Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing certain sugar prices and the standard quality of beet for the 1997/98 marketing year (COM(97)0089 - C4-0116/97 - 97/0089(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 11)

Recital 4a (new)

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Whereas the calculation of storage refunds for sugar has a variable element which is based on interest rates and a fixed element to cover the cost of specialised storage; whereas this latter element has not been reviewed for over a decade and should be modified to reflect changing costs; whereas this review should be carried out on a periodic basis every three years;

(Amendment 12)

Recital 4b (new)

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Whereas the current initial stage in the operation of the first sugar beet processing plant in Portugal, which was set up to allow advantage to be taken of the production quota allocated to Portugal when it joined the European Community, requires efforts to be made to promote the crop within the farming community; whereas the crop in question has to compete with alternatives such as maize and wheat, which are eligible for special assistance co-financed by the EU until the year 2001; whereas Article 46 of Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81 allowed certain Member States to allocate national aid on a temporary basis for similar purposes;

(Amendment 13)

Recital 4c (new)

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Whereas, under Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81, Spain is authorized to grant adaptation aid to sugar-producing companies until the 1996/1997 marketing year in accordance with the programme for the restructuring of the Spanish sugar industry; whereas, owing to technical problems, it has not yet been possible for this restructuring to be completed; whereas, moreover, Spain is also authorized to grant adaptation aid to sugar beet and sugar cane producers until the 1999/2000 marketing year; whereas, in order to conclude the industry restructuring programme which encompasses both sugar cane and sugar beet, Spain should be allowed to continue granting aid to the industry until the 1999/2000 marketing year;

(Amendment 14)

ARTICLE 3a (new)

Article 46(6) (Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81)

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Article 3a

Article 46(6) of Regulation (EEC) No 1785/81 shall be replaced by the following:

"6. Spain shall be authorized to grant adjustment aid to the sugar- producing undertakings during the 1997/1998 to 1999/2000 marketing years.

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The aid shall be granted only for A and B sugars as defined in Article 24(1a) as part of restructuring plans aimed at rationalizing the Spanish sugar industry. These plans shall be forwarded to the Commission. The aid shall be limited to ECU 24 million for the period referred to in paragraph 1.¨

(Amendment 15)

ARTICLE 3b (new)

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Article 3b

1. The Portuguese Government may provide national aid to facilitate the introduction of sugar beet as an agricultural crop.

2 The aid referred to in paragraph 1 shall be degressive until the year 2001 and may not exceed ECU 2.5 million in the next marketing year.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation fixing certain sugar prices and the standard quality of beet for the 1997/98 marketing year (COM(97)0089 - C4-0116/97 - 97/0089(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(97)0089 - 97/0089(CNS) ((OJ C 101, 27.3.1997, p. 4.)),

- having been consulted by the Council (C4-0116/97),

- 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- 0173/97),

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.