
Article 1 
Without prejudice to Article 152(3)(b)(i) and Article 209(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, recognised producer organisations, their associations and recognised interbranch organisations in the milk and milk products sector are hereby authorised:

((a)) during a period of six months starting on 13 April 2016 or 13 October 2016 to conclude voluntary joint agreements and take common decisions having a validity ending on 12 October 2016 or 12 April 2017 at the latest, respectively, on the planning of the volume of milk to be produced; or
((b)) to prolong the validity of such agreements or decisions concluded or taken during the period starting on 13 April 2016 for a period not exceeding 12 April 2017.
Article 2 
Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the agreements and decisions referred to in Article 1 do not undermine the proper functioning of the internal market and strictly aim to stabilise the milk and milk products sector.
Article 3 
The geographic scope of this authorisation is the Union territory.
Article 4 

1. As soon as the agreements or decisions referred to in Article 1 are concluded or taken, the producer organisations, associations and interbranch organisations concerned shall communicate those agreements or decisions to the competent authority of the Member State having the highest share of estimated volume of milk production covered by those agreements or decisions, indicating the following:
(a) the estimated production volume covered;
(b) the expected time period of implementation.
2. No later than 25 days after the end of each six-month period referred to in Article 1, the producer organisations, associations or interbranch organisations concerned shall communicate the production volume actually covered by the agreements or decisions to the competent authority referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.
3. In accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 792/2009 Member States shall notify the Commission of the following:
(a) no later than five days after the end of each one-month period, the agreements and decisions communicated to them in accordance with paragraph 1 during that period;
(b) no later than 30 days after the end of each six-month period referred to in Article 1, an overview of the agreements and decisions implemented during that period.
Article 5 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that 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.