PURPOSE : to prolong the derogation from the additional levy in the milk and milk products sector regarding the Azores.
LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Regulation 55/2004/EC amending Regulation 1453/2001/EC introducing specific measures for certain agricultural products for the Azores and Madeira and repealing Regulation 1600/92EEC (Poseima) with respect to the application of the supplementary levy in the milk and milk products sector in the Azores.
CONTENT : Article 23 of Council Regulation 1453/2001 introduced for a period of four marketing years beginning in 1999/2000 a derogation from certain provisions of Regulation 3950/92/EEC establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector as regards the Azores. Regulation 1782/2003/EC has amended Article 23 of Regulation 1453/2001/EC in order to extend this period to six marketing years and has fixed the amounts of that extension. However, restructuring of the milk sector in the Azores has not yet been achieved. In order to take account of the high level of dependence on milk production in the Azores, combined with other handicaps linked to their outermost location and the absence of viable alternative production, the relevant period is extended and the amounts of this further extension fixed.
This measure is restricted to milk producers in the Azores. Over the period of its application, this measure should enable the sector in the Azores to continue being restructured without interfering with the milk market and without appreciably affecting the sound working of the levy scheme at the Portuguese or Community level.
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 17/01/04. The regulation is applicable from 01/04/03.�