Milk and milk products: direct support schemes for farmers and establishment of a levy, reference quantities and budgetary ceiling for Germany and Austria

PURPOSE : to amend Regulation 1782/2003/EC and Regulation 1788/2003/EC with

specific reference to Germany and Austria.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Regulation 2217/2004/EC amending Regulation 1782/2003/EC establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and Regulation 1788/2003/EC establishing a levy in the milk and milk products sector.

CONTENT : in order to permit a practical and correct administration of the dairy premium and its inclusion in the Single Payment Scheme, Regulation 1782/2003/EC should be amended in such a way that, for Germany and Austria, the reference quantities and the budgetary ceiling, referred to in this Regulation, take into account the milk reference quantities of the producers of the regions concerned. Consequently, it is also appropriate to modify Annex I to Regulation 1788/2003/EC establishing a levy

in the milk and milk products sector in order to convert the reference quantities of producers concerned

into Austrian reference quantities as from milk quota year 2004/05.

For the payments due in 2004, taking into account that the date for application has already expired, it is however appropriate to provide for a derogation to Article 2(b) of Regulation 1782/2003/EC allowing Germany to pay the premium to farmers situated in the Austrian Kleinwalsertal (Community of Mittelberg) and the Community of Jungholz.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 23/12/2004.

DATE APPLICABLE : It shall apply from 1 January 2004; 1 April 2004 and 1 January 2005 according to the provisions.