Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER 1 CROP SPECIFIC PAYMENT FOR COTTON

Article 1 Amendment to Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003

Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 is hereby amended as follows:

1.

In Title IV, Chapter 10a shall be replaced by the following

‘CHAPTER 10a CROP SPECIFIC PAYMENT FOR COTTON

Article 110a Scope

Aid shall be granted to farmers producing cotton falling within CN code 5201 00 under the conditions laid down in this Chapter.

Article 110b Eligibility

1. The aid shall be granted per hectare of eligible area of cotton. In order to be eligible, the area shall be located on agricultural land authorised by the Member State for cotton production, sown under authorised varieties and actually harvested under normal growing conditions.

The aid referred to in Article 110a shall be paid for cotton of sound and fair merchantable quality.

2. Member States shall authorise the land and the varieties as referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in accordance with detailed rules and conditions adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 144(2).

Article 110c Base areas, fixed yields and reference amounts

1. The national base areas are hereby established as follows:

• Bulgaria: 3 342 ha,

• Greece: 250 000 ha,

• Spain: 48 000 ha,

• Portugal: 360 ha.

2. Fixed yields in the reference period are hereby established as follows:

• Bulgaria: 1,2 tonne/ha,

• Greece: 3,2 tonne/ha,

• Spain: 3,5 tonne/ha,

• Portugal: 2,2 tonne/ha.

3. The amount of the aid per eligible hectare is established by multiplying the yields laid down in paragraph 2 with the following reference amounts:

• Bulgaria: EUR 671,33,

• Greece: EUR 251,75,

• Spain: EUR 400,00,

• Portugal: EUR 252,73.

4. If the eligible area of cotton in a given Member State and in a given year exceeds the base area laid down in paragraph 1, the aid referred to in paragraph 3 for that Member State shall be reduced proportionately to the overrun of the base area.

5. Detailed rules for the implementation of this Article shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 144(2).

Article 110d Approved inter-branch organisations

1. For the purpose of this Chapter, an “approved inter-branch organisation” shall mean a legal entity made up of farmers producing cotton and at least one ginner, carrying out activities such as:

• helping to coordinate better the way cotton is placed on the market, particularly through research studies and market surveys,

• drawing up standard forms of contract compatible with Community rules,

• orientating production towards products that are better adapted to market needs and consumer demand, particularly in aspects of quality and consumer protection,

• updating methods and means to improve product quality,

• developing marketing strategies to promote cotton via quality certification schemes.

2. The Member State in whose territory the ginners are established shall approve inter-branch organisations that respect criteria to be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 144(2).

Article 110e Payment of aid

1. Farmers shall be granted the aid per eligible hectare pursuant to Article 110c.

2. Farmers who are members of an approved inter-branch organisation shall be granted an aid per eligible hectare, within the base area laid down in Article 110c(1), increased by an amount of EUR 2.’;

2.

in Article 156(2)(g) shall be replaced by the following:

‘(g)

Title IV, Chapter 10a, shall apply as from 1 January 2009 for the cotton sown as from that date.’.