
Article 1 
Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 2148/96 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following 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, 21 June 2006.
For the Commission
Mariann FISCHER BOEL
Member of the Commission
ANNEX

In Annex III to Regulation (EEC) No 2148/96, the following points are added:
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VII —  A.  1. 
Selection shall be based on the intervention agency’s stock records, but the storekeeper should not be informed in advance.
 2. 

— verification of the presence of the bulk sugar in the selected silos, bins or storerooms,
— reconciliation of the storekeepers records with those of the intervention agency,
— identification of the bulk sugar,
— monitoring of storage conditions and comparison of the storage point and of the identity of the bulk sugar with the store’s records,
— evaluation of the quantities stored by a method previously approved by the intervention agency, a detailed description of which must be lodged at its head office.
 3. 
The bulk sugar must be stored in such a way that its volume may be verified.
 B.  1. 
The Member State shall ensure that the procedure for seals gives good assurance as to the integrity of the intervention products stored.
 2. An inspection to verify storage conditions and the good conservation of the product must also be conducted at least once a year.
 C. 
Some tolerance is permitted when verifying the volume.

Article 6 shall apply where the weight of the products stored as recorded during the physical inspection (volumetric measurement) differs from the book weight by 5 % or more for bulk sugar in the case of storage in silos or on-floor storage.

Where bulk sugar is stored in a silo/warehouse, the quantities weighed on entry into storage may be recorded instead of those resulting from a volume assessment if the latter does not provide a degree of accuracy considered adequate and the difference between the two figures is not excessive.

The intervention agency shall make use of the option provided for in the third paragraph where justified by circumstances, on a case-by-case basis and on its own responsibility. It shall indicate that it has done so in its report.

VIII —  A.  1. Selection of lots representing at least 5 % of the total quantity in public storage. The lots to be checked shall be selected before visiting the store on the basis of the intervention agency’s records, but the storekeeper should not be informed.
 2. 

— identification of the control numbers of the lots and bags on the basis of purchase or entry notes,
— reconciliation of the storekeeper's records with those of the intervention agency,
— condition of packaging.

With regard to sugar packed in 50 kg bags:


— weighing of the pallets (one in 20) and bags (1 per pallet weighed),
— visual check of the contents of one bag per 10 pallets weighed.

With regard to sugar packed in “big bags”:


— weighing of one bag in 20
— visual check of the contents of 1 in 20 of the big bags weighed.
 3. Description in the inventory report of the lots inspected physically and of discrepancies/shortcomings noted.
 B.  1. 
The Member State shall ensure that the procedure for seals gives good assurance as to the integrity of the intervention products stored.
 2. An inspection to verify storage conditions and the good conservation of the product must also be conducted at least once a year.
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