30. 6. 98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 185/21 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1374/98 of 29 June 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application of the import arrangements and opening tariff quotas for milk and milk products 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 (%), and in particular Articles 13(3) and 16(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1095/96 of 18 June 1996 on the implementation of the concessions set out in schedule CXL drawn up in the wake of the conclusion of the GATT XXIV.6 negotiations (°), and in particular Article 1(1) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 779/98 of 7 April 1998 on the import into the Community of agri- cultural products originating in Turkey, repaling Regula- tion (EEC) No 4115/86 and amending Regulation (EC) No 3010/95 (*), and in particular Article 1 thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EC) No 1600/95 of 30 June 1995 laying down detailed rules for the application of the import arrangements and opening tariff quotas for milk and milk products (°), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1129/98 (°), has been substantially amended several times; whereas, since further amendments are to be made, it should be recast in the interests of clarity and efficiency; Whereas the Agreement on Agriculture concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Agreement’) provides for certain tariff quotas for milk and milk products under the ‘current acess’ and ‘minimum access arrangements; whereas those quotas should be opened; whereas rules should be laid down for the management of those quotas; Whereas tariff quotas are opened under the current access arrangements for specified countries; whereas, in order to check that products imported under the quotas conform () OJ L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 13. () OJ L 206, 16. 8. 1996, p. 21. () OJ L 146, 20. 6. 1996, p. 1. () OJ L 113, 15. 4. 1998, p. 1. () OJ L 151, 1. 7. 1995, p. 12. () OJ L 157, 30. 5. 1998, p. 91. to the product description laid down and that the tariff quotas are complied with, use should be made of the arrangements under which certificates are issued on the responsibility of the exporter country; Whereas certain special conditions previously applied to imports authorised under special arrangements should be applied to imports of New Zealand butter under the quota provided for in the Agreement in order to monitor their origin and destination; Whereas tariff quotas under the minimum access arrange- ments are opened for unspecified countries; whereas, in order to ensure correct and equitable management of the quotas, acceptance of licence applications should be subject to the lodging of a security greater than that required for normal imports and certain conditions should be laid down for the submission of licence appli- cations; whereas the quotas should be spread out over the year and the procedure for the allocation of licences and their period of validity should be laid down; whereas this type of management requires close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission; Whereas the Regulation should contain provisions on the import of milk products under tariff quotas opened pursuant to other international agreements and on the import of milk products under preferential quota arrange- ments; whereas checks on the description of the products concerned and, where appropriate, on compliance with the quota may be made on the basis of the system of certificates issued by the exporter country; whereas, however, in the case of imports from Switzerland under the special arrangement agreed between that country and the Community and imports from Turkey under the preferential arrangements provided for in Protocol 1 to Decision No 1/98 of the EC-Turkey Association Council of 25 February 1998 on the trade regime for agricultural products (), import checks are based solely on Com- munity import licences; Whereas the special provisions of this Regulation are either supplementary to, or derogate from Regulation (EEC) No 3719/88 of 16 November 1988 laying down () OJ L 86, 20. 3. 1998, p. 3.