LIST OF ACRONYMS

APO – Association of producer organisations

CAP – Common Agricultural Policy

CMO – Common Market Organisation

CPM – Crises prevention and management

EAGF – European Agricultural Guarantee Fund

EU – European Union

EU 10 – Member States that have joined the EU on 1st of May 2004

EU 12 – Member States that have joined the EU since 1st of May 2004

EU 15 – Member States of the European Union before 1st of May 2004

FSS – Farm Structure Survey

F&V – Fruit and vegetables

IA – Impact Assessment

MS – Member State

NFA – National Financial Assistance

OF – Operational fund

OP – Operational programme

PG – Producer Group

PO – Producer Organisation

RDPs – Rural Development programmes

VMP – Value of the marketed production

LIST OF MEMBER STATES

AT – Austria

BE – Belgium

BG – Bulgaria

CY – Cyprus

CZ – Czech Republic

DE – Germany

DK – Denmark

EE – Estonia

EL – Greece

ES – Spain

FI – Finland

FR – France

HU – Hungary

IE – Ireland

IT – Italy

LT – Lithuania

LU – Luxembourg

LV – Latvia

MT – Malta

NL – The Netherlands

PL – Poland

PT – Portugal

RO – Romania

SE – Sweden

SI – Slovenia

SK – Slovakia

UK – United Kingdom

Table of Contents

1............ Introduction. 5

2............ National strategies for sustainable operational programmes. 5

2.1......... National strategies and national frameworks for environmental actions. 5

2.2......... Monitoring and evaluation of operational programmes and national strategies. 6

3............ Producer organisations (POs) and Associations of POs. 8

4............ Operational programmes, total expenditure and EU financial assistance. 10

5............ Member States’ reports on the 2012 evaluation of their national strategies: answers to evaluation questions. 11

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

Accompanying the document

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

on the implementation of the provisions concerning producer organisations, operational funds and operational programmes in the fruit and vegetables sector since the 2007 reform ("Report on the fruit and vegetables regime")

1. Introduction

This document presents more detailed information on the implementation of certain provisions concerning producer organisations, operational funds and operational programmes in the fruit and vegetables (F&V) sector and, in particular, regarding:

1. National strategies for sustainable operational programmes;

2. Producer organisations;

3. Operational programmes of producer organisations;

4. Member States' mid-term evaluation of their national strategies.

That information supports certain of the conclusions drawn in the report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of provisions concerning producer organisations, operational funds and operational programmes in the fruit and vegetables sector since the 2007 reform, as provided for by Article 184(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007[1].

2. National strategies for sustainable operational programmes

2.1. National strategies and national frameworks for environmental actions

Following the 2007 reform, 23 MSs established national strategies for sustainable operational programmes (NSs), which include a national framework for environmental actions (NEF)[2]. All NEFs have taken on board amendments required by the Commission[3].

The NSs start with an analysis of the situation in the sector, fix priorities, objectives and eligible measures. They also establish requirements for monitoring and evaluating (M&E) operational programmes, performance indicators and reporting obligations for the POs.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011[4] sets out specific common requirements on the overall structure and content of the NSs, the NEFs, procedures for monitoring and evaluating operational programmes and NSs, including common performance indicators, and MSs’ annual reports. Those requirements take account of recommendations the European Court of Auditors made shortly before the 2007 reform[5].

2.2. Monitoring and evaluation of operational programmes and national strategies

Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 establishes precise requirements regarding the M&E of operational programmes by POs and of NSs by MSs. These requirements include the obligation to establish a system to collect, record and maintain information needed for compiling common performance indicators relating to the baseline situation, financial execution, outputs, results and impact of the operational programmes implemented[6].

POs are required to carry out a mid-term evaluation of operational programmes. In 2012, 18 MSs undertook an evaluation of their NS, and sent a report to the Commission by 15 November 2012. Bulgaria sent its report in October 2013.

Based on performance indicators, the M&E system for NSs builds on the information transmitted by each PO regarding the M&E of its operational programme. The latter is a part of an annual report on the operational programme implemented during the preceding year, which must accompany applications for aid.

MSs have to consolidate the reports of POs in an annual report on POs, associations of POs, operational funds and operational programmes running in the previous year, to be sent to the Commission. The annual reports and the 2012 evaluation reports sent by the MSs are intended to help the Commission to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the EU regime in the F&V sector.

To ensure coherence of this three-stage M&E system, the Commission has developed documents to facilitate a common understanding and facilitate the implementation of the M&E requirements on operational programmes and NSs[7].

This has been accompanied by IT developments, including a system for applying automatic data quality controls to MS annual reports and a database of annual reports as from 2004, allowing for ad hoc analyses. New webpages on the F&V regime on the Commission’s Europa website give public access to NSs, NEFs and reports on 2012 evaluations[8].

3. Producer organisations (POs) and Associations of POs

Table 1: Recognised POs and APOs: changes in some key parameters (2004-2010)

1.1 — POs

|| 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010 ||

A. Total number of POs (i) || 1 569 || 1 393 || 1 432 || 1 427 || 1 549 || 1 638 || 1 599 ||

B. F&V producers who are members of POs (i) || 397 733 || 438 456 || 430 714 || 454 052 || 457 833 || 442 605 || 411 400 ||

C. Total number of agricultural holdings with area under F&V crops (ii) || 3 841 645 || 3 591 290 || 3 470 690 || 3 350 090 || 3 063 930 || 2 777 770 || 2 491 610 ||

D. Share of total F&V producers who are members of POs (= B/C) || 10.4 % || 12.2 % || 12.4 % || 13.6 % || 14.9 % || 15.9 % || 16.5 % ||

E. Value of the F&V products marketed by POs (€m) (i) (iv) || 13 886 || 14 641 || 15 486 || 18 087 || 19 484 || 19 503 || 21 261 ||

F. Total value of F&V production (€m) (iii) (iv) || 44 711 || 45 601 || 47 013 || 48 557 || 50 216 || 45 625 || 49 389 ||

G. Value of the F&V products marketed by POs (% of total value of F&V production (= E/F) || 31.1 % || 32.1 % || 32.9 % || 37.2 % || 38.8 % || 42.7 % || 43.0 % ||

1.2 — APOs || || || || || || || ||

|| 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010 ||

Total number of APOs || 17 || 22 || 22 || 21 || 31 || 51 || 55 ||

POs member of APOs — Number (i) || 123 || 136 || 135 || 164 || 322 || 457 || 459 ||

POs member of APOs — Share of total number of POs (i) || 7.8 % || 9.8 % || 9.4 % || 11.5 % || 20.8 % || 27.9 % || 28.7 % ||

(i) Source: EC-DGAGRI-C.2 — calculations from data provided by MSs (Annual Reports 2004-2010).

(ii) Source: EC-DGAGRI-C.2 — calculations from results of Eurostat’s Farm Structure Surveys 2003 to 2010.

(iii) Source: EC-DGAGRI-C.2 — calculations from results of Eurostat’s Economic Accounts for Agriculture 2004 to 2010.

(iv) Current prices.

Table 2: Case study: Italy – Regions with a degree of producers' organisation below the national average

Regions || Total value of the fruit and vegetables production obtained in the region (average 2009-2011) || Degree of organisation (average 2009-2011) (*)

€m || Share of total in Italy (%)

Veneto || 697,8 || 7,0% || 43,4%

Basilicata || 250,8 || 2,5% || 31,5%

Puglia || 1261,3 || 12,7% || 28,9%

Marche || 119,6 || 1,2% || 27,8%

Toscana || 160,2 || 1,6% || 23,8%

Campania || 1319,4 || 13,2% || 23,0%

Molise || 52,6 || 0,5% || 23,0%

Calabria || 773,4 || 7,8% || 22,2%

Umbria || 31,7 || 0,3% || 20,3%

Abruzzo || 317,1 || 3,2% || 19,2%

Sicilia || 1746,2 || 17,5% || 19,0%

Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste || 1,8 || 0,0% || 16,8%

Sardegna || 342,3 || 3,4% || 8,5%

Liguria || 24,9 || 0,3% || 4,8%

ITALIA || 9969,8 || 100,0% || 47,3%

Source: EC-DGAGRI-C.2 - calculation from data transmitted by Italy in the frame of the request for Commission's authorisation to grant national financial assistance to POs in regions with a low degree of organisation of producers in 2013.

(*) Value of the fruit and vegetables production obtained in the region concerned and marketed by POs/APOs divided by the total value of the fruit and vegetables production obtained in the region.

4. Operational programmes, total expenditure and EU financial assistance

Table 3: Operational programmes, total expenditure and EU financial assistance, current prices (2004-2010)

|| || 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008 || 2009 || 2010

Total number of POs || 1 569 || 1 393 || 1 432 || 1 427 || 1 549 || 1 638 || 1 599

POs with an operational programme || A. Total number || 918 || 867 || 938 || 1 109 || 1 205 || 1 187 || 1 168

B. Share of all POs || 58.5 % || 62.2 % || 65.5 % || 77.7 % || 77.8 % || 72.5 % || 73.1 %

C. POs with an operational programme under the new regime || - || - || - || - || 624 || 985 || 1 079

51.7 % || 83.1 % || 92.3 %

D. Number of F&V producer members || 254 218 || 265 833 || 296 123 || 358 424 || 356 921 || 332 510 || 323 440

E. Share of total number of F&V producers who are members of POs || 63.9 % || 60.6 % || 68.8 % || 78.9 % || 78.0 % || 75.1 % || 78.6 %

F. Value of the products marketed (€m) (i) || 9 658 || 9 998 || 11 452 || 15 206 || 16 963 || 16 371 || 19 700

G. Share of total value of the products marketed by POs || 69.5 % || 68.3 % || 73.9 % || 84.1 % || 87.1 % || 83.9 % || 92.7 %

H. Average value of the products marketed per PO (€m) (i) (=F/A) || 10.5 || 11.5 || 12.2 || 13.7 || 14.1 || 13.8 || 16.9

Total operational funds || I. Total expenditure (€m) (i) || 713 || 712 || 689 || 865 || 1 149 || 1 233 || 1 374

J. (of which) Financial contribution by POs and/or POs’ members (€m) || 333 || 323 || 328 || 392 || 592 || 618 || 703

EU financial assistance || K. (of which) EU financial assistance (€m) (i) || 380 || 389 || 361 || 474 || 557 || 615 || 671

L. Share of total expenditure for operational programmes || 53.3 % || 54.6 % || 52.4 % || 54.8 % || 48.5 % || 49.9 % || 48.8 %

M. Share of total value of the products marketed by POs with an operational programme || 3.9 % || 3.9 % || 3.2 % || 3.1 % || 3.3 % || 3.8 % || 3.4 %

N. Share of total value of F&V production || 0.8 % || 0.9 % || 0.8 % || 1.0 % || 1.1 % || 1.3 % || 1.3 %

Source: EC-AGRI-C.2 — calculations from data provided by MSs (Annual Reports 2004-2010).

Table 4: Producer organisations with an operational programme, by size classes (2010)

Size class || POs with an operational programme || Total expenditure for operational programmes || EU financial assistance

Number || Share || €m || Share || €m || Share

A — 0<VMP<€ 500 000 || 10 || 0.9 % || 1.1 || 0.1 % || 0.5 || 0.1 %

B — € 500 000=<VMP<€ 2 m || 160 || 13.7 % || 18.9 || 1.4 % || 9.0 || 1.3 %

C — € 2 m=<VMP<€ 5 m || 344 || 29.5 % || 87.0 || 6.4 % || 40.8 || 6.1 %

D — € 5 m=<VMP<€ 10 m || 262 || 22.4 % || 130.6 || 9.5 % || 63.5 || 9.5 %

E — € 10 m=<VMP<€ 20 m || 179 || 15.3 % || 175.0 || 12.8 % || 84.6 || 12.6 %

F — € 20 m=<VMP<€ 50 m || 140 || 12.0 % || 297.3 || 21.7 % || 144.1 || 21.5 %

G — VMP>=€ 50 m || 73 || 6.3 % || 658.9 || 48.1 % || 327.9 || 48.9 %

All POs with an operational programme || 1 168 || 100.0 % || 1 368.8 || 100.0 % || 670.3 || 100.0 %

Source: EC-AGRI-C.2 — calculations from data transmitted by MSs (Annual Reports 2010).

5. Member States’ reports on the 2012 evaluation of their national strategies: answers to evaluation questions.

To what extent have the operational programmes implemented contributed to the overall and specific objectives? — Summary

[1] Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) (OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1).

[2] Article 103f of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007. Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia are exempted from the obligation to establish a national strategy since they have no recognised POs.

[3] Article 103f(1), second subparagraph of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007.

[4] OJ L 157, 15.6.2011, p. 1.

[5] European Court of Auditors’ Special Report No 8/2006 (OJ C 282, 20.11.2006, p. 32).

[6] MSs may specify in their NS additional indicators, reflecting national or regional needs, conditions and objectives specific to the operational programmes.

[7] The documents, in all EU languages, include guidelines on the common performance indicators, a new template for the annual report to be sent by MSs and guidelines on the 2012 evaluation of NSs by MSs.

[8] See http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/fruit-and-vegetables/country-files/index_en.htm.