2.12.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L317/5 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2111/2003 of 1 December 2003 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 of 28 October 1996 introducing a Community aid scheme for certain producers of citrus fruits ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2699/2000 (3, and in particular Article 2(2), Article 3(4) and Article 6 thereof, Whereas: 1 ( ( ( ( ( ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 ) O ) O] ) O] ) O] ) O] ) O] In the light of experience over recent years, it is neces- sary to amend Commission Regulation (EC) No 1092/ 2001 of 30 May 2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits (°), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 350/2002 (*). In the interests of clarity and ration- ality, Regulation (EC) No 1092/2001 should be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation. The marketing years and equivalent periods for citrus fruits harvested within the Community and listed in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 should be defined with a view to applying uniformly the aid scheme established by that Regulation. The aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits is based on contracts between producer organisations recognised or granted preliminary recognition under Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (°), as last amended by Commission Regu- lation (EC) No 47/2003 (%), on the one hand, and proces- sors, on the other hand. Producer organisations may also act as processors in certain circumstances. The types and duration of contracts and the particulars to be included therein should be specified for the purposes of applying the aid scheme. Taking account of the different structural and varietal aspects of production and of the marketing conditions for fresh and processed citrus fruits observed in Member States, and in order to ensure regular supplies for processing industries and a correct monitoring of the aid scheme by the competent authorities, the minimum duration of contracts other than multiannual should be fixed at at least five complete and consecutive months of the marketing year in question. Those short-term L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 49. L 311, 12.12.2000, p. 9. L 150, 6.6.2001, p. 6. L 55, 26.2.2002, p. 20. L 297,21.11.1996, p. 1. L 7,11.1.2003, p. 64. contracts should be concluded at different dates of the marketing year in question depending on the length of time covered. To ensure proper application of the aid scheme, time periods covered by two different short- term contracts should be continuous and should not overlap with one another. For each of the products referred to in Article 1 of Regu- lation (EC) No 2202/96 contracts should be concluded before a given date, so that the producer organisations can establish their plans and guarantee processors a steady supply. To ensure that the scheme is as effective as possible, the parties to such contracts should never- theless be authorised to conclude amendments adjusting, subject to certain limits, the quantities originally stipu- lated therein. Subject to Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2202/96, and in order to allow Community producers and processors to adapt to evolving market demands and increasing international competition, a margin of discretion should be allowed to Member States as regards the fixing of the date before which contracts must be concluded. In order to improve the way the scheme operates, the competent authorities should know of all producer orga- nisations marketing the production of their members, of members of other producer organisations and of indivi- dual producers who wish to qualify under the scheme. The competent authorities should also know of the processors signing contracts with such producer organi- sations and of the processing capacity of their facilities. To this end, processors of citrus fruits wishing to partici- pate in the aid scheme should make a request to the competent authorities before a date to be determined by the latter. Due to economic and social factors, the bulk of the processing of citrus fruits harvested in the Community takes place in those Member States that have a national threshold for the product in question, as set out in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 2202/96. In order to ensure the correct implementation of the system by means of contracts concluded between producer organi- sations and processors and also guarantee supplies of finished products to consumers at reasonable prices and quality, processors of citrus fruits operating in those Member States should be approved by the competent authorities before they conclude contracts.