# C_2006024EN.01001801.xml

| 31.1.2006 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 24/18 |
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31.1.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 24/18

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco’

(COM(2005) 235 final — 2005/0105 (CNS))

(2006/C 24/06)

On 14 June 2005, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 37 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on this subject, adopted its opinion on 7 September 2005. The rapporteur (working without a study group) was Mr Fakas.

At its 420th plenary session of 28/29 September 2005 (meeting of 28 September 2005), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 151 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions.

1.   Introduction

Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco provides for a system of premiums and production quotas in Titles I and II respectively. This support system will be applied for the last time for the 2005 harvest.

Under the second package of the CAP reform agreed in April 2004 for Mediterranean products the premium and production quota system is to be discontinued from the 2006 harvest.

In addition, it is no longer necessary to maintain the provision for the quota buy-back programme in respect of the 2005 harvest. Consequently certain articles and the Annex to Regulation (EEC) 2075/92 will become ineffective and will have to be abolished for reasons of legal clarity and transparency.

On 3 June 2005 the Commission therefore submitted to the Council a proposal for a Regulation adapting Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 further to the 2004 reform in relation to tobacco.

2.   Comments

| 2.1 | The EESC considers the Commission's proposal to be the corollary of the reform in the tobacco regime adopted in April 2004, which provided for the system of premiums and production quotas to be abandoned and for the new system of decoupled support to be established. |
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2.1

The EESC considers the Commission's proposal to be the corollary of the reform in the tobacco regime adopted in April 2004, which provided for the system of premiums and production quotas to be abandoned and for the new system of decoupled support to be established.

| 2.2 | The EESC believes that for reasons of simplification following the 2004 reform and the discussions ongoing in the ‘direct aid’ management committee, it would be more useful and practical for the Commission to submit a proposal for a consolidated version of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 rather than recommending amendments to, and removal of, certain articles. |
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2.2

The EESC believes that for reasons of simplification following the 2004 reform and the discussions ongoing in the ‘direct aid’ management committee, it would be more useful and practical for the Commission to submit a proposal for a consolidated version of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 rather than recommending amendments to, and removal of, certain articles.

| 2.3 | The EESC sees the proposal as a formal document, required for reasons of legal clarity and transparency. It is a move in the right direction and is accepted by the Committee. |
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2.3

The EESC sees the proposal as a formal document, required for reasons of legal clarity and transparency. It is a move in the right direction and is accepted by the Committee.

Brussels, 28 September 2005.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

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