26. 1. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 20/5 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 197/88 of 23 January 1988 opening an invitation to tender for the levy reduction on maize imported from third countries THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty esfablishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87 of 25 June 1987 on special arrangements for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain from 1987 to 1990 ('), and in particular Article 3 (2) and (8) thereof, Whereas as part of an agreement with the United States of America the Community has undertaken for the years 1987 to 1990 to import a certain quantity of maize into Spain ; whereas so this commitment can be met, and in order to encourage the import before 30 June 1988 of the specified quantities, full use should be made of the provi- sion in Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87 for setting the import levy reduction on the product in question by tender ; whereas to that end provision should be made for the Commission, on the basis of tenders received, to fix a reduction for a given quantity and for tenderers who accept the conditions so fixed to be awarded contracts ; Whereas, pursuant to Article 3 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87, the levy reduction is to be applied to maize imported into Spain under cover of a licence valid in that Member State alone; Whereas the specific additional rules required for administrating the tendering procedure should be laid down, in particular rules on the lodging by operators and release of the security against fulfilment of their obliga- tions, in particular the obligation to process or use the imported product in Spain ; Whereas the Management Committee for Cereals has not issued an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman, ) HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : , Article 1 1. A tendering procedure is hereby opened for the reduction in the import levy on maize to be imported into Spain. 2. The invitation shall be open until 26 February 1988. During that period weekly invitations shall be issued with quantities and closing dates as shown in the notice of invitation to tender. () OJ No L 170, 30. 6. 1987, p. 1. Article 2 1. Tenders shall be lodged in writing with the com- petent authority against a receipt or sent to that authority by telex or telegram. 2. Tenders shall indicate : — the weekly invitation in response to which they are made, — the name and exact address of the tenderer, with telex or telephone number, — the nature and quantity of the product to be imported, — the import levy reduction proposed, in ECU per tonne, — the origin of the maize to be imported. 3. Tenders shall be valid only if: (2) evidence provided before expiry of the time limit for submission that the tenderer has lodged a security for an amount per tonne equal to that of thé reduction proposed in the tender; (b) they are accompanied by a written undertaking to lodge with the competent authority within two days of receipt of notification of award as mentioned in Article 4 (3) an application for an import licence for the quantities awarded together with an application for advance fixing of the levy at the reduced rate proposed in the tender and an application for advance fixing of the Spanish monetary compensatory amount ; (c) they are for at least 300 000 tonnes. 4. Tenders not meeting the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 to 3 or incorporating terms other than those provided for in the notice of invitation to tender shall not be valid. 5. Once submitted, tenders may not be withdrawn. Article 3 1. Notwithstanding Article 21 (1) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3183/80 (%) import licences shall, for the purpose of determination of the period of validity, be deemed to have been issued on the last day of the period set for the submission of tenders. (® OJ No L 338, 13. 12. 1980, p. 1.