17.9.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 249/15 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1650/2002 of 16 September 2002 on the issuing of system A3 export licences in the fruit and vegetables sector THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (3)  In the case of apples, the maximum rate necessary to Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1961/2001 of 8 October 2001 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards export refunds on fruit and vegetables (!), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1176/2002 (¥, and in particular Article 4(4) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 1546/2002 (*) opens an invitation to tender setting the indicative refund rates and indicative quantities for system A3 export licences other than those tendered for as part of food aid. 20  In the light of the tenders submitted, the maximum refund rates and the percentages for reducing the quanti- ties awarded for tenders quoting those maximum rates should be set. award licences for the indicative quantity up to the quan- tities tendered for is not more than one-and-a-half times the indicative refund rate, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 In the case of apples, the maximum refund rates and the percentages for reducing the quantities awarded under the invi- tation to tender opened by Regulation (EC) No 1540/2002 shall be as set out in the Annex. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on 17 September 2002. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 16 September 2002. 0J L 268, 9.10.2001, p. 8. () OJ L 170, 29.6.2002, p. 69. 0] L 233, 30.8.2002, . 6. For the Commission J. M. SILVA RODRIGUEZ Agriculture Director-General