(1)

Pursuant to the Agreement on Agriculture (2) concluded during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, the Community has undertaken to import a certain quantity of sorghum into Spain.

(2)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1839/95 of 26 July 1995 laying down detailed rules for the application of tariff quotas for imports of maize and sorghum into Spain and imports of maize into Portugal (3), lays down the special additional detailed rules necessary for implementing the invitations to tender.

(3)

In view of the current market demand in Spain, an invitation to tender for the reduction in the duty on sorghum is appropriate.

(4)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2286/2002 of 10 December 2002 on the arrangements applicable to agricultural products and goods resulting from the processing of agricultural products originating in the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1706/98 (4) provides in particular for a 60 % reduction in the duty applicable to imports of 100 000 tonnes of sorghum per calendar year, and a 50 % reduction over this quota. Cumulation of this benefit and the benefit resulting from the invitation to tender for the reduction in the import duty would disturb the Spanish cereals market. Such cumulation must therefore be ruled out.

(5)

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