Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2004 No. 59

FOOD

Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Made

24th February 2004

Coming into operation

1st April 2004

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, being a Department designated(1) for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(2) in relation to the common agricultural policy of the European Community, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by virtue of the said section 2(2), and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 and shall come into operation on 1st April 2004.

Application

2.—(1) These Regulations shall apply in relation to producers, purchasers and other relevant persons in relation to whom the Department is the relevant competent authority.

(2) In this regulation –

“the Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; and

“relevant competent authority” has the meaning given to it by regulation 3 of the Dairy Produce Quotas (General Provisions) Regulations 2002(3).

Interpretation

3.—(1) In these Regulations, “the principal Regulations” means the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002(4).

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(5) shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Amendment of the principal Regulations

4.  The principal Regulations shall be amended in accordance with regulations 5 to 18.

5.  In regulation 3(1) (interpretation) –

(a) for the definition of “the Council Regulation” there shall be substituted the following definition –

““the Council Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003 establishing a levy in the milk and milk products sector(6);”;

(b) for the definition of “Scottish Islands area” there shall be substituted the following definition –

““Scottish Islands area” means either one of –

(a)

the islands of Orkney except for the island of Stronsay; or

(b)

the islands of Jura, Gigha, Arran, Bute, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae, the Kintyre peninsula south of Tarbert and the areas of land comprising those parts of the parishes of Dunoon and Kilmun and of Inverchaolain in the Argyll and Bute District shown bounded by a red line on a map marked “Map referred to in sub-paragraph (b) of the definition of Scottish Islands area in regulation 3 of the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 2002, as amended by regulation 5(b) of the Dairy Produce Quotas (Amendment) Regulations 2004”, dated 2nd February 2004, signed on behalf of the Secretary of State and deposited at the offices of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR;”.

6.  For regulation 4 (Scottish Islands areas) there shall be substituted the following regulation –

“Scottish Islands areas

4.— (1) Quota registered to direct sales quota holders and wholesale quota holders within a Scottish Islands area may be used by producers and purchasers only against direct sales or wholesale deliveries of milk produced within that Scottish Islands area.

(2) Where a direct sales quota holder or wholesale quota holder has a part of his dairy enterprise outside a Scottish Islands area, he shall be treated for the purposes of this regulation as a direct sales quota holder or wholesale quota holder within a Scottish Islands area if he has 50 per cent or more of his dairy enterprise within that area.

(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the reallocation of quota undertaken in accordance with Schedule 2.

(4) In this regulation –

(a) “direct sales quota holder” means a person in whose name direct sales quota is registered;

(b) “wholesale quota holder” means a person in whose name wholesale quota is registered.”.

7.  In regulation 8 (transfer of quota with transfer of land) –

(a) in paragraph (1)(a)(i), for the words “in the case of a transfer made by lease before 1st March” there shall be substituted the words “in the case of a transfer made by lease”; and

(b) in paragraph (1)(a)(ii), the words “made by lease on any date during March or” shall be deleted.

8.  For regulation 12 (transfer of quota without transfer of land) there shall be substituted the following regulation –

“Transfer of quota without transfer of land

12.— (1) This regulation applies where the competent authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have jointly determined, in accordance with paragraphs (1)(e) and (2) of Article 18 of the Council Regulation, that within each United Kingdom quota region transfer of quota without transfer of the corresponding land is authorised.

(2) A transferee of quota for whom the Department is the relevant competent authority shall submit a notice of any such transfer within the general quota region in such form as the Department may reasonably require to reach the Department no later than 31st March in the quota year in which the transfer takes place.

(3) The notice referred to in paragraph (2) shall include –

(a) statements by the transferor and transferee that they have agreed to the transfer of quota, stating the amounts of used and unused quota transferred;

(b) a consent or sole interest notice given by the transferor in respect of the entirety of the holding from which the quota is to be transferred; and

(c) a statement by the transferee that he is a producer.

(4) Where the Department has received a notice pursuant to paragraph (2), it may require that the transferor or transferee shall produce such other information relating to the transfer, and within such time, as the Department may reasonably determine.

(5) In this regulation, –

(a) “competent authority” has the meaning given to it by regulation 2 of the General Provisions Regulations;

(b) “general quota region” means the United Kingdom other than the Scottish Islands areas;

(c) “United Kingdom quota region” means a Scottish Islands area or the general quota region.”.

9.  In regulation 17 (conversion of quota) in paragraph (3)(b), for the words “14th May in any year” there shall be substituted the words “14th May in the year”.

10.  In regulation 21 (payment of levy) in paragraph (4), for the words “following the adjustment of that quota” there shall be substituted the words “following adjustment of the quantity delivered”.

11.  In regulation 23 (registers to be prepared and maintained by the Department) in paragraph (1)(b)(ii) and (2)(b)(ii), in each case the words “or, where there is more than one such address, each such address and his principal trading address” shall be deleted.

12.  For regulation 23(6) (direct sellers and producers for the purposes of registers prepared and maintained by the Department) there shall be substituted the following paragraph –

“(6) Notwithstanding that a person no longer produces and markets milk and for that reason is not a direct seller or producer, he shall remain registered under paragraph (1) or (2) and, for the purposes of this regulation and regulations 24(a), 26 and 28(1), continue to be regarded as a direct seller or producer, as the case may be, until the quota allocated or issued to him has been transferred or has been withdrawn under Article 15 of the Council Regulation.”.

13.  In regulation 26(2) (registration obligation of producers holding wholesale quota) there shall be deleted the words “(within the extended meaning conferred by regulation 23(6))”.

14.  For regulation 31(3) (administrative penalties for failure by purchasers to submit accurate summaries or revised summaries) there shall be substituted the following paragraph –

“(3) Where a purchaser fails to submit to the Department pursuant to regulation 22(1) or (2) a summary or revised summary, as the case may be, of producers' statements which is accurate, and thereby causes an overstatement or an understatement by him of deliveries made to him, he shall be liable to pay to the Department a penalty equivalent to the theoretical amount of levy due on 0.5 per cent of the quantity by volume of milk which comprises the overstatement or understatement.”.

15.  For regulation 31(5) (administrative penalties for submission by direct sellers of incorrect declarations) there shall be substituted the following paragraph –

“(5) For the purposes of the third sub-paragraph of Article 6(3) of the Commission Regulation (which requires Member States to impose proportionate penalties where producers submit incorrect declarations), and subject to the provisions of Article 6(5) of that Regulation (which confers a discretion on Member States not to impose penalties in certain circumstances) and paragraph (6), where a direct seller submits an annual declaration which overstates or understates the volume of direct sales for the quota year covered by that declaration, he shall be liable to pay to the Department –

(a) in the case of an overstatement, a penalty equivalent to the theoretical amount of levy due on 0.5 per cent of the quantity by volume of milk which comprises the overstatement;

(b) in the case of an understatement, a penalty equivalent to the theoretical amount of levy due on 0.5 per cent of the quantity by volume of milk which comprises the understatement, except in any case where, for the quota year covered by the declaration, he is liable to pay to the Department levy which exceeds that amount.”.

16.  For regulation 33 (confiscation and restoration of quota) there shall be substituted the following regulation –

“Confiscation and restoration of quota

33.— (1) On or before 14th May following the end of each quota year, each purchaser shall supply to the Department a list of those wholesale quota holders registered with that purchaser (whether for the whole or part of the quota year) who have not made deliveries to that purchaser during that year.

(2) Pursuant to Article 15 of the Council Regulation (which concerns the confiscation and restoration of quota), the Department shall notify –

(a) any wholesale quota holder or direct sales quota holder who, from information available to the Department, appears to have made neither deliveries nor direct sales during the previous quota year, or

(b) any direct sales quota holder who, in contravention of Article 6 of the Commission Regulation, has failed to submit to the Department a declaration within 30 days of service of a notice by the Department in accordance with Article 6(4) of that Regulation,

that his quota has been taken into the national reserve.

(3) Any quota withdrawn pursuant to Article 15 of the Council Regulation shall be placed in the national reserve with effect from the beginning of the quota year following –

(a) the quota year for which the list referred to in paragraph (1) was supplied,

(b) the quota year to which the declaration indicating no direct sales were made relates, or

(c) the quota year for which no declaration was submitted,

as the case may be.

(4) A wholesale quota holder or direct sales quota holder who receives a notification of confiscation under paragraph (2) shall within 28 days of receipt of that notification notify any person with an interest in the land comprised in the holding of the content of that notification.

(5) Subject to the second sub-paragraph of Article 15(1) of the Council Regulation (which specifies the time limit for quota restoration) and to paragraphs (6) and (7), a person whose quota has, pursuant to Article 15(1), been taken into the national reserve may request the Department to restore to him the quota in respect of the holding from which it was confiscated or in respect of part of that holding provided that –

(a) he is a producer;

(b) the Department receives the request by the end of the quota year to which the request relates; and

(c) in the case of confiscation of quota notified by virtue of paragraph (2)(b), the Department has received the required declaration from him by the end of the quota year preceding the quota year in which the quota is to be restored.

(6) Where there is a change of occupation of all or part of the holding to which the quota relates, the new occupier may, in accordance with paragraph (5), request the Department to restore to him the quota relating to that holding or part holding, provided that the request is received by the Department before expiry of the time limit for quota restoration specified by the second sub-paragraph of Article 15(1) of the Council Regulation.

(7) A request for restoration of quota to part of a holding made under paragraph (5) or, following a change of occupation of part of a holding, under paragraph (6) shall include –

(a) a statement of the agreed apportionment of quota taking account of the areas used for milk production, signed by every person with an interest in the land comprised in the holding; or

(b) a statement requesting apportionment of the quota in accordance with an arbitration under paragraphs 1, 2, 3(5), 5(2), 6 and 8 to 19 of Schedule 1.

(8) Where quota is restored to part of a holding in accordance with a request made under paragraph (5), or following a change of occupation of part of a holding pursuant to paragraph (6), the amount of quota to be restored to that part shall be determined in accordance with the apportionment referred to in paragraph (7)(a) or (b).

(9) In this regulation –

(a) “direct sales quota holder” means a person in whose name direct sales quota is registered;

(b) “wholesale quota holder” means a person in whose name wholesale quota is registered.”.

17.  In Schedule 1 –

(a) in paragraph 3(5), for the words “regulation 33(5)(b)(iii)” there shall be substituted the words “regulation 33(7)(b)”;

(b) in paragraph 12(2), for the words “regulation 33(5)(b)(iii)” there shall be substituted the words “regulation 33(7)(b)”; and

(c) in paragraph 12(2), for the words “regulation 33(5)(b)(ii)” there shall be substituted the words “regulation 33(7)(a)”.

18.  For the references in the principal Regulations to the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3950/92(7) specified in column 1 of the Schedule, there shall be substituted the references to the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003 specified in relation thereto in column 2.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 24th February 2004.

L.S.

Liam McKibben

A senior officer of the

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

regulation 18

SCHEDULE Amendment of references to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3950/92

Column 1	Column 2
References to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3950/92	Substituted references to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003
Article 9(g), in the definition of “delivery” in regulation 3	Article 5(f)
Article 9(h), in the definition of “direct sale” in regulation 3	Article 5(g)
Article 9(d), in the definition of “holding” in regulation 3	Article 5(d)
Article 9(c), in the definition of “producer” in regulation 3	Article 5(c)
Article 9(e), in the definition of “purchaser” in regulation 3	Article 5(e)
Article 1, in the definition of “quota year” in regulation 3	Article 1(1)
Article 2(1), in regulation 5	Article 10(3)
Second sub-paragraph of Article 2(2), in regulation 7(2)	Article 11(2)
Article 7, in regulation 8(1)	Article 17
Article 6, in regulation 14(1)	Article 16
Article 2(1), in regulation 15(1)	Article 10(3)
Article 4(2), in regulation 17(1)	Article 6(2) and (5)
Second sub-paragraph of Article 2(2), in regulation 17(1)	Article 11(2)
Article 4(2), in regulation 17(2)(b)	Article 6(2) and (5)
Article 2(1), in regulation 19	Article 10(3)
Article 2(3), in regulation 21(2)	Article 12(4)
Article 2(2), in regulation 21(2)	Article 11(1)
Third sub-paragraph of Article 2(2), in regulation 21(4)	Article 11(3)
Article 3(2), in regulation 28(2)	Article 1(3) and Annex I
Article 1, in Schedule 2 paragraphs 9, 17 and 19	In each case, Article 2

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations come into operation on 1st April 2004 and amend the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 88). They apply in relation to producers, purchasers and other relevant persons in relation to whom the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is “the relevant competent authority” as defined by the Dairy Produce Quotas (General Provisions) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/458), that is to say, producers, purchasers or other persons whose trading address is in Northern Ireland. The holdings of producers to whom these Regulations apply may comprise land in parts of the United Kingdom outside Northern Ireland.

The Regulations implement Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003 establishing a levy in the milk and milk products sector (O.J. No. L270, 21.10.2003, p. 123) and also the European Court’s judgment in case C-401/99 Peter Heinrich Thomsen v Amt für ländliche Räume Husum [2002] ECR I-5775. The Thomsen judgment confirmed, in relation to a lessor on expiry of a lease, that milk quota may generally be held only by a “producer” within the meaning of what is now Article 5(c) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003.

The Regulations –

(a) replace the definitions of “Council Regulation” and “Scottish Islands area” (regulation 5);

(b) continue to restrict quota held within Scottish Island areas to use within those areas (regulation 6);

(c) require a transfer of quota made by lease to be notified on or before 1st March in any quota year if it is to have effect in that year (regulation 7);

(d) remove various restrictions on the transfer of quota without land (regulation 8);

(e) maintain the registration obligations of those no longer producing and marketing milk until their quota has been transferred or withdrawn (regulations 12 and 13);

(f) extend to understatements, the administrative penalties for inaccurate summaries from purchasers and incorrect declarations from direct sellers which currently apply only to overstatements (regulations 14 and 15);

(g) revise the provisions on confiscation and restoration of quota by applying the time limit prescribed for restoration by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1788/2003, by restricting quota holding to producers, by updating the references to the Council Regulation, and by making administrative changes (regulations 16 and 17);

(h) update the remaining references to the Council Regulation (regulation 18 and the Schedule);

(i) make further minor amendments (regulations 9, 10 and 11).

The map referred to in the definition of “Scottish Islands area” is held at the offices of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. A copy of the map is available for inspection at the offices of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB.

(1)

S.I. 2000/2812

(2)

1972 c. 68

(3)

S.I. 2002/458

(4)

S.R. 2002 No. 88

(5)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)

(6)

O.J. No. L270, 21.10.2003, p. 123

(7)

O.J. No. L405, 31.12.92, p. 1