Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3616/92 of 15 December 1992 adopting conversion measures for tobacco of the varieties Mavra, Tsebelia, Forchheimer Havanna II c and hybrids of Geudertheimer

• CELEX: Regulation (EEC) No 3616/92
• Articles: 7

Article 1

The conversion programme provided for in Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 shall relate to a quantity equivalent to 11 500 tonnes of Mavra and Tsebelia and 5 800 tonnes of Forchheimer Havann II c and hybrids of Geudertheimer converted to agricultural crops other than tobacco.

Article 2

1. The conversion programme shall be open to producers who:

- have obtained, pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3477/92, quota or cultivation certificates valid for the 1993 harvest, based on their production in 1989, 1990 and 1991 of one of the varieties referred to in Article 1,

- forego the full quantity covered by the quota or cultivation certificate and their corresponding rights in the future,

- undertake to grow other agricultural crops or tobacco varieties belonging to another group of varieties on the area in question.

2. Producers may undertake to produce other varieties of tobacco only in so far as they have obtained quota or cultivation certificates for the group of varieties in question.

3. The quantities freed pursuant to the first paragraph by producers undertaking to convert their production shall be distributed among other producers in accordance with Regulation (EEC) No 3477/92.

Article 3

1. Producers who take part in the programme of conversion to agricultural crops other than tobacco shall receive, for the 1993, 1994 and 1995 harvests, conversion aid of ECU 2 per kilogram of tobacco in respect of which they forego their quota or cultivation certificate, pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3477/92.

2. Where a producer undertakes to convert to other varieties of tobacco, the conversion aid shall amount to ECU 0,8 per kilogram for the 1993, 1994 and 1995 harvests.

Article 4

Member States may include in the programme of conversion to crops other than tobacco producers growing the varieties referred to in Article 1 on areas situated in a former production area which the Member State has decided no longer to recognize in accordance with Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 3478/92. In such cases, the aid shall be paid for the quantity corresponding to the quota or cultivation certificate to which the producer would have been entitled if his land had not been excluded from the production area in question.

Article 5

1. For the purposes of determining the maximum quantities which may be the subject of the conversion programme, 1 kilogram of tobacco converted to crops other than tobacco shall be equal to 2,5 kilogram of tobacco converted to other varieties of tobacco.

2. If requests for conversion exceed the available quantities, Member States shall give priority to requests for conversion to crops other than tobacco. Within each category of producers, Member States shall take account, in particular, of the need to encourage the production of tobacco which is more in line with market requirements.

Article 6

1. The conversion aid shall be paid not later than 30 September of the year of harvesting.

2. The agricultural rate to be applied for conversion into national currencies shall be that valid on 1 August of the year of harvesting.

Article 7

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 15 December 1992. For the Commission

Ray MAC SHARRY

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ No L 215, 30. 7. 1992, p. 70. (2) OJ No L 164, 24. 6. 1985, p. 1. (3) OJ No L 201, 31. 7. 1990, p. 9. (4) OJ No L 351, 2. 12. 1992, p. 11. (5) OJ No L 351, 2. 12. 1992, p. 17.