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COM (83) 675 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/02 46 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(83) 675 final
Brussels, 17 November 1983
Proposal for a  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
fixing the activating prices for table wines for the period  
16 December 1983 to 31 August 1984
(submitted to the Council by the Commission)
COM(83) 675 final

Explanatory memorandum
I. Article 3(1) of Regulation (EEC) no. 337/79 on the common organization of  
the market in wine provides for the annual fixing of a threshold price  
activating the intervention system (termed the "activating price") for  
each type of wine for which a guide price is fixed.
This is the last occasion on which these prices are to be fixed before  
16 December since, under the changes in Regulation (EEC) no 337/79 made  
last June by Regulation (EEC) no 1595/83, from next marketing year onwards  
they must be fixed before 1 September, the date when the new marketing  
year begins.
II. The 1982/83 harvest was a large one, approximately 170 million
hectolitres. This was 30 million hi more than the 1982/83 harvest, which  
admittedly could be considered relatively low and produced end-of-year  
stocks which were much lower than in 1980/81 and also lower than in  
1978/79:
1981/82: 76.4 million hi  
1980/81: 91.4 million hi  
1978/79: 78 million hi
In spite of a fairly favourable position at the beginning of the marketing  
year and the considerable results achieved by the use of the intervention  
mechanisms throughout the year, the size of the harvest has resulted in an  
increase in the end-of-year stock level to approximately 85 million  
hectolitres, owing to a swelling of stocks of quality wine psr, production  
of which was particularly high.
The continuing improvement in the market has therefore not been as  
considerable as in the previous year, though since it has been more marked  
in Italy and in France, the market is now more unified than it was.

- 2 -
1) Quotations for red table wines have in general continued to improve.
a) Italian quotations for type R I increased slowly but steadily and from  
July onwards were slightly higher than French quotations and almost 80%  
of the guide price. The differences in Italian quotations between the  
last two marketing years range from 6% to 28%.
For the year as a whole average French quotations, despite a slight  
falling off at the end of the year that took them just below Italian  
quotations, have been approximately 2% higher than those for the  
previous year.
b) Italian quotations for wines of type R II have increased sharply (+18%,  
i.e. around 72% of the guide price) and although from April onwards  
they lost ground they have been higher than French quotations, which  
have dropped steadily from 87% of the guide price at the beginning of  
the year to 71% of the new guide price.
c) The prices of wines of type R III have dropped because of the size of  
the harvest but are still finishing the year above the guide price.
2) Quotations for white table wines
a) Quotations for wines of type A I have shown a continued narrowing of  
the gap between French and Italian prices, a trend that began last  
year. Although the gap was still considerable at raid-point of the  
1981/82 marketing year it has steadily narrowed since then to become  
only a few decimal points at the end of 1982/83. The reasons for this  
change are on the one hand the persistent upward trend

- 3 -
of Italian prices, which have increased by 15 to 25% compared with  
1981/82 and have fluctuated around 78% of the guide price, and on  
the other a falling off of French quotations, which were  
comfortably above the guide price at the beginning of the year but  
have dropped to 80% of the new guide price at the year's end.
Greek quotations have remained fairly poor (around 70% of the guide  
price), slightly down on 1981/82.
b) Quotations for wines of types A II and A III tumbled as soon as a  
very abundant harvest was announced. At the beginning of the year  
they were comfortably above the guide price but fell in November to  
around 50% of it for wines of type A II and around 80% for wines of  
type A III and are finishing the year poorly, at 45% of the guide  
price for A II and 60% for A III.
III. 1) When fixing the guide prices for 1983/84 (Regulation (EEC) no 1596/83  
of 14 June 1983, OJ no L 163, 22 June 1983) the Council decided to  
increase guide prices by 5.5% for all types of table wine except A I,  
for which it considered a 6% increase was called for in order to  
prevent an increase in absolute terms in the gap between prices for  
wines of that type and those for types R I and R II and thus permit  
the improvement in the market for type A I to continue.
2) In view of:
- the facts set out above,
- the position as regards supplies, which are expected to be higher  
than average because of the stocks carried over from the 1982/83  
marketing year and the anticipated size and good quality of the  
1983 harvest,

- 4 -
- the increase in the guide prices for the period 16 December to  
31 August 1984 of 6% for table wines of type A I and 5.5% for all  
other types of table wine,
it is proposed that for each type of table wine the activating price  
be increased by the same percentage as the corresponding guide price  
was, the ratios between the activating prices and the guide prices  
remaining more or less the same as in the past year.
1982/83
Type of wine1
Guide price  
1982/832
Activating price  
1982/833
Ratio between  
1 and 2 (%)
R I - R II 3,27 Ecu/% vol hi 3,02 Ecu/% vol/hl 92,4
R III 51,03 Ecu/hl 47,24 Ecu/hl 92,6
A I 3,02 Ecu/% vol hi 2,75 Ecu/% vol/hl 91,1
A II 68,00 Ecu/hl 61,73 Ecu/hl 90,8
A III 77,66 Ecu/hl 70.49 Ecu/hl 90,8
Proposition 1983/84
1 2 3 4 : 5
Type Guide price Increase Proposed Increase : Ratio
of in 1983/84 activating price in 1983/84: between
wine 1983/1984 guide 1983/84 activating: 3 and 1
price over price over: (%)
1982/83(%) 1982/83 :
RI - R II 3,45 Ecus/%vol/hl 5,5 3,19 Ecus/% vol/hl 5,5 : 92,5
RIII 53,84 Ecus/hl 5,549,84 Ecus/hl 5,5 : 92,6
AI 3,20 Ecus/%vol/hl 6,0 2,92 Ecus/% vol/hl 6,0 : 91,3
AII 71,74 Ecus/hl 5,565,13 Ecus/hl 5,5 : 90,8
AIII 81,93 Ecus/hl      5^5 74,37 Ecus/hl 5,5 : 90,8

Proposal for  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
fixing the activating prices for table wines for the period  
16 December 1983 to 31 August 1984
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) no 337/79 of 5 February 1979 on the  
common organization of the market in wine\ as last amended by Regulation  
(EEC) no 1595/832,  and in particular Article 3(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas an activating price is to be fixed annually, in the light of the  
factors listed in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EEC) no 337/79, for each type of  
wine for which a guide price is fixed;
Whereas the quality of the harvest for the 1983/84 wine marketing year must,  
generally speaking, be regarded as good;
Whereas the prices for table wines of types R I and R II have on the whole  
increased but are still below the activating price; whereas the prices for  
table wines of type A I, although in general continuing the improvement begun  
several years ago, have finished the marketing year below the activating  
price; whereas the fall in prices for table wines of types A II and A III  
below the activating prices is a result of the exceptionally large harvest in  
the regions where they are produced; whereas the prices for table wines of  
type R III have for the same reason fallen considerably but have finished the  
marketing year still comfortably above the activating price,
Whereas, because o f the Large1983 harvest and the stocks, the total
quantity available is higher than for an average m arketing year;

- 2 -
Whereas the factors mentioned above must be reflected in the activating prices; whereas the  
activating prices fixed for the past marketing year should therefore be  
increased but not to such an extent as to stimulate production;
Whereas the guide prices were fixed by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1596/833 for the  
period 16 December 1983 to 31 August 1984; whereas under Article 3(3) of  
Regulation (EEC) no 337/79 the activating prices are to be fixed at the same stage  
and are valid for the same period as the guide prices; whereas the types of  
table wine to which these prices apply were determined by Council Regulation (EEC)  
no 340/794,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The activating prices for table wines for the period 16 December 1983 to  
31 August 1984 shall be as follows:
Type of wine Activating price
R I 3,19 Ecu/£ vol/hl
R II 3,19 Ecu/56 vol/hl
R III 49,84 Ecu/hl
A I 2,92 Ecu/Î vol/hl
A II 65,13 Ecu/hl
A III 74,37 Ecu/hl
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 16 December 1983·
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in  
all Member States.
Done at For the Council
^OJ No L 54, 5-3.1979, p. 1  
ilOJ No L 163, 22.6.1983, p. 48  
50J No L 163, 22.6.1983, p. 52  
40J No L 54, 5.3.1979, p· 60

FINANCIAL ST A T E M E W f
om19.-10.83
] 1, JOOStT •Chapter.  16A P PtQ M  i ATI4NS1984
f q?9-ia.M.Fm\
2 . UTL«»Drai*il Council Regulation fixing the activating price for. table vines for thcj  
period from l6 Det'enber 198 3 to 15' August 1984. .
3. LEGAL WiltCouncil Regulation No 337/79
*. AIMS OF MOJICT S e ttin g  th e a c tiv a tin g  p ric e s top ta b le  vines
PERIOD or 12 MONTHSCURRENT EINANCIAL. TEAR rOLLOUING £INANfIAL TEAR
; d )  .•  * ♦
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(v) (i)3. HNANCIAL IMPLICATIONS* >
A.0 EXPENDITURE
'  - CHARGED TO THE (C BUDGET 
(RETUNOS/INTERVENTIONS)
- NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
- OTHER 
S.1 RECEIPTS
- own RESOURCES Of THE EC 
iLEVlES/CUSTOMS OUTIES)
- NATIONAL
J.0.1 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE
9.1.1 estimated receipts
.  3.2 M TnOO OE CALCULATION
6.3 -I’ .l ?urt/« BU 56trAPPBOPRlATIONS Bf NECtSS IV ? TES/CtO
cbsewA*. 10-., :  -0) As it is proposed to increase the activating r^ices by the sane
percfenm^c as that adopted in June by the Council for the guide rice- ithereby  
a^intr.inirtr, the existing relationship between these prices), the inancuai impact  
of this proposal is neutral and indirect..  Its effect was incorporated when prepar­
ing the '>9$h budget.