THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007, and in particular Article 139(2) and point (g) of the first paragraph of Article 144 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
According to point (d) of the first subparagraph of Article 139(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the sugar or isoglucose produced in excess of the quota referred to in Article 136 of that Regulation may be exported only within the quantitative limit to be fixed by the Commission.
(2)
Detailed implementing rules for out-of-quota exports, in particular concerning the issue of export licences are laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 951/2006. However, the quantitative limit should be fixed per marketing year in view of the possible opportunities on the export markets.
(3)
For certain Union producers of sugar and isoglucose, exports from the Union represent an important part of their economic activities and they have established traditional markets outside the Union. Exports of sugar and isoglucose to those markets could be economically viable also without granting export refunds. To that end it is necessary to fix a quantitative limit for out-of-quota sugar and isoglucose exports so that the EU producers concerned may continue to supply their traditional markets.
(4)
For the 2016/2017 marketing year it is estimated that fixing the quantitative limit initially at 650 000 tonnes, in white sugar equivalent, for out-of-quota sugar exports and 70 000 tonnes, in dry matter, for out-of-quota isoglucose would correspond to the market demand.
(5)
Exports of sugar from the Union to certain close destinations and to third countries granting Union products a preferential import treatment are currently in a particular favourable competitive position. In view of the absence of appropriate instruments of mutual assistance to fight against irregularities and in order to minimize the risk of fraud and to prevent any abuse associated with the re-import or reintroduction into the Union of out-of-quota sugar certain close destinations should be excluded from the eligible destinations.
(6)
In view of the estimated lower risks for eventual frauds regarding isoglucose due to the nature of the product it is not necessary to restrict the eligible destinations for the export of out-of-quota isoglucose.
(7)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: