Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2596/97 extending the period provided for in Article 149(1) of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden
30. 11. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 342 E/35 Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2596/97 extending the period provided for in Article 149(1) of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden (1999/C 342 E/02) COM(1999) 412 final - 1999/0179(CNS) (Submitted by the Commission on 8 September 1999) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Having regard to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 149(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, Whereas the second paragraph of Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2596/97 (1) extends until 31 December 1999 the period during which transitional measures may be adopted with regard to the fat content requirements for milk intended for human consumption in Finland and Sweden; whereas the difficulties in adapting to the Community rules which necess- itated those transitional measures could not be resolved before 31 December 1999; whereas it is therefore necessary to make use of the possibility afforded by the 1994 Act of Accession to extend the period in question; whereas an additional period of four years seems appropriate; whereas there should also be a mid-term examination of the progress made by those Member States in applying the Community rules, Article 1 In Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2596/97, paragraph is replaced by the following: the second However, with regard to the requirements relating to the fat content of milk for human consumption produced in Finland and Sweden, the period is hereby extended until 31 December 2003. Finland and Sweden shall notify the Commission before 31 December 2001 of the measures adopted with a view to the adapting to the Community rules. On that basis Commission shall present to the Council a report on the progress made by the Member States concerned. í Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2000. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. (1) OJ L 351, 23. 12. 1997, p. 12