L 26/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 2.2.2000 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 251/2000 of 1 February 2000 laying down detailed rules of application for the importation of olive oil originating in Tunisia THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (5)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2798/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down general rules for the import of olive oil originating in Tunisia for the period 1 January to 31 December 2000 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 906/98 ('), and in particular Article 1 thereof, Whereas: (1)  Pursuant to Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2798/1999, the arrangements for opening and managing the quota for imports of olive oil originating in Tunisia should be laid down. The current and foreseeable situation regarding the supply of olive oil to the Community market permits the planned quantity to be disposed of. The risk of disturbing the market is reduced provided imports are not concentrated in a short period of the 1999/2000 marketing year. Provision should be made for import licences to be issued during that marketing year according to a monthly schedule. (2)  For the sound management of the quantity in question, a mechanism must be created that encourages the opera- tors to return immediately to the issuing agency licences that they will not use. It is also necessary to create a mechanism encouraging the operators to return the licences to the issuing agency after their date of expiry so that the unused quantities can be reused and so that the Commission is aware of them. (3)  Oil imported from Tunisia may not exceed a given quantity. Therefore, the tolerance provided for in Article 8 of 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 1127/1999 (%), should not be applied. (4)  The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an asso- ciation between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tunisia, of the other part (*, no longer provides for special arrangements for the importation of olive oil falling within CN codes 1509 and 1510 wholly obtained in Tunisia and imported into the Community direct from that country outside the quota of 46 000 tonnes at a reduced rate of duty. () O] L 340, 31.12.1999, p. 1. () O] L 331, 2.12.1988, p. 1. () O] L 135, 29.5.1999, p. 48. (% O] L 97, 30.3.1998, p. 2. accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for QOil and Fats, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. Untreated olive oil falling within CN codes 1509 10 10 and 1509 10 90, wholly obtained in Tunisia and transported direct from that country to the Community, which qualifies for the customs duty laid down in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2798/1999 may be imported from 1 March of the 1999/2000 marketing year. Import licences shall be issued for up to 46 000 tonnes for the 1999/2000 marketing year. 2. For 1999/2000, without prejudice to the limit of 46 000 tonnes laid down for the tariff quota bearing the serial number 09.4032, licences may be issued in accordance with the condi- tions laid down in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 2798/1999 for up to 10 000 tonnes per month. However, this quantity shall be reduced to 5 000 tonnes for March and 8 000 tonnes for April. If the quantity authorised for one month is not used entirely during the month in question, the remainder shall be added to the quantity for the following month, but may not be carried over thereafter. 3. For the purposes of calculating the quantity authorised each month, where a week begins in one month and finishes in the following month, it must be considered part of the month in which the Thursday falls. Article 2 1. With a view to applying the customs duty referred to in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 27981999, importers must submit an import licence application to the competent authori- ties of the Member States. Such applications must be accompa- nied by a copy of the purchase contract concluded with the Tunisian exporter. 2. Import licence applications must be submitted on Mondays and Tuesdays of each week. Member States shall notify the Commission every Wednesday of the data in the licence applications received. However, no applications may be submitted from November to the following February, inclusive. 3. Each week the Commission shall draw up a total of the quantities for which import licences have been submitted. It shall authorise the Member States to issue licences until the monthly quota is exhausted; where there is a risk of the monthly quota being exhausted, the Commission shall authorise the Member States to issue import licences in propor- tion to the quantity available.