Commission Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 provides rules for the drawing-up, selection, implementation, financing and checking of programmes referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 3/2008.

To increase the efficiency of the scheme, trade and inter-trade organisations should be given the opportunity to submit programmes to be implemented twice a year on the internal market and in third countries. The submission and selection schedule should be adjusted in order to give another chance to programmes that have been rejected in the previous round. To ease the transition to a new submission and selection schedule, it should be provided that the schedule for the first submission of programmes in 2012 should not be affected by the schedule change.

To reduce unnecessary administrative burden, the requirement to send to the Commission a number of documents (a copy of the contract concluded with proposing organisations and proof that a performance security has been lodged; a copy of the contract signed with the implementing body; a copy of each application for an advance payment and proof that the corresponding security has been lodged; and the quarterly reports on the implementation of the contract) should be abolished except if the Commission specifically requests it.

It should be specified that messages referring to the impact on health of a product must be accepted by the national authority responsible for public health and that the material approved by a Member State should be sent to the Commission.

Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,