Commission Regulation (EC) No 225/2007
of 1 March 2007
as regards the support for restructuring and conversion provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 for the 2006/2007 wine year

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine, and in particular Article 80(b) thereof,
OJ L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1791/2006 (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 1).
Whereas:
(1) Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 provides for that in regions classified as Objective 1 in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, the Community contribution to the costs of restructuring and conversion is limited to 75 % of those costs.
OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 173/2005 (OJ L 29, 2.2.2005, p. 3).
(2) Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 was repealed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999. In accordance with Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, regions covered by Objective 1 were the regions corresponding to level II of the Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (NUTS II) whose per capita GDP, measured in purchasing power parities has been less than 75 % of the Community average. In accordance with Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, such regions are eligible for funding under the Convergence objective. Some regions which have been covered by Objective 1 are not covered by the Convergence objective.
OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 25. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1989/2006 (OJ L 411, 30.12.2006, p. 6) and as corrected by OJ L 27, 2.2.2007, p. 5.
(3) This causes specific practical problems in case of the application of restructuring and conversion plans, prepared and approved for the wine year 2006/2007, in regions that were classified as Objective 1 regions under Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 and that are no longer eligible for funding from the Structural Funds under the Convergence objective pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006. It is difficult to differentiate, within one single financial year, between payments that are eligible for different rates of Community contribution. Therefore, it is appropriate to provide for a prolongation, for the wine year 2006/2007, of the application of Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 to Objective 1 regions.
(4) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: