31977R2212

No L 256/4 Official Journal pf the European Communities 7 . 10 . 77

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2212/77 of 6 October 1977 on the granting of aid to certain producers of wine grapes intended for the production of table wines in certain wine-growing regions affected by natural disasters

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN grant them aid for this purpose ; whereas such a COMMUNITIES, measure avoids the risk of non-enriched wines of mediocre quality finding their way, at excessively low Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European prices, into the table wines market to the detriment of Economic Community, the stability of that market ; whereas, furthermore, this measure may bring about an increase in the volume of Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No grape must which will be concentrated and hence a 816/70 of 28 April 1970 laying down additional provi­ drop in the total volume of production supplied to the sions for the common organization of the market in market ; whereas, in consequence, this measure serves wine ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No to regularize the table wines market ; 1 679/77 (2), and in particular Article 38 thereof, Whereas, in order to give preference to those Having regard to Council Regulation No 129 on the producers most severely affected, it is appropriate to value of the unit of account and the exchange rates to limit the granting of this aid to producers who are be applied for the purposes of the common agricul­ able to furnish proof of a yield lower than 50 hecto­ tural policy (3), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) litres per hectare ; No 2543/73 (4), and in particular Article 3 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas it is necessary to fix the aid at an amount which takes account of the market price for concen­ Whereas Article 38 of Regulation (EEC) No 816/70 trated grape must ; provides that measures of derogation may be decided upon to remedy an exceptional situation resulting Whereas the application of the measures provided for from natural disasters ; in this Regulation extends beyond 15 December 1977 ; whereas it is necessary, in order to avoid any Whereas in certain regions of the Community there discrimination among the producers concerned, to were severe frosts during the months of March and provide for the application of a single representative April and, during the summer, exceptional rainfall rate for the payments effected pursuant to this Regula­ and reduced sunshine ; tion ; whereas it is appropriate to use the representa­ tive rate applicable in the wine sector for the 1977/78 Whereas good weather during these months is essen­ wine-growing year ; tial for a good harvest ; whereas, in consequence, the abnormal climatic conditions referred to accordingly constitute a natural disaster ; whereas it follows from Whereas the Monetary Committee will be consulted ; this that the wines produced from grapes harvested in whereas, in view of the urgency, it is appropriate to these disaster-affected regions will not naturally reach adopt the measures envisaged in accordance with the minimum alcoholic strength laid down for table Article 3 (2) of Regulation No 129, wines ;

Whereas the Member States may, under Article 18 of Regulation (EEC) No 816/70, authorize the natural alcoholic strength to be increased ; whereas, in the HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : regions in question, this increase is effected by the addition of concentrated grape must to the basis products ; Article 1 Whereas, in order to encourage producers who are threatened by heavy losses to use concentrated grape Aid shall be granted on the terms laid down in this must in the interests of quality, it appears necessary to Regulation to producers of wine grapes intended for the production of table wines who are able to furnish (') OJ No L 99, 5. 5. 1970, p. 1 . proof of a yield lower than 50 hectolitres per hectare (2) OJ No L 187, 27. 7. 1977, p. 15. P) OJ No 106, 30. 10 . 1962, p. 2553/62. from the 1977 harvest and whose holdings are situated (4) OJ No L 263, 19 . 9 . 1973, p. 1 . in certain yet to be defined parts :

7. 10 . 77 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 256/5

(a) of the following French departments : 2. Before granting the aid, the intervention agen­ cies must satisfy themselves that the conditions laid Alpes de Gironde down in Article 1 are fulfilled . Haute-Provence Haute-Garonne Alpes maritimes Hérault Ardèche Landes Article 4 Ariège Lot Lot-et-Garonne The Member States shall communicate to the Aude Aveyron Lozère Commission at the latest by 15 June 1978 the Bouches-du-Rhône Pyrenees-Atlantiques number of producers who have received aid, the quan­ Charente Hautes-Pyrénées tities of wine subjected to enrichment, and the quanti­ Corse du Sud Pyrénées-Orientales ties of concentrated must used to do so expressed in Haute-Corse Tarn degrees of alcoholic strength per hectolitre. Dordogne Tam-et-Garonne Gard Var Article 5 Gers Vaucluse ; 1 . The Member States shall appoint an intervention (b) of Northern Italy agency responsible for applying this Regulation.

whose 1977 harvest was affected by natural disasters. 2. The competent body shall be the intervention agency of the Member State in whose territory the Article 2 grapes have been harvested.

1 . The amount of the aid provided for in Article 1 Article 6 is hereby fixed, for concentrated must used in the operations described in Articles 18 and 19 of Regula­ Rules for the application of this Regulation, and in tion (EEC) No 816/70, at 0-87 unit of account per particular the determination of the parts of French degree of potential alcoholic strength per hectolitre. departments and of Northern Italy referred to in 2. The conversion into national currency of the aid Article 1 , shall be adopted in accordance with the referred to in paragraph 1 shall be effected by means procedure laid down in Article 7 of Regulation No of the representative rate applicable in the wine sector 24 H. during the 1977/78 wine-growing year. Article 7 Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day 1 . Producers wishing to take advantage of the aid following its publication in the Official Journal of provided for in Article 1 must apply to the competent the European Communities. intervention agency at the latest by 15 November 1977 . It shall be applicable from 15 September 1977.

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

Done at Brussels, 6 October 1977. For the Council

The President

A. HUMBLET

( i ) OJ No 30 , 20 . 4. 1962, p. 989/62.