Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/521 of 28 March 2018 amending Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of tariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into Portugal
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/521of 28 March 2018amending Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of tariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into PortugalTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671., and in particular point (c) of Article 187 thereof,Whereas:(1)Commission Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008Commission Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008 of 18 December 2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of tariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into Portugal (OJ L 340, 19.12.2008, p. 57). lays down the rules for the application of tariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into Portugal.(2)In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008, a flat-rate reduction may be applied to the import duty fixed in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 642/2010Commission Regulation (EU) No 642/2010 of 20 July 2010 on rules of application (cereal sector import duties) for Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 187, 21.7.2010, p. 5).. Such a reduction was fixed by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/94Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/94 of 16 November 2017 fixing a flat-rate reduction for the import duty for sorghum in Spain imported from third countries (OJ L 17, 23.1.2018, p. 7). for the import duty for sorghum imported into Spain from third countries. That reduction applies to the available balance of the quantities of sorghum to be imported into Spain under the tariff quota opened on 1 January 2017.(3)In order to benefit from that flat-rate reduction, those quantities are subject to specific rules. In particular, point (a) of Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008 provides that where a flat-rate reduction has been adopted by the Commission, the period of validity of licences is to correspond to the period as specified in Article 6 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1342/2003Commission Regulation (EC) No 1342/2003 of 28 July 2003 laying down special detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences for cereals and rice (OJ L 189, 29.7.2003, p. 12).. However, the relevant point of the latter provision has been deleted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237 of 18 May 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the rules for applying the system of import and export licences and supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the rules on the release and forfeit of securities lodged for such licences, amending Commission Regulations (EC) No 2535/2001, (EC) No 1342/2003, (EC) No 2336/2003, (EC) No 951/2006, (EC) No 341/2007 and (EC) No 382/2008 and repealing Commission Regulations (EC) No 2390/98, (EC) No 1345/2005, (EC) No 376/2008 and (EC) No 507/2008 (OJ L 206, 30.7.2016, p. 1)., which, together with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1239Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1239 of 18 May 2016 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the system of import and export licences (OJ L 206, 30.7.2016, p. 44)., lays down rules for applying the system of import and export licences for agricultural products provided for in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. It is therefore appropriate to reintroduce a rule regarding the period of validity of licences for the purposes of Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008. For reasons of clarity, that rule should be incorporated directly into Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008.(4)Regulation (EC) No 1296/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.(5)In the interest of legal certainty, it should be made clear that the rule regarding the period of validity applies to all the licences issued under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/94. This Regulation should therefore apply retroactively from the date of entry into force of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/94.(6)The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: