23.2.2000 [EN ] Official Journal of the European Communities L 50/7 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 398/2000 of 22 February 2000 amending Regulations (EC) No 659/97 and (EC) No 921/1999 as regards the calculation of the marketed quantity of producer organisations, production prices and the list of representative markets and the free distribution arrangements in the fruit and vegetables sector and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 1559/70 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to 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 Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (3, and in particular Article 10 and Article 30(7) thereof, Whereas: 1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 659/97 of 16 April 1997 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as regards inter- vention arrangements in the fruit and vegetables sector (*), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 729/ 1999 (), can usefully be amended in the light of a study evaluating food-aid programmes implemented under Commissiuon auspices. In order to bring Regulation (EC) No 659/97 into line with the other provisions in force on the common organisation of the markets, the components of marketed production of producer organisations should be altered to exclude quantities for direct sale, as these do not involve any work on the part of the producer organisations. In view of the large number of products and repres- entative markets to be included in the weekly notifica- tions of production prices, exclusive use should be made of the IDES system to ensure rapid and efficient data processing. In view of the complexity of the free distribution arrangements as shown by experience gained in recent years and in order to make monitoring more effective, the regulatory provisions and the information requested of the Member States should be simplified. The minimum intervals at which Member States must notify the Commission of the lists of approved charit- able organisations should be set. With a view to disposing of additional quantities of products withdrawn from the market through free distribution as referred to in the first and third indents of 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1. 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80. () O] L () O] L () O] L 100, 17.4.1997, p. 22. () O L 93, 8.4.1999, p. 11. (11) (12) Article 30(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96, arrange- ments should be laid down for their processing. In addi- tion, in the case of the free distribution operations referred to in the first indent mentioned above, provi- sion should be made for an invitation to tender, with the possibility of payment being made in kind to processors so as to avoid expenditure on processing. Member States should be free to choose whether or not to launch such a tender. Where appropriate, charitable organisations should notify Member States of their requirements for products processed from fresh fruit and vegetables. The successful tenderer should be the one applying for the smallest quantity of fresh product to supply a given quantity of the processed product. The quantity of the fresh product in excess of the quantity required to produce the processed product intended for free distribution should constitute the payment in kind to the tenderer. The tenderer must process this quantity also. The arrangements for meeting transport, sorting and packaging costs should be simplified and the amounts increased. In order to indicate clearly that a Community free- distribution measure is involved, the European emblem should be shown on the packaging. The list of representative markets should be updated. Errors have been found in Annexes III and IV to Regula- tion (EC) No 659/97. They should be corrected. Commission Regulation (EC) No 921/1999 of 30 April 1999 providing for special measures to distribute fruit and vegetables withdrawn from the market to people originating in Kosovo (°), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2134/1999 (%), refers to Regulation (EC) No 659/97. Those references should be updated to take account of the amendments to the Regulation referred to. Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1559/70 of 31 July 1970 laying down conditions for the supply to the animal feeding-stuffs industry of fruit and vegetables withdrawn from the market (’), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 771/95 (%), has become obsolete and should be repealed. 114, 1.5.1999, p. 46. 262, 8.10.1999, p. 3. 169, 1.8.1970, p. 55. 77, 6.4.1995, p. 9