8. 6. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 144/31 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 1558/91 ’ of 7 June 1991 " laying down detailed rules for the application of the system of production aid for products processed from fruit and vegetables THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC).No 426/86 of 24 February 1986 on the common organization of the market in products processed from fruit and vegetables ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2201/90 (3, and in particular Articles 3 (4), 5 (5) and 6 (a) (5) thereof, Whereas Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1599/84 of § June 1984 laying down detailed rules for the application of the system of production aid for products processed from fruit and vegetables (®), as last amended by Regula- tion (EEC) No 396/90 (), has frequently been amended ; whereas, in the interests of clarity, and on the occasion of further amendments, the rules in question should be consolidated ; Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 426/86 introduced a sytem of production aid in respect of the products listed in Annex 1 A thereto which are obtained from fruit and vegetables harvested in the Community ; Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 1206/90 (%), as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2202/90 (%), laid down general rules for the system of production aid for products processed from fruit and vegetables ; Whereas in order to ensure uniform application of the system the products which may attract aid should be defined ; Whereas to facilitate the functioning of the system each processor wishing to benefit from the aid system should be known to the authorities ; whereas processors should communicate to the authorities the particulars necessary to ensure the correct functioning of the system; Whereas the production aid system is based on contracts between producers and processors ; whereas the particu- () OJ No L 49, 27. 2. 1986, p. 1. () OJ No L 201, 31. 7. 1990, p. 1. () OJ No L 152, 8. 6. 1984, p. 16. () OJ No L 42, 16. 2. 1990, p. 47. % OJ No L 119, 11. 5. 1990, p. 74. () OJ No L 201, 31. 7. 1990, p. 4. lars to be included in the contracts should be specified for the purposes of applying the aid system; Whereas in order to ensure regular supplies to processors, such contracts should be concluded before a certain date ; whereas, however, in order to ensure maximum effective- ness for this arrangement, contracting parties should be allowed to increase, by way of endorsement and within a certain limit, the quantities initially contracted for; Whereas the tomato harvest depends on the size of the annual planting and can vary substantially from year to year ; whereas the quantities available for processing may as a result be subject to fluctuation ; whereas to encourage producers to recognize the actual needs of the industry and to regulate their plantings accordingly, a system of preliminary contracts should be provided for; whereas such contracts should be concluded before the planting period so that only such quantities as may later be disposed of for processing are planted; Whereas, under Article 5 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1676/85 of 11 June 1985 on the value of the unit of account and the conversion rates to be applied for the purposes of the common agricultural policy (), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2205/90 (*), the opera- tive event is considered to be the event whereby the economic objective of the operation is attained ; whereas the event whereby production aid for processing products becomes due and payable occurs when processing is carried out; whereas, since processing contracts may be for a period of several months, it is difficult to determine the exact date on which each lot was processed ; whereas, therefore, in order to ensure uniform application of the system of production aid, the conversion rate applicable at the beginning of the marketing year for each product should be used for calculating the amounts in national currency ; ’ Whereas, because of the connection between production aid and the minimum price payable to the producer, the conversion rate to be applied to that price should be the same as that applicable for production aid; Whereas the number of appliéations for aid to be submitted by the processors must be determined accor- ding to the processing pattern ; whereas aid applications ~ must include all particulars necessary for calculating the amount of aid to be paid to the processors ; whereas, with () OJ No L 164, 24. 6. 1985, p. 1. () OJ No L 201, 31. 7. 1990, p. 9.