8.7.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 17227 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1489/1999 of 7 July 1999 relating to a standing invitation to tender to determine levies and/or refunds on exports of white sugar for the 1999/2000 marketing year and amending Regulation (EC) No 1574/98 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1785/81 of 30 June 1981 on the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector ('), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1148/98 (), and in particular Article 13(2), Article 17(5) and (15), Article 20(3) and the second paragraph of Article 39 thereof, (1)  Whereas, in view of the situation on the Community and world sugar markets, a standing invitation to tender should be issued as soon as possible for the export of white sugar in respect of the 1999/2000 marketing year which, having regard to possible fluctuations in world prices for sugar, must provide for the determination of export levies andfor export refunds; (2)  Whereas the general rules governing invitations to tender for the purpose of determining export refunds for sugar were established by Article 17a of Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81; (3) Whereas, in view of the specific nature of the operation, appropriate provisions should be laid down with regard to export licences issued in connection with the standing invitation to tender and there should be a derogation from Commission Regulation (EC) No 1464/95 of 27 June 1995 on special detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences in the sugar sector (*); as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1148/ 98, whereas, however, Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3719/88 of 16 November 1988 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the system of import and export licences and advance fixing certificates for agricultural products (¥, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1127/99 (%), and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 120/89 of 19 January 1989 laying down common detailed rules for the application of the export levies and charges on agricultural products (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2194/96 (), should continue to apply; (4)  Whereas the standing invitation to tender for the 1998/ 99 marketing year established by Commission Regula- tion (EC) No 1574/98 (%), provides for derogations from the deadline for submitting tenders; whereas the deadline for submission of tenders on 21 July 1999, the Belgian 177, 1 159, 3 144, 2 331, 2.12. .1 135, 29.5.1999, p. 48. 16, 20.1.1989, p. 19. 293, 16.11.1996, p. 3. 206, 23.7.1998, p. 7. V@bww LLeeeerece |l onill onlll anll el anll el o ) national holiday when the Commission's offices in Belgium will be closed, should be brought forward to 20 July; whereas, since the tendering procedure is to remain open until a date to be determined, the closing date should be fixed; (5)  Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Sugar, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. A standing invitation to tender shall be issued in order to determine export levies and/or export refunds on white sugar covered by CN code 1701 99 10 and, during the period of validity of this standing invitation, partial invitations to tender shall be issued. 2. The standing invitation to tender shall remain open until a date to be determined later. Article 2 The standing invitation to tender and the partial invitation shall be conducted in accordance with Article 17a of Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81 and with the following provisions. Article 3 1. The Member States shall establish a notice of invitation to tender. The notice of invitation to tender shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Member States may also publish the notice, or have it published, elsewhere. 2. The notice shall indicate, in particular, the terms of the invitation to tender. 3. The notice may be amended during the period of validity of the standing invitation to tender. It shall be so amended if the terms of the invitation to tender are modified during that period. Atrticle 4 1. The period during which tenders may be submitted in response to the first partial invitation to tender: (a) shall begin on 29 July 1999; (b) shall end on 4 August 1999 at 10.30 a.m.