Commission Regulation (EC) No 1378/2001

of 6 July 2001

opening a standing invitation to tender for the resale on the internal market of approximately 12560 tonnes of rice held by the French intervention agency

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 of 22 December 1995 on the common organisation of the market in rice(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1667/2000(2), and in particular the last indent of Article 8(b) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EEC) No 75/91(3) lays down the procedures and conditions for the disposal of paddy rice held by intervention agencies.

(2) There is strong demand on the Community market at present for certain varieties of Japonica rice and Indica rice consumed on the internal market, with market prices higher than the intervention price. At the same time, certain quantities of rice of those varieties are available in the French intervention agency's stores. Under those circumstances, a standing invitation to tender should be opened for the resale on the internal market of approximately 10150 tonnes of Japonica paddy rice and 2410 tonnes of Indica paddy rice held by the French intervention agency.

(3) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The French intervention shall open, under the conditions laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 75/91, a standing invitation to tender for the resale on the internal market of approximately 10150 tonnes of Japonica rice and 2410 tonnes of Indica paddy rice held by that agency.

Article 2

1. The closing date for the submission of tenders in response to the first partial invitation to tender shall be 18 July 2001.

2. The closing date for the submission of tenders in response to the last partial invitation to tender shall be 31 August 2001.

3. Tenders must be lodged with the French intervention agency at the following address: ONIC

Office national interprofessionnel des céréales

Service des interventions 21, avenue Bosquet F - 75341 Paris Cedex 07 ( Tel. (33) 144 18 21 36; fax (33) 144 18 20 80 ).

Article 3

By Tuesday of the week following the closing date for the submission of tenders, the French intervention agency shall notify the Commission of the quantities and the average prices of the various lots sold.

Article 4

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 6 July 2001.

For the Commission

Franz Fischler

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 329, 30.12.1995, p. 18.

(2) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 3.

(3) OJ L 9, 12.1.1991, p. 15.