Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the basic prices and buying-in prices applicable in the fruit and vegetables sector for the 1995/96 marketing year (COM(95)0034 - C4-0072/95 - 95/0048(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 61)

Recital 1

>Original text>

Whereas, pursuant to Article 16(1) of Regulation (EEC) No. 1035/72, a basic price and a buying-in price are to be fixed for each marketing year for each of the products listed in Annex II to the said Regulation; whereas, in accordance with Article 1(3) of the above Regulation, the marketing years for the products in question are as follows:

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, pursuant to Article 16(1) of Regulation (EEC) No. 1035/72, a basic price and a buying-in price are to be fixed for each marketing year for each of the products listed in Annex II to the said Regulation; whereas, in accordance with Article 1(3) of the above Regulation, and in order to take account of the production conditions in all the countries of the European Union, the marketing years for the products in question are as follows:

>Original text>

- for tomatoes and aubergines, from 1 January to 31 December,

>Text following EP vote>

- for tomatoes and aubergines, from 1 January to 31 December,

>Original text>

- for apricots, from 1 May to 31 August,

>Text following EP vote>

- for apricots, from 1 May to 31 August,

>Original text>

- for peaches and nectarines, from 1 May to 31 October,

>Text following EP vote>

- for peaches and nectarines, from 1 May to 31 October,

>Original text>

- for cauliflowers and table grapes, from 1 May to 30 April,

>Text following EP vote>

- for cauliflowers and table grapes, from 1 May to 30 April,

>Original text>

- for lemons and pears, from 1 June to 31 May,

>Text following EP vote>

- for lemons and pears, from 1 June to 31 May,

>Original text>

- for apples, from 1 July to 30 June,

>Text following EP vote>

- for apples, from 1 July to 30 June,

>Original text>

- for mandarins, satsumas and clementines, from 1 October to 15 May,

>Text following EP vote>

- for mandarins, satsumas and clementines, from 1 October to 15 May,

>Original text>

- for oranges, from 1 October to 15 July;

>Text following EP vote>

- for oranges, from 1 October to 31 July;

(Amendment 62)

Recital 1a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, since the European Union is moving towards a restructuring of orchards with a substantial amount of grubbing-up, whilst opening its borders to production from third countries, it is appropriate to adopt a coherent attitude, meaning that restructuring must be accompanied by specific measures which allow strict respect for Community preference;

(Amendment 63)

Recital 4a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the basic prices and buying-in prices for fruit and vegetables have remained unchanged over recent years; whereas market protection mechanisms have been greatly weakened as a result of the signature of international and preferential agreements;

(Amendment 65)

Article 1a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 1a

The timetables for the opening of the intervention periods and for the application of the reference prices shall be adjusted in line with the production conditions in the countries of the European Union.

(Amendment 66)

Article 1b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 1b

The Commission shall submit legislative proposals taking due account of the guidelines set out by Parliament in its resolution of 17 February 1995 on the development and future of Community policy in the fruit and vegetables sector1, with particular regard to the following:

>Text following EP vote>

- special measures based on the principle of Community preference for regional products, including garlic, asparagus and dried fruit, which are not covered by border protection mechanisms or internal support mechanisms and are seriously affected by low-cost imports from third countries;

>Text following EP vote>

- the minimum import price system for fresh or processed soft fruit and cherries shall be reviewed within the framework of negotiations with the Central and Eastern European countries, with a view to improving controls on the price of products imported onto the internal market, ensuring compliance with the minimum price and preventing social dumping;

>Text following EP vote>

- grubbing-up schemes for peaches and nectarines to be similar to those adopted for apples;

>Text following EP vote>

- the classification system shall be amended to allow sizing by weight as well as by diameter;

>Text following EP vote>

- fruit damaged by hail shall be accepted for intervention (withdrawal from market);

>Text following EP vote>

- mechanisms shall be introduced to ensure that producers receive the full minimum price;

>Text following EP vote>

- a significant proportion of processing aid for citrus fruits shall be transferred to producers;

>Text following EP vote>

- payment of aid to producers' organizations shall be made at the latest 60 days after delivery of the product to industry.

_____________

1 OJ C 56, 6.3.1995, p. 184.

(Amendment 67)

Article 1c (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 1c

The allocated quantities of processed tomatoes shall cover at least 80% of the productive capacity of the plants established in the Member States in 1995.

(Amendment 64)

Annex

>Original text>

TOMATOES

>Text following EP vote>

TOMATOES

>Original text>

For the period from 11 June to 30 November 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 January to 31 December 1995.

>Original text>

AUBERGINES

>Text following EP vote>

AUBERGINES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 July to 31 October 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 January to 31 December 1995.

>Original text>

PEACHES

>Text following EP vote>

PEACHES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 June to 30 September 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 May to 31 October 1995.

>Original text>

NECTARINES

>Text following EP vote>

NECTARINES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 June to 31 August 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 May to 15 October 1995.

>Original text>

APRICOTS

>Text following EP vote>

APRICOTS

>Original text>

For the period from 1 June to 31 July 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 15 May to 31 August 1995.

>Original text>

TABLE GRAPES

>Text following EP vote>

TABLE GRAPES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 August to 20 November 1995.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 July to 20 November 1995.

>Original text>

SATSUMAS

>Text following EP vote>

SATSUMAS

>Original text>

For the period from 16 October 1995 to 15 January 1996.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 1 October 1995 to 15 February 1996.

>Original text>

CLEMENTINES

>Text following EP vote>

CLEMENTINES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 December 1995 to 15 February 1996.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 15 October 1995 to 31 March 1996.

>Original text>

SWEET ORANGES

>Text following EP vote>

SWEET ORANGES

>Original text>

For the period from 1 December 1995 to 31 May 1996.

>Text following EP vote>

For the period from 25 October 1995 to 31 July 1996.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation fixing the basic prices and buying-in prices applicable in the fruit and vegetables sector for the 1995/96 marketing year (COM(95)0034 - C4-0072/95 - 95/0048(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(95)0034 - 95/0048(CNS) ((OJ C 99, 21.4.1995, p. 29.)),

- having been consulted by the Council (C4-0072/95),

- 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, the Committee on External Economic Relations, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A4-0100/95),

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.