# COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 343/2006

of 24 February 2006

opening the buying-in of butter in certain Member States for the period 1 March to 31 August 2006

## Preamble

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products [^1] ,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2771/1999 of 16 December 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards intervention on the market in butter and cream [^2] , and in particular Article 2 thereof,

Whereas:

**(1)** Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 provides that if market prices for butter in one or more Member States, over a representative period, are less than 92 % of the intervention price, intervention agencies have to buy in butter.

**(2)** On the basis of the market prices communicated by the Members States, the Commission has observed, in accordance with Article 8(4) of Regulation (EC) No 2771/1999, that the prices in Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom have been below 92 % of the intervention price for two consecutive weeks. Intervention buying-in should therefore be opened in those Member States,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

## **Article 1**

Buying-in of butter as provided for in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 is hereby open in the following Member States:

— Germany

— Estonia

— Spain

— France

— Ireland

— Netherlands

— Poland

— Portugal

— Sweden

— United Kingdom.

## **Article 2**

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 March 2006.

## Final provisions

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 24 February 2006. *For the Commission* Mariann FISCHER BOEL *Member of the Commission*

[^1] [OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_1999_160_R_TOC) . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1913/2005 ( [OJ L 307, 25.11.2005, p. 2](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_2005_307_R_TOC) ).

[^2] [OJ L 333, 24.12.1999, p. 11](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_1999_333_R_TOC) . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2107/2005 ( [OJ L 337, 22.12.2005, p. 20](http://publications.europa.eu/resource/oj/JOL_2005_337_R_TOC) ).

[^1]: . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1913/2005 ().
[^2]: . Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2107/2005 ().