29.12.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 38413 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2013/2006 of 19 December 2006 amending Regulations (EEC) No 404/93, (EC) No 1782/2003 and (EC) No 247/2006 as regards the banana sector THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 37 and Article 299(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament, After consulting the European Economic and Social Committee, Whereas: Currently the regime for the banana sector is set out in Council Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 of 13 February 1993 on the common organisation of the market in bananas (!). Specifically, the aid scheme for banana producers is based on principles which have been substantially reformed for other common market organi- sations. In order to better ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural community in regions where bananas are produced, to better direct resources towards market- orientation of producers, to stabilise expenditure, to ensure respect of the international obligations of the Community, to take adequately into account the particu- larities of the producing regions, to simplify the management of the regime and align it on the principles of the reformed common market organisations, it is necessary to amend this regime. Changes should take into account developments and potential developments in the regime governing imports into the Community of bananas produced in third countries, in particular the move from a system governed by tariff quotas to one currently governed by a tariff-only system, subject only to a preferential quota for bananas produced in ACP countries. (') OJ L 47, 25.2.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by the 2003 Act of Accession. G) Bananas are one of the main agricultural crops of certain of the outermost regions of the Union, notably the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Production of bananas is disadvantaged in particular by the remoteness, insularity, small size, and difficult topo- graphy of these regions. Local banana production is an essential element of the environmental, social and economic balance of the rural areas in those regions. Account should be taken of the socio-economic importance of the banana sector for the outermost regions and the contribution which it makes to achieving social and economic cohesion on account of the income and employment which it generates, the economic activities to which it gives rise (both upstream and downstream), and the effect which it has of maintaining a landscape balance which encourages the development of tourism. The current Community system of compensatory aid for bananas set out in Title Il of Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 does not adequately respect the local particula- rities of production in each of those outermost regions. Provision should therefore be made to cease paying the existing compensatory aid for bananas in respect of those regions, which would allow banana production to be included in the support programmes. It is therefore appropriate to seek a better instrument to support banana production in those regions. Title IIT of Council Regulation (EC) No 247/2006 of 30 January 2006 laying down specific measures for agri- culture in the outermost regions of the Union (?) provides for the establishment of Community support programmes for the outermost regions containing specific measures to assist local lines of agricultural production. That Regulation provides for a review not later than 31 December 2009. If there are substantial changes to the economic conditions affecting livelihoods in the outermost regions, the Commission should submit the report sooner. That instrument seems best adapted to support banana production in each of the regions concerned by providing for flexibility and decentrali- sation of mechanisms to support banana production. The possibility of including banana support in those support programmes should reinforce the coherence of the strategies for support of agricultural production in those regions. () OJ L 42, 14.2.2006, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 318/2006 (O] L 58, 28.2.2006, p. 1).