A4-0020/95

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco (COM(94)0555 - C4-0022/95 - 95/0001(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 4

>Original text>

Whereas tobacco produced by growers or recognized producer groups in excess of their quotas cannot grant entitlement to the premium; whereas, however, account should be taken of the possibility of unintentional overproduction; whereas the parties concerned should be permitted to carry over those surpluses, within certain limits, to the following harvest, provided the combined quotas for the two harvests are not exceeded;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas tobacco produced by growers or recognized producer groups in excess of their quotas cannot grant entitlement to the premium; whereas, however, account should be taken of the possibility of unintentional under- or overproduction; whereas the parties concerned should be permitted to carry over these differences, within certain limits, to the following harvest, provided the combined quotas for the two harvests are not exceeded;

(Amendment 2)

ARTICLE 1(3)

Article 9(3) (Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92)

>Original text>

3. On the basis of the quantities allocated pursuant to paragraph 2 and without prejudice to the application of paragraph 4, the Member States shall divide up production quotas among the growers or recognized producer groups in proportion to the average quantities delivered for processing in the three years preceding the year of the last harvest, broken down by group of varieties. However, production in 1992 and deliveries from that harvest shall not be taken into account. The procedure for allocating production quotas for subsequent harvests shall not be affected by this distribution.

>Text following EP vote>

3. On the basis of the quantities allocated pursuant to paragraph 2 and without prejudice to the application of paragraphs 4 and 4a, the Member States shall divide up production quotas among the growers, recognized producer groups and cooperatives in proportion to the average quantities delivered for processing in the three years preceding the year of the last harvest, broken down by group of varieties. However, production in 1992 and deliveries from that harvest shall not be taken into account.The procedure for allocating production quotas for subsequent harvests shall not be affected by this distribution.

(Amendment 4)

ARTICLE 1(3)

Article 9(4a) (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92)

>Text following EP vote>

4a. On the basis of the quantities allocated pursuant to paragraph 2, the Member States shall create a national reserve equal to 2% of the quantities allocated. This quantity shall be subtracted on a proportional basis from the production quotas divided up among the growers and recognized producer groups provided for in paragraph 3. The conditions for the management of the national reserve shall be governed by a Commission Regulation, following an opinion by the Management Committee for Tobacco.

(Amendment 12)

ARTICLE 1(3)

Article 9(4b) (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92)

>Text following EP vote>

4b. Producers within a group shall be allowed to offset surplus and deficit production within that group provided the group's total production does not exceed its overall quota.

(Amendment 5)

ARTICLE 1(4)

Article 10 (Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92)

>Original text>

1. Without prejudice to paragraph 2, no premium may be paid in respect of quantities produced in excess of the quota allocated to the grower.

>Text following EP vote>

1. Without prejudice to paragraphs 2, 2a and 2b, no premium may be paid in respect of quantities produced in excess of the quota allocated to the grower.

>Original text>

2. However, growers may deliver surplus production corresponding to up to 10% of their quotas for each group of varieties, that surplus being eligible for the premium granted in respect of the following harvest on condition that, during the latter harvest, the party concerned reduces his production by a corresponding amount so that the combined quotas for the two harvests in question are not exceeded.

>Text following EP vote>

2. However, growers may deliver surplus production corresponding to up to 10% of their quotas for each group of varieties. This surplus shall be eligible for a premium on condition that, during the following harvest, the party concerned reduces his production by a corresponding amount or has produced less during the previous harvest so that the combined quotas for the two harvests in question are not exceeded.

>Text following EP vote>

2a. As in the provisions of paragraph 2, the grower may accumulate the combined quotas for two consecutive harvests and deliver, during the second harvest eligible for premium, a surplus production up to a ceiling of 10% of his quota, on condition that, during the previous harvest, his production was reduced by the corresponding quantity by reducing the harvest.

>Text following EP vote>

2b. The payment of premiums in respect of the surplus production provided for in paragraphs 2 and 2a shall be made at the same time as the payment of premiums for the quantities covered by quotas in respect of the relevant harvest.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco (COM(94)0555 - C4-0022/95 - 95/0001(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(94)0555 - 95/0001(CNS),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 42 and 43 of the EC Treaty (C4-0022/95),

- 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 and the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0020/95),

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.