
CHAPTER I
Article 1 
The zero-duty tariff quota for the import of bananas falling under CN code 0803 00 19 originating in ACP countries provided for in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1964/2005 is hereby opened for the period 1 March to 31 December 2006.
Article 2 
The quantities available under the tariff quota are set at 615 000 tonnes, of which:

((a)) 146 850 tonnes is to be administered in accordance with Chapter II and have the serial number 09.4164.
((b)) 468 150 tonnes is to be administered in accordance with Chapter III and have the serial numbers: 09.1638, 09.1639, 09.1640, 09.1642 and 09.1644.
CHAPTER II
Article 3 

1. All imports under the quantity referred to in Article 2(a) shall be subject to the lodging of an import licence issued in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.
2. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000 shall be applicable, with the exception of Article 8(4) and (5), subject to the provisions of this Regulation.
Article 4 

1. Economic operators established in the Community who actually imported bananas originating in ACP countries into the Community in 2005 shall be entitled to lodge import licence applications.
2. The quantities applied for by each operator may not exceed 40 % of the quantities of bananas originating in ACP countries which he released for free circulation in the Community during 2005.
3. Import licence applications must be lodged by each operator on 15 and 16 February 2006 with the competent authorities of the Member State which issued him in 2005 with the import licences for the quantities referred to in paragraph 2.The competent authorities shall be those listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 896/2001.
4. Licence applications shall be accompanied by a copy of the licence(s) used in 2005 to import bananas originating in ACP countries, duly endorsed, and the documents proving the ACP origin of the quantities under those licences, and the proof of lodging of a security in accordance with Title III of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85. The security shall be EUR 150 per tonne.
5. Applications not lodged in accordance with this Article shall not be admissible.
6. Box 20 of licence applications and licences shall contain the entry ‘licence under Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No 219/2006’.
Article 5 

1. Member States shall notify the Commission not later than 21 February 2006 of the total quantity for which admissible licence applications have been lodged.
2. If the quantities applied for exceed the quantity referred to in Article 2(a) the Commission shall, not later than 24 February 2006, set a reduction coefficient to be applied to each application.
3. The competent authorities shall issue the import licences from 27 February 2006, where appropriate applying the reduction coefficient referred to in paragraph 2.
4. Where, if a reduction coefficient is applied, a licence is issued for a quantity less than that applied for, the security referred to in Article 4(4) shall be released without delay for the quantity not awarded.
Article 6 

1. The import licences issued in accordance with Article 5(3) shall be valid from 1 March to 31 December 2006.
2. From April 2006 to January 2007 inclusive, Member States shall notify the Commission, not later than the 15th of each month, of the quantities of bananas imported during the preceding month on the basis of licences issued in accordance with Article 5(3).
CHAPTER III
Article 7 

1. The quantity provided for in Article 2(b) shall be divided into five tranches, each of 93 630 tonnes, as follows:
Serial number Quota period
09.1638 1 March to 30 April
09.1639 1 May to 30 June
09.1640 1 July to 31 August
09.1642 1 September to 31 October
09.1644 1 November to 31 December
2. The tranches provided for in paragraph 1 shall be administered in accordance with Articles 308a, 308b and 308c of Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93.
CHAPTER IV
Article 8 
Regulation (EC) No 896/2001 is hereby repealed. However, Articles 21, 26 and 27 of and the annex to that Regulation shall remain applicable to imports under this Regulation.
Article 9 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 8 February 2006.
For the Commission
Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission