L 119/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 20.5.2000 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1069/2000 of 19 May 2000 laying down detailed rules governing the grant of private storage aid for Pecorino Romano cheese THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (7)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (!), and in particular Article 10 thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 permits the granting of private storage aid for sheep's milk cheeses requiring at least six months for maturing where a serious market imbalance could be eliminated or reduced by seasonal storage. (2)  The seasonal nature of Pecorino Romano cheese produc- tion results in the building up of stocks which are difficult to sell and which risk causing a lowering of prices. Seasonal storage should therefore be introduced for the quantities to improve the situation and allow producers time to find outlets for their cheese. (3)  The detailed rules of this measure should determine the maximum quantity to benefit from it as well as the duration of the contracts in relation to the real require- ments of the market and the keeping qualities of the cheeses in question. It is necessary to specify the terms of the storage contract so as to enable the identification of the cheese and to maintain checks on the stock in respect of which aid is granted. The aid should be fixed taking into account storage costs and the foreseeable trend of market prices. (4)  Article 1(1) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1756/ 93 of 30 June 1993 fixing the operative events for the agricultural conversion rate applicable to milk and milk products (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 569/1999 (), fixes the conversion rate to be applied in the framework of private storage aid schemes in the milk products sector. (5)  Experience shows that provisions on checks should be laid down, particularly as regards the documents to be submitted and checks to be made on the spot. Therefore, it should be provided that Member States require the costs of checks be fully or partly borne by the contractor. (6) It is appropriate to guarantee the continuation of the storage operations in question. 0] L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. () O] L 161, 2.7.1993, p. 48. () O] L 70, 17.3.1999, p. 12. accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Milk and Milk Products, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Aid shall be granted in respect of the private storage of 15 000 tonnes of Pecorino Romano cheese manufactured in the Community and satisfying the requirements of Articles 2 and 3. Article 2 1. The intervention agency shall conclude storage contracts only when the following conditions are met: (a) the quantity of cheese to which the contract relates is not less than 2 tonnes; (b) the cheese was manufactured at least 90 days before the date specified in the contract as being the date of commencement of storage, and after 1 October 1999; (c) the cheese has undergone tests which show that it meets the condition laid down in (b) and that it is of first quality; (d) the storer undertakes: — not, during the term of the contract, to alter the composition of the batch which is the subject of the contract without authorisation from the intervention agency. If the condition concerning the minimum quantity fixed for each batch continues to be met, the intervention agency may authorise an alteration which is limited to the removal or replacement of cheeses which are found to have deteriorated to such an extent that they can no longer be stored. In the event of release from store of certain quantities: (i) if the aforesaid quantities are replaced with the authorisation of the intervention agency, the contract is deemed not to have undergone any alteration; (ii) if the aforesaid quantities are not replaced, the contract is deemed to have been concluded ab initio for the quantity permanently retained. Any supervisory costs arising from an alteration shall be met by the storer, — to keep stock accounts and to inform the intervention agency each week of the quantity of cheese put into storage during the previous week and of any planned withdrawals.