NoC98/20 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.4.92
Opiniononthereformofthecommonagriculturalpolicy:
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)amendingRegulation(EEC)No805/68onthe
commonorganizationofthemarketinbeefandvealandrepealingRegulation (EEC)
No468/87layingdowngeneralrulesapplyingtothespecialpremiumforbeefproducers
andRegulation (EEC)No1357/80introducingasystemofpremiumsformaintaining
sucklercows
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)fixing,fortheperiodbetween1July1993and
30June1996,theinterventionpricesforadultbovineanimals
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)onmeasurestopromoteandmarketquality
beefandveal
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amendingRegulation (EEC)No3013/89onthe
commonorganizationofthemarketinsheepmeatandgoatmeat
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amendingRegulation (EEC)No3493/90laying
downgeneralrulesforthegrantofpremiumstosheepmeatandgoatmeatproducers(*)
(92/C98/10)
On31October1991theCommissiondecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposals.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon6February1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrRea.
Atits294thPlenarySession(meetingof26February1992),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyalargemajority,withfourdissentingvotes
andtwelveabstentions .
0.1.TheCommissionarguesthatlowercereals
priceswouldjustifyapricereductionforbeefandveal
prices.TheCommitteedisagreessincelowercereal
pricesmainlyaffectthecostsofpigandpoultryfarmers.lercowandbeefpremiums;thisisoffsetbythestrict
limitsonheadagepaymentsandonpermittedstocking
densities.
0.2.Thesignificantincomereductionsforfarmers
thatcouldfollowimplementation oftheCommission
proposalsleadstheCommitteetocallforfurtherstudy
andexaminationofthemeasurestobeintroducedwith
specialreferencetolessfavouredareas.0.1.1.Therefore,theCommitteebelievesthegeneral
thrustoftheproposalstobemisguided.Beefprices
aretobereducedinresponsetothelowerpriceof
cereals;butformuchofproductionthecostofcereals
isrelativelyunimportant .Relativetoporkandpoultry,
beefwillbecomelesscompetitiveandthesurplussitu­
ationwillbecomeaggravated .Whatismore,thebeef
premiumsaretobepaidoverthreeyears,thereby
encouragingfarmerstomarketlargeranimalsthanat
present.Meanwhile,thebeefsectorwillbecomethe
onlymajoruseroflandwhereoutputwillnotbe
controlledbydirectproductionrestraintsandthis,too,
islikelytoleadtoincreasedsupplies.
0.1.1.1.TheCommissionintendstocompensate
extensiveproducers (grass-fedbeef)byraisingthesuck­1.ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amending
Regulation(EEC)No805/68onthecommonorgan­
izationofthemarketinbeefandvealandrepealing
Regulation (EEC)No468/87layingdowngeneral
rulesapplyingtothespecialpremiumforbeefpro­
ducersandRegulation (EEC)No1357/80introdu­
cingasystemofpremiumsformaintainingsuckler
cows
1.1.InArticle4c(3),theindividualreferencequantity
shouldbeincreasedto90000kilos.Themaximum (!)OJNoC303,22.11.1991,p.29,33,34,35,39.

21.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC98/21
numberofsucklercowseligibleforthepremiumshould
beincreasedto15peryearperholding.
1.2.InArticle4d(2),thefirstindentshouldbedeleted
andthesecondindentrewordedsoastoincreasethe
stockingdensityandrelateittoallholdingsinthe
Community .
1.3.Article4e(l)shouldberewordedasfollows:
'1.Operatorsmayqualifyforatransportpremium,
fromsurplustodeficitareas,inrespectofmale
dairy-bredcalveswhicharewithdrawnfrompro­
ductionbeforeexceedingtheageoftendays.'
1.4.ThedateforentryintoforceoftheRegulation
shouldbeamendedto1January1993.posalsforthepromotionofbeefandvealbutrequests
afirmandclearproposalonanearlydate.
3.ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)amending
Regulation (EEC)No3013/89onthecommon
organizationofthemarketinsheepmeatandgoat­
meat
3.1.TheCommitteealsoconsidersthattheradical
reformsproposedbytheCommissionarenotjustified
inviewofthefactthattransitionarrangementsagreed
inthereformofthesheepmeatregimein1989arestill
applicable.
3.2.ThelimitsreferredtointhetableinArticle5a
andinArticle5b(2)(a)shouldberaisedto1500/700in
caseswhereanadditionalfarmworkerisemployedor
whereabonafidepartnershipexists.Suchameasure
couldhelptomaintainpopulationinless-favoured
areas.
3.3.InArticle5a(2),'1992'shouldbereplacedby
'1993',and'1993'by'2000'.
3.4.Article5a(6)(a)shouldberewordedtoread:
'Thetotalnumberofeligibleanimalsconferring
entitlementtopremiumspresentinanyoneyear
takingtheperiod1985-91inclusive...'2.ProposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)on
measurestopromoteandmarketqualitybeefand
veal
2.1.TheCommitteeapprovestheCommissionpro
DoneatBrussels,26February1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH