2..12. 92 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 351/17 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 3478/92 of 1 December 1992 layin down detailed rules for the application of the premium system for raw tobacco ’ THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco ('), an in particular Article 7 thereof, Having regard to 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 argicultural policy (%, as last amended by Regu- lation (EEC) No 2205/90 (%), and in particular Article 5 (3) thereof, Whereas the recognized production areas should be fixed for each group of varieties of tabacco on the basis of the traditional production areas for the purposes of grantin the premium; whereas Member States should be permitted to limit those areas in order, in particular, to improve quality ; Whereas the points which must be included in cultivation contracts must be specified ; whereas contracts must be limited to one harvest so that account can be taken of future changes in quotas ; whereas sufficiently early final dates for the conclusion and registration of contracts should be fixed to enable them to guarantee, from the very beginning of the year of harvest, both stable outlets to producers for the coming harvest and regular supplies to processors ; Whereas, when a cultivation contract is concluded with a group of producers, the essential details of each individual producer must also be notified to permit effective mana- gement and control ; Whereas raw tobacco eligible for the premium must be of sound and fair merchantable quality and free of certain characteristics which prevent normal marketing ; Whereas provision should be made for the settlement of disputes, if any, through joint bodies ; Whereas premiums are to be paid for the quantity of leaf tobacco delivered by producers to processors irrespective of variations in quality, provided that the minimum quality requirements are fulfilled ; whereas, however, the () OJ No L 215, 30. 7. 1992, p. 70. () OJ No L 164, 24. 6. 1985, p. 1. () OJ No L 201, 31. 7. 1992, p. 9. premium should be adjusted where the moisture content of tobacco delivered differs by up to 3 % from the mois- ture content to be fixed for each group of varieties on the basis of reasonable quality requirements ; ~ Whereas the period of delivery of the tobacco to proces- sors should be limited in order to prevent fraudulent carry-over from one harvest to antoher; Whereas the conditions ogverning the payment of premiums and pruchase prices should be laid down in order to prevent fraud ; whereas, however, it is the respon- sibility of the Member States to determine further mana- gement and control arrangements pursuant to Article 20 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92; Whereas the premiums must permit Community tobacco producers to dispose of their production under satisfactory conditions of competition compared with imported tobacco, account being taken of Community production costs ; whereas provision should be made whereby the premium, expessed in national currency, shall be identical for all producers concerned who deliver their tobacco to processors over a given period of time, by applying the conversion rate applicable at the beginning of the said marketing period ; Whereas premiums may be paid only after a full and final check on all deliveries from the harvest, to guarantee that the operations concerned have actually been carried out and that the quota arrangements have been complied with ; whereas, however, the payment of advances to processors on the amounts they are to pay to producers should be provided for on condition that an adequate security is lodged ; Whereas special conditions should be laid down gover- ning the processing of tobacco in Member States other than the Member State in which it has been produced ; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Tobacco, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Production areas Article 1 1. For each group of varieties, the production areas referred to in Article 5 (a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 shall be as laid down in Annex 1 hereto.