8. 5.9 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 116/1 I (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1152/90 of 27 April 1990 instituting a system of aid in favour of small cotton producers THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1964/87 of 2 July 1987 adjusting the system of aid ‘for cotton introduced by Protocol 4 annexed to the Act of Accession of Greece ('), and in particular Article 3 (2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parli- ament (3, Having regard to- the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), ‘ Whereas the system of aid for cotton introduced in Protocol 4, as adapted by Regulation (EEC) No 1964/87, provides that the aid for cotton is to be reduced where production exceeds the maximum guaranteed quantity fixed for the marketing year concerned; whereas these arrangements for reducing the aid- have resulted in past marketing years, in falls in the income of agricultural producers and in particular of those growing cotton on a small area; whereas, in order to alleviate the effects of these. falls on the latter category of producers, - their income should be supported through the grant of flat-rate aid per hectare; Whereas the aid for small cotton producers should -be fixed at a level enabling the additional cost of manual harvesting to be offset; Whereas - expenditure on the system - of aid for small producers must not exceed a given ceiling ; whereas, to that end, a maximum guaranteed area any .overrun-in which results in a reduction in the aid should be deter- mined ; whereas that maximum guaranteed area is to be equal to the average areas sown by small producers in 1987 and 1988 ;- Whereas, with a view to sound administration; a defini- tion of small producers should be laid down ;- () OJ No L 184, 3. 7. 1987, p. 14. @ OJ No C 96, 17. 4. 1990. () OJ No C 112, 7. 5. 1990. Whereas, in order to facilitate the implementation of the provisions contemplated, provision should be made for a procedure establishing close cooperation -between the Member States and .the Commission within a manage- ment committee ; Whereas, in accordance with Article 3 (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1964/87, the Council is to decide on any adjustments to the system of aid instituted by Protocol 4 before the 1992/93 marketing year ; whereas, pending that decision, the duration of the system of aid introduced by this- Regulation should apply to the end of the 1991/92 marketing year only, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 A system of aid in favour of small cotton producers is hereby instituted.- Article 2 The system of aid provided for in Article 1 shall be appli- cable in the 1989/90, 1990/91 and 1991/92 marketing years. Article 3 1. The aid provided for under this Regulation shall be ECU 250 per hectare of area sown and harvested in each of the three marketing years. However, where areas given over to cotton by small producers as referred to in Article - 4 exceed 2 Community maximum guaranteed area, the aid -shall be reduced for. the marketing year in question depending on the overrun recorded. 2. The Community maximum guaranteed area referred to in paragraph 1 shall be determined for the three marketing years concerned in accordance with the proce-