Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 on the adjustments and transitional arrangements required in the agricultural sector in order to implement the agreements concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 11. 06. 1997 COM(97) 291 final Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 on the adjustments and transitional arrangements required in the agricultural sector in order to implement the agreements concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations (presented by the Commission) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM The Community's undertakings in the agricultural sector under the Uruguay Round negotiations were essentially implemented by Council Regulation (EC) No 3290/94. Article 3 of the original version of that Regulation provided that the Commission, acting according to the management committee procedure, may, up to 30 June 1996, adopt the measures necessary to facilitate the switch-over from the old to the new arrangements and that these measures may not apply beyond that date. Council Regulation (EC) No 1193/96 extended the period of application of the Commission's power to take transitional measures until 30 June 1997. The Commission has used that power to ensure a smooth transition to the arrangements introduced as a result of the Uruguay Round in the common market organisations concerned. It also used Article 3 to ensure that the undertakings entered into by the Community in certain preferential agreements with third countries the Lomé Convention, association agreements with Mediterranean countries, etc. ) were respected pending the adjustment of those agreements to the results of the Uruguay Round negotiations. Some of those agreements are currently being adjusted, but the process is unlikely to be completed before 30 June 1997, so the purpose of this draft Regulation is to propose that the Council extend by a further year the period during which the Commission may adopt transitional measures. (for example, - 2- Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /97 of 1997 amending Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 on the adjustments and transitional arrangements required in the agricultural sector in order to implement the agreements concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 of 22 December 1994 on the adjustments and transitional arrangements required in the agricultural sector in order to implement the agreements concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations1, and in particular Article 3(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 3290/94, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1193/96, authorises the Commission to adopt the measures required to facilitate the switch-over from the arrangements existing before implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round negotiations to those resulting from the adjustments to agricultural legislation provided for in the above-mentioned Regulation; whereas such measures may only be adopted up to 30 June 1997 and may not apply beyond that date; whereas it transpires that certain matters which are currently regulated by transitional measures cannot be settled definitively before the above date; whereas these matters concern in particular certain arrangements entered into with third countries; whereas it is therefore necessary to extend by one year the period during which the Commission may adopt transitional measures, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: OJ No L 349, 31. 12. 1994, p. 105. Regulation amended by Regulation (EC) No 1193/96 (OJ No L 161, 29. 6. 1996, p. 1). Article 1 The period laid down in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 is hereby extended to 30 June 1998. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 July 1997. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at », ; 1997 For the Council The President 4- ISSN 0254-1475 COM(97) 291 final DOCUMENTS EN 03 il Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-281-EN-C ISBN 92-78-21220-2 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg 5"