20. 2. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 47/11 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 468/88 of 17 February 1988 opening an invitation to tender for the levy reduction on sorghum imported from third countries THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87 of 25 June 1987 on special arrangements for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain from 1987 to 1990 ('), and in particular Article 3 (2) and (8) thereof, Whereas as part of an agreement with the United States of America the Community has undertaken for the years 1987 to 1990 to import a certain quantity of sorghum into Spain ; whereas so this commitment can be met, and in order to encourage the import before 30 June 1988 of the specified quantities, full use should be made of the provision in Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87 for setting the import levy reduction on the product in question by tender ; whereas to that end provision should be made for the Commission, on the basis of tenders received, to fix a reduction for a given quantity and for tenderers who accept the conditions so fixed to be awarded contracts ; Whereas, pursuant to Article 3 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1799/87, the levy reduction is to be applied to maize imported into Spain under cover of a licence valid in that Member State alone; Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 486/85 of 26 February 1985 on the arrangemets applicable to agricul- tural products and certain goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States or in the overseas countries and territories (%), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1821/87 (®), reduces the levy on sorghum by 50 % ; whereas accumulation of that reduction with the reduction provided for in this Regulation would result in disturbance to the Spanish cereals market; whereas for the sake of the satisfactory functioning of the tendering procedure such accumulation should therefore be excluded ; Whereas the specific additional rules required for admi- nistering the tendering procedure should be laid down, in particular rules on the lodging by operators and release of - the security against fulfilment of their obligations, in () OJ No L 170, 30. 6. 1987, p. 1. () O] No L 61, 1. 3. 1985, p. 4. () OJ No L 172, 30. 6. 1987, p. 102. particular the obligation to process or use the imported product in Spain ; Whereas the Management Committee for Cereals has not issued an opinion within the time limit set by its chairman, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 1. A tendering procedure is hereby opened for the reduction in the import levy on sorghum to be imported into Spain. 2. Levies reduced as a result of operating this proce- dure shall not be reduced as provided for in Article 9 (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 486/85. 3.  The invitation shall be open until 26 February 1988. During that period weekly invitations shall be issued with quantities and closing dates as shown in the notice of invitation to tender. : Article 2 1. Tenders shall be lodged in writing with the com- petent authority against a receipt or sent to that authority by telex or telegram. 2. Tenders shall indicate : — the weekly invitation in response to which they are made, — the name and exact address of the tenderer, with telex or telephone number, — the nature and quantity of the product to be imported, — the import levy reduction proposed, in ECU per tonne, — the origin of the sorghum to be imported. 3. Tenders shall be valid only if: (a) evidence, provided before expiry of the time limit for submission that the tenderer has lodged a security for an amount per tonne equal to that of the reduction proposed in the tender;