Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits (COM(98)0647 - C4-0710/98 - 98/0310(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 6)

Recital 1a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas there is a low rate of self-sufficiency in citrus fruit, particularly in the form of processed products such as juice and concentrates etc., which is increasing the European agricultural balance of trade deficit;

(Amendment 7)

Recital 1b (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas environmental restrictions and the impact of withdrawals on the amount of operational funds are limiting recourse to withdrawals and leaving a large margin between the commitment appropriations and payments allocated to withdrawals; whereas, however, the citrus fruit processing industry is being affected by a shortage of funding which may derive from environmental problems caused by deflection from processing to withdrawals; whereas there is a margin for increasing the processing thresholds for citrus fruit while complying with budgetary neutrality for fruit and vegetables as a whole;

(Amendment 8)

ARTICLE 1 (-1) (new)

Article 5(1) (Regulation (EC) No 2202/96)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

-1. Article 5(1) is replaced by the following:

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

'1. Processing thresholds shall be laid down, firstly, for each of the following three products: lemons; grapefruit; and oranges; and secondly, for the group of products comprising mandarins, clementines and satsumas, with the following levels:

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Lemons:

600 000 tonnes

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Grapefruit:

6 000 tonnes

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Oranges:

1 665 000 tonnes

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Mandarins, clementines and satsumas:

339 000 tonnes'

(Amendment 9)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 5(2), 2nd subparagraph a (new) (Regulation (EC) No 2202/96)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The reduction in aid shall in no case exceed 20 %.'

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 2202/96 introducing a Community aid scheme for producers of certain citrus fruits (COM(98)0647 - C4-0710/98 - 98/0310(CNS))(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0647 - 98/0310(CNS) ((OJ C 381, 8.12.1998, p. 9.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 43 of the EC Treaty (C4-0710/98),

- 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 opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0164/99),

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.