EC COMMISSION SET TO DETAIL GRAIN IMPORT PLAN
The EC Commission will decide shortly
precisely how to arrange the import of third country maize and
sorghum into the EC in fulfilment of its agreement with the
United States, Commission sources said.
    Under the accord, reached following U.S. complaints about
the impact on its agricultural exports of Spanish EC
membership, the EC will import two mln tonnes of maize and
300,000 tonnes of sorghum a year up to end of 1990.
    All this produce will be imported into Spain at special
levy levels likely to be below those applying for imports into
other EC countries.
    The sources said it was possible that the Spanish
intervention board would be asked to buy the produce directly
this year, as it was rather late to make other arrangements.
    They added that the choice for future years appears to lie
between a system of regular tenders and the setting of a daily
special levy applicable to Spanish imports.
    There will initially be no tax on re-exports of maize and
sorghum from Spain to other EC countries, although such a tax
could be imposed later, the sources added.
 Reuter
