Commission Regulation (EC) No 2198/2002

of 11 December 2002

on the issue of system B export licences in the fruit and vegetables sector

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1961/2001 of 8 October 2001 on detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards export refunds on fruit and vegetables(1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1176/2002(2), and in particular Article 6(6) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1886/2002(3) fixes the indicative quantities for system B export licences other than those sought in the context of food aid.

(2) In the light of the information available to the Commission today, there is a risk that the indicative quantities laid down for the current export period for apples will shortly be exceeded. This overrun will prejudice the proper working of the export refund scheme in the fruit and vegetables sector.

(3) To avoid this situation, applications for system B licences for apples after 11 December 2002 should be rejected until the end of the current export period,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Applications for system B export licences for apples submitted pursuant to Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 1886/2002, export declarations for which are accepted after 11 December 2002 and before 15 January 2003, are hereby rejected.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on 12 December 2002.

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

Done at Brussels, 11 December 2002.

For the Commission

J. M. Silva Rodríguez

Agriculture Director-General

(1) OJ L 268, 9.10.2001, p. 8.

(2) OJ L 170, 29.6.2002, p. 69.

(3) OJ L 286, 24.10.2002, p. 3.