(1)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2084/1999 ( 3 ) opens the procedure for the allocation of export licences for cheese to be exported in 2000 to the United States of America under certain quotas resulting from the GATT Agreements;

(2)

in the case of applications for provisional licences lodged pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2084/1999 relating to quantities of products in each product group greater than those available, the allocation of licences may take into account the quantity of the same products exported to the United States of America by the applicant in the past and preference may be given to applicants whose designated importers are subsidiaries; whereas licences should be allocated to applicants who exported the cheeses in question to the United States of America in at least two of the preceding three years; whereas a preference should be accorded to those applicants whose designated importers are subsidiaries by fixing higher allocation coefficients for such applicants; whereas all other applications should be rejected;

(3)

the regime does not foresee the possibility for an operator to renounce the delivery of a certificate in cases where the quantity resulting from the application of the allocation coefficients is very small; whereas experience has shown that there is a risk of an operator in such circumstances being unable to fulfil his obligation to export with the consequent loss of the security; whereas it is therefore appropriate to ensure the allocation of a minimum quantity;

(4)

in the case of products groups for which the applications lodged are for quantities less than those available, it is appropriate to provide for the allocation of the remaining quantities to the applicants in proportion to the quantities applied for; whereas the allocation of such further quantities should be conditional upon the interested operator making a request and lodging a security,