THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation), and in particular Article 144(1) in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 412/2008 opened an annual import tariff quota for frozen beef intended for processing for the period from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.
(2)
Recent developments on the world beef market, namely an important boost in world prices and bigger volatility due to the increase of global demand for beef, have shown that the possibility to apply for import rights only once a year may pose some commercial difficulties to processors. Processors cannot adapt their import needs to the changing market situation if they have to apply for import rights at the beginning of the annual quota period. As a consequence some of them lose the security lodged at the moment of the application for import rights.
(3)
Giving the possibility to processors to apply for import rights on a quarterly basis instead of once a year should help them to plan their imports in shorter terms and be in a better position to respond to the rapid changes in the world beef market.
(4)
Regulation (EC) No 412/2008 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(5)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: