31. 12, 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 338/35 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 3670/93 ' of 22 December 1993 on special arrangements for imports of maize into Portugal THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of the Council of 21 April 1970 on the “financing of the common agricultural policy ('), and in particular Article 3 (2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas, pursuant to Council Decision 93/355/EEC of 8 June 1993 concerning the conclusion of a Memo- randum of Understanding on certain oil seeds between the European Economic Community and the United States of America within the framework of the GATT (3, the Community has undertaken, beginning in the 1993/94 marketing year, to open a reduced-tariff quota for imports into Portugal of 500000 tonnes of maize; whereas this understanding falls within the exclusive competence of the Community; Whereas, to ensure that this understanding is carried out, provision has been made to reduce the tariff to a level allowing the quota to be fully used ; whereas this reduc- tion may be obtained by applying a reduction of the import levy, whereas, however, the imports into Portugal at preferential terms may create difficulties for the Community market, particularly in view of Council Deci- sion 87/224/EEC of 30 January 1987 concerning the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the United States of America for the conclusion of negotiations under GATT Article XXIV.6 (%) ; whereas to overcome this difficulty, the possibility of restricting the use or processing of these quantities of maize in Portugal and the possibility of applying a countervailing duty to the processed products exported either to third countries ot to the rest of the Community should be provided for ; Whereas the accumulation of advantages provided for, on the one hand, as part of the arrangements established by Regulation (EEC) No 715/90 (¥) applicable to imports into the Community of sorghum wheat and maize originating (*) OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 3. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2048/88 (OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, 1 . 1), ® %_] No L 147, 18. 6. 1993, p. 25. () OJ No L 98, 10. 4. 1987, p. 1. () OJ No L 84, 30. 3. 1990, p. 85. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 444/92 (O] No L 52, 27. 2. 1992, p. 7). in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP States) or the overseas territories, or on the other hand pursuant to this Regulation is liable to create disturbances on the Portuguese cereals market ; whereas this difficulty can be overcome by setting a special reduction of the levy on maize imported under this Regulation ; Whereas provisions are required to cover the operations arising from this Regulation in accordance with the mechanisms laid down by Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 and by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1883/78 of 2 August 1978 laying down general rules for the financing of interventions by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guarantee Section (%), HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 Imports of a maximum quantity of 500 000 tonnes of maize from third countries for free circulation in Portugal shall be undertaken in accordance with the conditions laid down in the following Articles. Article 2 1. Without prejudice to Article 3, in the case of imports of maize into Portugal and within the quantit- ative limits set down in Article 1, a reduction shall be applied to the levy fixed in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92. 2. The amount of the reduction shall be fixed in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 23 of Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92 at a level enabling disturbances on the Portuguese market to be avoided. The reduction may also be fixed by a tendering procedure. The reduction may be differentiated for imports of maize into Portugal under Regulation (EEC) No 715/90. () OJ No L 216, 5. 8. 1978, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 787/89 (O] No L 85, 30. 3. 1989, p. 1).