24. 12. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 356/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 3763/91 of 16 December 1991 introducing specifié measures in respect of certain agricultural products for the benefit of the French overseas departments THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (%), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3). Whereas, by Decision 89/687/EEC(*), the Council adopted a programme of options specific to the remote and insular nature of the French overseas departments (Poseidom) in accordance with the Community’s policy of assistance for the remoter regions; whereas the . programme provides for measures to improve the condi- tions under which the agricultural products of the depart- ments are produced and marketed ; Whereas the exceptional geographical situation of the French overseas departments, hereafter referred to as the FOD, in relation to the sources of supply of products used as inputs for the manufacture of certain essential food- stuffs imposes costs which constitute a severe handicap to the sectors concerned ; whereas this is true particularly in the case of the supply of cereals, which are not and cannot be produced in the said departments, rendering them dependent on external sources of supply; whereas this natural handicap can be remedied by arranging for supplies on more favourable terms ; whereas this may be achieved by exemption from the levy on cereals imported into the said departments ; () OJ No C 149, 8. 6. 1991, p. 6. (3 OJ No C 326, 13. 12. 1991. 8 Opinion delivered on 30 October 1991 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ No L 399, 30. 12. 1989, p. 39. Whereas, in the interests of regional cooperation, pref- erence should be given to imports into the FOD of cereals from the overseas countries and territories, the African, Caribbean and Pacific States, hereafter referred to as ‘ACP States’ and other developing countries ; whereas, however, in the event of difficulty, the levy exemption arrangements may also, exceptionally, be applied to imports of cereals from other third countries ; Whereas, to maintain the competitiveness of cereals of Community origin on the supply of the FOD, both in order to achieve the Poseidom objective of reducing prices by promoting competition between sources of supply and to prevent disruption of traditional trade flows, provision should be made for the sale to those depart- ments, on terms equivalent to exemption from the levy, based on the prices applied to exports to third countries, of products bought into intervention and, where appro- priate, cereals available on the Community market; Whereas, taking into account their objective, the import arrangements introduced for the FOD should reduce production costs and consumer prices; whereas their actual impact should therefore be monitored ; Whereas traditional livestock farming activities should be supported in order to meet local consumption needs; whereas this objective may be pursued indirectly through the financing of genetic improvement programmes invol- ving the purchase of pure-bred breeding animals, through the grant of a supplementary premium for the fattening of adult male bovine animals for meat production, through aid to promote consumption of fresh milk products and through measures concerning the supply of male bovine animals for fattening; Whereas undertaking made in the course of negotiations with the ACP States concerning the importation into Réunion of wheat bran from the ACP States should be implemented ;