No L 130/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 5. 86 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 1481/86 of 15 May 1986 on 'the determination of prices of fresh or chilled lamb carcases on representative Community markets and the survey of prices of certain other qualities of sheep carcases in the Community THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80 of 27 June 1980 on common organization of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat ('), as last amended by Regula- tion (EEC) No 882/86 (), and in particular Articles 4 and 7 (4) thereof; Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80, the price recorded on the representative markets of the Community must be derived from the prices recorded on the representative market or markets of each Member State for the various categories of fresh or chilled sheep carcases after taking into account both of the rela- tive importance of each category and of the relative size of the flock in each Member State; Whereas, given the predominance of lamb, experience has shown that the determination of market prices is best achieved by reference to the market price of lamb less than 12 months old; Whereas the price recorded on the representative markets of the Community may be taken as the average of the prices of the products in question on the representative market or markets of each Member State ; whereas this average should be weighted in accordance with the coeffi- cients expressing the relative size of flock in each Member State ; Whereas the price recorded on the representative market or markets of each Member State may be taken as the weighted average of the prices which have occured in that Member State during a given period at a given marketing stage ; whereas the coefficients used for this weighting should reflect the relative quantity of each category coming on to the market; Whereas the price recorded on the market is based on the prices, excluding value added tax, of carcases, but with no deductions authorized in respect of other charges; 1 () OJ No L 183, 16. 7. 1980, p. 1. () OJ No L 82, 27. 3. 1986, p. 3. whereas market prices should be recorded in respect of the ‘carcase weight’ as defined in Commission Decision 82/9S8/EEC of 22 December 1982 laying down imple- menting provisions for the statistical surveys to be carried out by Member States on sheep and goat stocks (°); whereas, however, it should be permitted that this defini- tion be not used in the case of carcases of young lambs weighing between 9 and 16 kilograms, so that market practices, whereby whole carcases marketed with head and offals command a greater commercial value, can be taken into account; Whereas in certain Member States these prices relate to prices for live animals; whereas these prices should then be converted by means of appropriate coefficients ; whereas, however, in regions where the individual assess- ment of live animals is carried out in order to estimate carcase weight the conversion may be based on that assessment ; Whereas the representative market or markets for each Member State should be selected on the basis of expe- rience in recent years ; whereas, moreover, where there is more than one representative market in a Member State the arithmetical or, if necessary, the weighted average of quotations recorded on these markets should be taken ; Whereas the rules for the application of price reporting should be fixed; Whereas Member States may, because of veterinary or health-protection regulations, find it necessary to take measures which affect prices; whereas, in such circum- stances, it is not always suitable when recording market prices to take into account quotations which do not reflect the normal trend of the market; whereas, conse- quently, certain criteria should be laid down allowing the Commission to take account of that situation; whereas similarly, when due to exceptional circumstances or seasonality of supply price recording is impossible, certain criteria should also be laid down to take account of that situation ; Whereas the Management Committee for Sheep and Goats has not delivered an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman, () OJ No L 386, 31. 12. 1982, p. 43.