L 193/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.7.98 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1459/98 of 8 July 1998 establishing a reference method for the determination of vanillin in concentrated butter, butter or cream THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 of 27 June 1968 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products ('), as last amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 1587/96 (3, and in particular Articles 6(6) and 12(3) thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 2571/97 of 15 December 1997 on the sale of butter at reduced prices and the granting of aid for cream, butter and concentrated butter for use in the manufacture of pastry products, ice- cream and other foodstuffs (°), provides for the tracing of cream, butter and concentrated butter in certain circum- stances in order to ensure the correct end use of these products; Whereas, in view of the importance of tracing to the proper functioning of the scheme and in order to ensure the equal treatment of operators who participate in it, it is appropriate to establish common methods for the deter- mination of the tracers referred to in Regulation (EC) No 2571/97; Whereas it is difficult to establish such reference methods for all tracers simultaneously; whereas establishing a reference method for the determination of vanillin in concentrated butter, butter or cream constitutes a further step in this direction; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The method of analysis specified in the Annex shall be applied as a reference method for the determination of vanillin in concentrated butter, butter or cream pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2571/97. Concentrated butter, butter or cream has been traced in conformity with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 2571/97 if the results obtained are in accordance with the speci- fications of paragraph 8 of the Annex. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 September 1998. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 8 July 1998. () OJ L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 13. () OJ L 206, 16. 8. 1996, p. 21. () OJ L 350, 20. 12. 1997, p. 3. For the Commission Franz FISCHLER Member of the Commission