl bromide is imported or produced for quar- antine and pre-shipment (QPS) applications. The amount of methyl bromide that can be imported or produced for these purposes in 2006 must not exceed the average of the calculated level of methyl bromide which a producer or importer placed on the market or used for its own account for QPS in the years 1996, 1997 and 1998. Regulation as last amended by (EQ) No 20772004 (O] L 359, (4) ) 0) 0 Article 4(4)() allows a derogation from Article 4(2) if methyl bromide is imported for destruction or if it is imported for feedstock use. Article 4(3)(i)(e) sets out the total calculated level of hydrochlorofluorocarbons ~ which ~ producers  and importers may place on the market or use for their own account in the period 1 January to 31 December 2006. The Commission has published a notice to importers in the Community of controlled substances that deplete the ozone layer (3) and has thereby received declarations on intended imports in 2006. For hydrochlorofluorocarbons the allocation of quotas to producers and importers is in accordance with the provisions of Commission Decision 2005/103/EC of 5 February 2005 determining a mechanism for the allo- cation of quotas to producers and importers for hydro- chlorofluorocarbons for the years 2003 to 2009 under Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 (3). For the purpose of ensuring that operators and companies benefit from allocated import quotas in due time and thereby ensure the necessary continuity of their operations, it is appropriate that the present Decision shall apply from 1 January 2006. The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab- lished by Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000, C 168, 8.7.2005, p. 33. L 33, 5.2.2005, p. 65.