31.8.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC223/69
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation (EEC)introducingspecificmeasuresfor
theCanaryIslandsconcerningagriculturalproducts
(92/C223/22)
On22April1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheEconomicandSocialCommitteedecidedtoappointMrMayayoBelloasRapporteur­
GeneralforitsOpinion.
Atits297thPlenarySession(meetingof27May1992),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinionunanimously .
1.Generalcomments
1.1.Theproposedmeasurescomeunderthepro­
grammeofoptionsspecifictotheremoteandinsular
natureoftheCanaryIslands(Poseican).
1.2.Thepurposeofthisprogramme,adoptedbythe
Councilon26June1991(Decision91/314/EEC),isto
furthertheeconomicandsocialdevelopmentofthe
CanaryIslandsandtooffsetanyadverserepercussions
fromtheirintegrationintotheCommunity'scustoms
territoryandthefullapplicationofcommonpolicies.
1.3.AccordinglytheproposedframeworkRegu­
lationcontainsmeasurestofacilitatethesupplyof
certainagriculturalproducts—forboththeconsumer
andtheprocessingindustry—andmeasurestoencour­
agethedevelopmentofcertainfarmingactivities.2.Specificcomments
2.1.Article11
2.1.1.Soastoclarifythescopeoftheaid,theprecise
meaningoftheterm'locally'shouldbedefined.
2.1.2.Furthermore ,itwouldnotseemadvisableto
grantaidsolelyforcow'smilk;forthesamereasons
andtoattainthesameobjectivesasstatedintheArticle,
itisproposedthataidalsobegrantedforgoat'smilk
collectedbythedairies.
2.2.Article15
2.2.1.Inparagraph1(secondsub-paragraph )the
Committeethinksthatitwouldbesufficientforthe
programmeofaidinitiativestorunforatleasttwo
years.
2.2.2.Bothparagraphs 1and3shouldstateexplicitly
thatthisisCommunityaid.
2.2.3.Giventheenormousimportanceofbanana
productionintheCanaryIslands,theCommitteewould
stresstheurgencyoftheneedtoadoptthemeasures
forthissector.
2.3.Article17
2.3.1.Giventhespecialcircumstances affectingthe
developmentofmostcurrentagriculturalproductionin
theCanaryIslands,theCommitteefeelsthatitwould
notbeadvisabletorestricttheeconomicanalysisand
forwardstudytothefruitandvegetableprocessing
industry.
2.4.Article18
2.4.1.Itshouldbepossibletousethegraphicsymbol
foranimalproductsaswellasfruitandvegetables.The
CommitteedoesnotthereforeregardTitleIIIasthe
idealplaceforthisarticle;TitleIVmightbebetter.
2.5.Article20
2.5.1.Inparagraph1theCommitteeconsiderscom­
pliancewiththecriteriaofsub-paragraphs (a)and(b)1.4.TheCommitteesetsparticularstorebythe
measuresaimedatasustainedreductionintheprices
paidbytheenduser,whilemaintainingthehighest
possiblelevelsofproductionandemployment .
1.5.ThisiswhytheCommitteewishestohighlight
theimportanceofthemeasurestoencouragethecon­
sumptionoflocalproductsandtheproductivityand
competitiveness oftheagriculturalandagro-industrial
sectors:fosteringendogenousdevelopmentinamore
balancedanddiversifiedframeworkthanatpresent.
1.6.Inshort,theCommitteebasicallyapprovesthe
Commissionproposalandunreservedlysupportsthe
measuresaimedatmitigatingthedifficultiescausedby
theparticularsituationoftheCanaryIslandsandthe
shortagesandconstraintsfacedbyagriculture.Itwould
however,makeafewspecificcomments .

NoC223/70 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 31.8.92
assufficienttoqualifyforaid.Thequalitywinespsr
appellationshouldnotthereforeberequired.
2.6.Article25
2.6.1.TheCommitteeproposesthatthisarticlebe
movedtoTitleII.
2.7.Article27
2.7.1.TheCommitteeproposesaddingthefollowing
attheendofparagraph1(e):
'...overandabovetheneedsoftheregionalmarket;'
2.7.2.TheCommitteeproposesinsertingthefollow­
ingparagraph7:
'7.TheCommission shallundertaketoexaminethe
reasonedrequestssubmittedbytheSpanishauthori­
tieswithaviewtograntingCommunityaidin
accordancewithRegulation (EEC)No866/90in
thefollowingcases,currentlyexcludedbyvirtueof
Commission Decision90/342/EEContheselection
criteriatobeadopted,namely:
(a)investmentsincoldstoresforfrozenandchilled
products;
(b)investmentsleadingtoincreasedproductionof
tomatoconcentrate ;
(c)investmentsinthecow'smilkandcow'smilk
productssectorleadingtoanincreaseinmilk
utilizationcapacityandinvestmentsinbutter
andwheypowderintendedforcattlefeed;
(d)investmentsresultinginanincreaseinthe
slaughtercapacityforpigs,cattleandpoultry;(e)investmentsinthecollectionorvinificationof
grapesproducedintheCanaryIslandsfortable
wineproduction.'
2.7.3.Theseprovisionswouldonlyapplyifthepro­
cessedand/ormarketedproductswereintendedforthe
domesticmarketoftheCanaryIslands.
2.8.1.Thespecificsupplyarrangementsshouldmeet
thedualobjectivesofsatisfyingtheneedsoftheregional
marketonthebesttermsasregardsqualityandprice,
whileatthesametimeboostingindustrialactivityand
localproduction .Forthisreason,themanagementof
thespecificsupplyarrangementsmustbebasedonthe
followingprinciples :
a)Withdrawalfromthearrangementsofthoseprod­
uctswheremarketneedscanbesatisfiedbyregional
production ;
b)Preferenceforthosesupplysystemswhichgenerate
moreinternaleconomicactivity,e.g.fatteningcalv­
esasopposedtofreshorchilledbeefandveal;
c)Non-discrimination oflocalproducts;theaidfor
localproductionandforthesupplyofprimary
productsforlocalindustrymustbehigherorat
leastequal,initsultimateimpactonconsumer
prices,totheaidgrantedforcompetingproducts.
2.8.2.Inlinewiththecommentsinthepreceding
pointandbearinginmindthepowersoftheAuton­
omousCommunityoftheCanaryIslandsineconomic,
commercial ,agriculturalandindustrialmatters,itis
essentialthatthemanagementandsupervisionofthe
aidandoftheestimatedsupplybalancebecarriedout
directlybytheGovernmentoftheCanaryIslands.
DoneatBrussels,27May1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH