Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 on the common organization of the market in wine (COM(98)0051 - C4-0092/98 - 98/0041(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 29)

Recital 1

>Original text>

Whereas all new planting of vines is prohibited until 31 August 1998; whereas, in view of the situation on the wine market, this prohibition should be extended until 31 August 1999 pending Council decisions on reform of the sector; whereas the Member States need a further marketing year in which to implement the provisions permitting the authorisation of new planting on areas intended for the production of certain wines;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas all new planting of vines is prohibited until 31 August 1998; whereas, in view of the situation on the market

for certain wines, this prohibition should be extended until 31 August 1999 pending Council decisions on reform of the sector; whereas it is however necessary to grant new planting rights for areas intended for the production of certain wines for which demand exceeds supply with a view to maintaining the dominant position of European winegrowing on the world market;

(Amendment 30)

Recital 1a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the duration of planting rights should be extended in order to enable winegrowing enterprises to adjust their investment to market trends and to encourage young winegrowers to take over holdings;

(Amendment 31)

Recital 1b (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas encouragement should be given to the replanting of vineyards in order to improve the quality of wine products, inter alia by using new varieties; whereas greater competitiveness should be developed by means of new forms of cultivation which enable mechanization to be introduced;

(Amendment 32)

Recital 4a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the growing interest of the market in new products such as aromatized cocktails based on wine products justifies extending aid to the use of concentrated grape must;

(Amendment 33)

ARTICLE 1(1), INDENT 1a (new)

Article 6(1), 2nd subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) 822/87)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

- the second subparagraph is replaced by the following:

'However, authorizations for new plantings may be granted by the Member States in respect of areas intended for the production:

- of quality wines produced in specific regions

or

- table wines described by one of the following terms: 'Landwein', 'vin de pays', 'indicazione geografica tipica', 'vino de la tierra', 'regional wines' and specific Greek designations,

production of which the Commission has recognized, because of their qualitative features, as being far below demand.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The above subparagraph shall apply, up to an overall limit of 24 000 hectares for new plantings to be made during the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 wine years. The distribution of this quota shall be in relation to the market situation in each Member State.¨

(Amendment 34)

ARTICLE 1(1a) (new)

Article 7(2a) (new) (Regulation (EEC) 822/87)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

1a. The following paragraph is added to Article 7:

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

"2a. Member States may authorize the planting of new vineyards before proceeding with the grubbing-up of equivalent areas of existing vineyards.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The grubbing-up of the vineyards must take place during the marketing year preceding the one in which the new vineyards become productive and in any event by the third marketing year at the latest.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The replanting provided for under the first subparagraph shall be authorized if:

- new varieties or clones are used in order to improve quality and provide products for which there is greater market demand;

- new forms of cultivation are introduced in order to improve agricultural practices and mechanize procedures.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The land area referred to in the first subparagraph may not exceed 50% of the land which each wine-growing concern has under vine.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Rules for the implementation of this paragraph shall be laid down in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 83.

(Amendment 35)

ARTICLE 1(3a) (new)

Article 46(1), 1st indent (Regulation (EEC) 822/87)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

3a. In Article 46(1), first indent, the words 'including those mixed with other wine products¨ are added after the words 'grape juice¨.

(Amendment 36)

ARTICLE 1(6)

Annex I, point 13, 3rd subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) 822/87)

>Original text>

Notwithstanding the fourth indent, for the 1998/99 wine year, table wine produced in the Community may not have a total acidity content expressed as tartaric acid of less than 4 gram per litre.

>Text following EP vote>

In the wine year 1998/99 table wines produced in Austria, Greece, France, Italy, Portugal and in the Spanish parts of winegrowing region C - with the exception of the Asturias, Baleares, Cantabria and Galicia regions and the provinces of Guipúzcoa and Vizcaya - which are placed on the Austrian, Greek, French, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish markets may have a total acidity content expressed as tartaric acid of not less than 3.5 gram per litre.

(Amendment 37)

ARTICLE 1(6a) (new)

Annex V (e) (Regulation (EEC) 822/87)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

6a. In Annex V(e) 'during the eight years' is replaced by 'during the twelve years'.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 on the common organization of the market in wine COM(98)0051 - C4-0092/98 - 98/0041(CNS))(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0051 - 98/0041(CNS) ((OJ C 87, 23.3.1998, p. 13.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 43 of the EC Treaty (C4-0092/98),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on External Economic Relations, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A4-0216/98),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

3. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission proposal;

4. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.