Hops: common organisation of the market CMO (amend. Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71)

PURPOSE: amendment of Regulation 1696/71/EEC concerning the organisation of the common market in the hops sector. CONTENT: The proposed changes to Regulation 1696/71/EEC consist in the deletion of the provisions which are no longer applicable from a time perspective (deadline passed) or from the point of view of content of the OCM in the hops sector. The Member States which produce hops, in fact, no longer have the right - with the exception of Austria - to assistance for the start-up of producer groups, because the deadlines are already past. Furthermore, because the Council set the aid for producers at the same level for 5 years, it is no longer necessary that the Commission each year presents a report to the Council on the situation with regard to the production and the marketing of hops.�