PURPOSE: the establishment of a common EU hops market.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Regulation 1952/2005/EC concerning the common organisation of the market in hops and repealing Regulations 1696/71, 1037/72, 879/73 and 1981/82/EEC.

CONTENT: a number of legislative acts have existed at an EU level, which regulate the market in hops. For the sake of clarity these have now been repealed and replaced with this Regulation.

The purpose of this Regulation is to establish a common organisation for the EU’s hops market. The new common organisation will apply to rules on marketing, producer groups and trade with third countries. It covers:

- Hop cones, fresh or dried, whether or not ground, powdered or in the form of pellets/lupulin.

The rules on marketing and trade with third countries will apply to:

- Vegetable saps and extracts of hops.

These products, whether harvested or prepared within the Community will be subject to a certification procedure. The certificate must indicate: the place of production, the year of harvesting and the variety of varieties. Hop products may only be marketed or exported on condition that they have been issued with a certificate in line with the terms and conditions of this Regulation. Any products imported from a third country must have an attestation confirming that their products are of the same standard as those certified under the terms of this Regulation.

Specific conditions are set out regarding “Producer groups”. Thus, a producer group shall mean a group consisting exclusively or mainly of hop producers and who are recognised as such by a Member State. Their objectives are: to concentrate supply and help stabilise the market – if necessary by purchasing hops at a higher price; to adapt products jointly to the requirements of the market; to make harvesting operations more efficient; and to decide on what varieties of hops may be grown by its members.

As far as trade with third countries is concerned, the rates of import duty will be set by the common customs tariff. The measures set out in the Regulation waive all quantitative restriction at the external frontier of the Community. This procedure may, however, be waived in exceptional circumstances. The Community may be empowered to take all necessary measures quickly. Any measures taken will be in conformity with the Community’s international obligations.

In order to protect the proper functioning of the internal market the Regulation specifies that EU State Aid provisions will apply to the hop market. Provision has also been made for the registration of all contracts to supply hops produced within the Community. Producer groups recognised under previous Regulations will be recognised under the new act.

REPEALED: Regulation 1696/71/EEC. As from 1 January 2006. (In the case of Slovenia, Article 7 will continue to apply up to and including the 2006 harvest); Regulation 1037/72/EEC; Regulation 879/73/EEC and Regulation 1981/82/EEC are repealed with effect from 1 January 2006. (In the case of Slovenia Regulation 1037/72/EEC and 1981/82/EEC will continue to apply up to and including the 2006 harvest.)

APPLICATION: 1 January 2006.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 7 December 2005.

Regulation 2005/1952
OJ L 314 30.11.2005, p. 0001-0007

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Joseph DAUL (EPP-ED, FR) and approved the proposal.

T6-0420/2005

CES1258/2005
OJ C 028 03.02.2006, p. 0082

A6-0299/2005

A6-0299/2005

The committee adopted the report by its chairman, Joseph DAUL (EPP-ED, FR), approving the proposal unamended under the consultation procedure.

PURPOSE: to repeal Council Regulation 1696/71/EEC, Council Regulation 1037/72/EEC, Council Regulation 1981/82/EEC and Council Regulation 879/73/EEC and modify Regulation 1782/2003/EC concerning the common organisation of the market in hops

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation

CONTENT: Council Regulation 1696/71/EEC on the common organisation of the market in hops has been substantially amended several times. In view of this, and in particular the amendments under Council Regulation 1782/2003/EC establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, Regulation 1696/71/EEC should be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation, for the sake of clarity and a proper understanding of Community legislation. Council Regulation 1037/72/EEC laying down general rules for granting and financing aid for hop producers, the provisions of which are incorporated in Regulation 1782/2003/EC, should also be repealed. Council Regulation 1981/82/EEC drawing up the list of Community regions, in which production aid for hops is granted only to recognised producer groups, and Council Regulation 879/73/EEC on the granting and reimbursement of aid accorded by the Member States to recognised producer groups in the hop sector have become obsolete following the adoption of Regulation 1782/2003/EC and can also be repealed.

The new Regulation will replace the various regulations incorporated in Regulation 1696/71, retaining and rearranging its contents. A number of articles have also been amended slightly to bring the Regulation up to date. In particular, account has been taken of the changed role of producer groups, who no longer participate in the management of the aid. Although annual or multi-annual contracts continue to play a major role in the marketing of hops and helping to ensure market stability, and the mutual exchange of information between

the Member States and the Commission has been retained, the official registration of contracts is no longer necessary. The rules on trade with third countries have also been updated. This proposal has been drawn up on the basis of a consolidation of the text of Regulation 1696/71/EEC in all the official languages and the acts amending it. Where articles have been renumbered, the concordance between the previous and new numbering is set out in the correlation table annexed to the Regulation.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :

Budget heading: 05 02 11 03 Appropriations: EUR 13 million

COM(2005)0386
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE: to repeal Council Regulation 1696/71/EEC, Council Regulation 1037/72/EEC, Council Regulation 1981/82/EEC and Council Regulation 879/73/EEC and modify Regulation 1782/2003/EC concerning the common organisation of the market in hops

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation

CONTENT: Council Regulation 1696/71/EEC on the common organisation of the market in hops has been substantially amended several times. In view of this, and in particular the amendments under Council Regulation 1782/2003/EC establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, Regulation 1696/71/EEC should be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation, for the sake of clarity and a proper understanding of Community legislation. Council Regulation 1037/72/EEC laying down general rules for granting and financing aid for hop producers, the provisions of which are incorporated in Regulation 1782/2003/EC, should also be repealed. Council Regulation 1981/82/EEC drawing up the list of Community regions, in which production aid for hops is granted only to recognised producer groups, and Council Regulation 879/73/EEC on the granting and reimbursement of aid accorded by the Member States to recognised producer groups in the hop sector have become obsolete following the adoption of Regulation 1782/2003/EC and can also be repealed.

The new Regulation will replace the various regulations incorporated in Regulation 1696/71, retaining and rearranging its contents. A number of articles have also been amended slightly to bring the Regulation up to date. In particular, account has been taken of the changed role of producer groups, who no longer participate in the management of the aid. Although annual or multi-annual contracts continue to play a major role in the marketing of hops and helping to ensure market stability, and the mutual exchange of information between

the Member States and the Commission has been retained, the official registration of contracts is no longer necessary. The rules on trade with third countries have also been updated. This proposal has been drawn up on the basis of a consolidation of the text of Regulation 1696/71/EEC in all the official languages and the acts amending it. Where articles have been renumbered, the concordance between the previous and new numbering is set out in the correlation table annexed to the Regulation.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :

Budget heading: 05 02 11 03 Appropriations: EUR 13 million

COM(2005)0386
EUR-Lex