# COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1273/2004

of 12 July 2004

deferring the final date for sowing certain arable crops in certain areas of the Community in the 2004/2005 marketing year

## Preamble

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops [^1] , and in particular Article 9 thereof,

Whereas:

**(1)** Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 lays down that, in order to qualify for area payments, producers must have sown the seed no later than 31 May preceding the relevant harvest.

**(2)** As a result of the particular weather conditions this year, it will not be possible, in the case of certain crops in Italy and Spain and in certain regions of Finland, France, Portugal and Sweden to comply with the final dates for sowing.

**(3)** In these circumstances, the deadline for sowing of certain crops for the 2004/2005 marketing year should be deferred.

**(4)** The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

## **Article 1**

The final dates for sowing for the 2004/2005 marketing year are fixed in the Annex for the crops and regions indicated.

## **Article 2**

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the *Official Journal of the European Union* .

It shall apply to area payments for the 2004/2005 marketing year.

## Final provisions

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 12 July 2004. *For the Commission* Franz FISCHLER *Member of the Commission*

[^1] [OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 1](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_1999_160_R_TOC) . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 ( [OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_2003_270_R_TOC) ).

Final dates for sowing for the 2004/2005 marketing year

| Crop | Member State | Region | Final date |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Soya, sunflower, sorghum, linseed, flax | Italy | The entire country | 15 June 2004 |
| Maize | Italy | The entire country except Lombardy: the municipalities mentioned in Regional Decree No 15969 | 15 June 2004 |
| Lombardy: the municipalities mentioned in Regional Decree No 15969 | 30 June 2004 |  |  |
| Maize, soya, sunflower, sorghum, linseed, flax | Portugal | Entre-Douro e Minho, Beira Litoral, Ribatejo e Oeste | 15 June 2004 |
| Maize, sunflower, sorghum | Spain | The entire country | 15 June 2004 |
| Maize | France | Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrénées | 15 June 2004 |
| All crops | Sweden | Västernorrland, Jämtland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten | 28 June 2004 |
| All crops | Finland | C2 | 21 June 2004 |
| All crops | Finland | C2P, C3, C4 | 28 June 2004 |

[^1]: . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 ().