P6_TA(2006)0420

Soft fruits and cherries

European Parliament resolution on the situation with regard to soft fruits and cherries intended for processing

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the report of 28 June 2006 from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the situation of the sector of soft fruits and cherries intended for processing (COM(2006) 0345),

- having regard to Council Regulations (EC) Nos 2200/96 [1], 2201/96 [2], 2202/96 [3] and 2699/2000 [4], which form the basis for the CMO in fruit and vegetables,

- having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2001 on the report from the Commission to the Council on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables [5],

- having regard to Commission Regulations (EC) No 1432/2003 [6] regarding the recognition of producer groups and (EC) No 1433/2003 [7] on operational funds and programmes in that sector,

- having regard to Commission regulations (EC) No 1535/2003 [8], 2111/2003 [9] and 103/2004 [10] simplifying the provisions of the regulations in force in the sector,

- having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 [11] and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2237/2003 [12] on specific measures in support of nut producers,

- having regard to the Commission document entitled "The enlargement of the EU: implications for the fruit and vegetable sector" (DG AGRI, C-4, April 2004),

- having regard to the report of 10 August 2004 from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the simplification of the common market organisation in fruit and vegetables (COM(2004)0549),

- having regard to the Commission staff working paper of 3 September 2004 providing an analysis of the common market organisation in fruit and vegetables (SEC(2004)1120),

- having regard to its resolution of 11 May 2005 on the simplification of the common market organisation in fruit and vegetables [13],

- having regard to the Commission staff working document of 28 June 2006 on a "Review of the sector of soft fruits and cherries intended for processing in the EU" (SEC(2006)0838),

- having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the objectives of the common agricultural policy (CAP) include increasing agricultural productivity, ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural community, stabilising markets and ensuring the availability of supplies and reasonable prices for consumers,

B. whereas the Treaty establishing the European Community suggests that, in working out the CAP, account should be taken of the particular nature of agricultural activity, which results from the social structure of agriculture and from structural and natural disparities between the various agricultural regions, of the need to effect the appropriate adjustments by degrees, and of the fact that in the Member States agriculture constitutes a sector closely linked with the economy as a whole,

C. whereas the three fundamental CAP principles are: unity of the common market, Community preference and financial solidarity,

D. whereas since the enlargement of the European Union the market for soft fruits and cherries has undergone significant change, with the overall area planted to such fruit increasing from 69000 hectares to 237000 hectares,

E. whereas, in the Accession Treaty, Poland drew attention to predicted difficulties on the EU market for fruit and vegetables following the enlargement, and also to the need for protective measures to be applied on that market,

F. whereas, following enlargement in 2004, soft fruits and cherries have become a highly significant economic product for the EU, particularly in view of the fact that a number of new Member States remain world leaders in the production of these fruits,

G. whereas under Community legislation prior to enlargement in 2004, soft fruits and cherries were not treated as highly sensitive market products and as a result no specific measures were included in the relevant Community policies (CMO in fruit and vegetables, customs policy); whereas since enlargement Community provisions have not been properly adjusted to the new situation prevailing in the Community soft fruits sector,

H. whereas the problem of soft fruits and cherries first and foremost concerns the new Member States, particularly Poland, which accounts for two-thirds of overall EU production of soft fruits and cherries for processing; whereas it also concerns certain regions of the old Member States where such production is a major sector of agriculture,

I. whereas because of the rise in the price of Community raw materials in the cherry sector, the processing industries are increasingly resorting to product substitution (sour cherries instead of sweet cherries), a trend which aggravates the threat to the survival of traditional production in certain Member States posed by imports from outside the Community,

J. whereas production of soft fruits and cherries is concentrated in a few of the poorest EU regions, which makes it an issue of social, as well as economic, importance,

K. whereas a significant amount of soft fruits and cherries are produced on small family holdings, which are dependent on growing such fruit for their survival,

L. whereas the long-standing crisis in the fruit and vegetable market is threatening the sector's future,

M. whereas in 2004 and 2005, the price of strawberries for processing and frozen strawberries in the EU fell considerably, owing to increased competition from third countries and a temporary increase in EU production,

N. whereas the share of imports from third countries into the EU-25 is high for raspberries and sweet cherries and has grown significantly for frozen strawberries over recent years; whereas, for that reason, competition from imports of cheap frozen strawberries from third countries — particularly China and Morocco — has increased on the market for strawberries for processing,

O. whereas blackcurrants are grown in the northern Member States and whereas the EU is the world's leading producer of such fruit,

P. whereas since the enlargement in 2004, EU raspberry production has increased from 28000 tonnes to 87000 tonnes (averages in 2002-2004), with two new large producers, namely Poland (with 48000 tonnes) and Hungary (10000 tonnes),

Q. whereas since the enlargement, new Member States (Poland, with 190000 tonnes in 2002-2004, and Hungary, with 51000 tonnes) have accounted for the bulk of EU cherry production,

R. whereas producer groups and organisations are the main beneficiaries of fruit and vegetable market support and whereas they play only a small part in the market in the new Member States; whereas the new Member States produce large amounts of soft fruits and cherries,

S. whereas most EU budgetary spending in the fruit and vegetables market is earmarked for processing aid and whereas soft fruits and cherries are not eligible for such support,

T. whereas, in certain Member States, production of soft fruits and cherries intended specifically for processing constitutes a sector in itself, which contributes to the necessary preservation of the economic and social fabric,

1. Calls on the Commission to take immediate steps to initiate cooperation projects and training measures for the farmers concerned and support for improvements to the marketing infrastructure in order to create better opportunities for growers of soft fruits and cherries in the EU to make a living;

2. Calls for soft fruits, such as strawberries, currants, raspberries and gooseberries and sour and sweet cherries to be included in processing aid systems similar to those currently applied in the case of tomatoes, pears, peaches and citrus fruit, with a view to stabilising the market in these products more effectively; draws attention to the fact that these products are of strategic importance in certain regions of the old Member States and to the new Member States, where they are of social, and not just economic, value as well as enhancing the landscape;

3. Calls on the Commission immediately to devise and implement measures restricting excessive imports of soft fruits from third countries, particularly those which apply dumping prices;

4. Calls on the Commission, in the long term, to consider adopting qualified market access for soft fruits, which would make imports of products from third countries conditional on compliance with environmental and social standards in their production corresponding to those of the European Union; considers that, if such standards are not complied with, a levy should be imposed on the imports to protect European producers against dumping and that the revenue from this levy should be used to finance rural development projects in the exporting countries concerned;

5. Considers that support mechanisms should be introduced for producer groups to provide encouragement for producers to set up groups (and ultimately producers' associations) in Member States where the level of organisation of the fruit and vegetable sector is much worse than the Community average, for example by doubling assistance rates for previously recognised producer groups;

6. Takes the view that, during the transitional period, the new Member States should be given greater assistance in connection with the formation and administration of producer groups granted previous recognition (aid rates from the first to the fifth year in operation of 10 %, 10 %, 8%, 6% and 4% respectively, instead of the current 5%, 5 %, 4%, 3% and 2%, with the existing aid ceilings of EUR 100000, 100000, 80000, 60000 and 40000 respectively being maintained);

7. Calls on the Commission to take vigorous action with a view to including products which are subject to low customs tariffs (as is the case with soft fruits) on the list of sensitive goods and bringing soft fruits under special safeguard clauses (SSGs) and the entry price arrangements;

8. Calls on the Commission to enter discussions with the Member States with a view to introducing financial support for projects to take old soft fruit and cherry plantations out of production in the event of prolonged supply surpluses;

9. Calls on the Commission to simplify the relevant provisions and the crisis support arrangements for soft fruit and cherry producers suffering losses as a result of adverse weather conditions; takes the view that such simplification should in particular seek to ensure that compensation for the impact of adverse weather conditions does not require prior approval by the Commission, which would significantly speed up payments to farmers;

10. Calls on the Commission to introduce compensation arrangements for producers as part of the reform of the CMO in fruit and vegetables, to cover situations in which crops of soft fruits and cherries are not brought to market as a result of unforeseen and temporary difficulties stemming from supply surpluses;

11. Calls for the introduction of a labelling system to indicate the country of origin of agricultural products used for processed foods, and for such labelling to be required on the end product as well, making it possible for consumers to choose whether to purchase regional products;

12. Calls for appropriate funds to be allocated, in connection with regulations seeking to promote agricultural products, to increasing consumption of high-quality European soft fruits and cherries and products made therefrom;

13. Calls on the Polish Government to eliminate the fiscal disadvantages suffered by producer groups so as to encourage producers to form associations to sell their products and so that they can make optimal use of the budget of the CMO in fruit and vegetables;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and the governments of the Member States.

[1] OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.

[2] OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.

[3] OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 49.

[4] OJ L 311, 12.12.2000, p. 9.

[5] OJ C 65 E, 14.3.2002, p. 334.

[6] OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 18.

[7] OJ L 203, 12.8.2003, p. 25.

[8] OJ L 218, 30.8.2003, p. 14.

[9] OJ L 317, 2.12.2003, p. 5.

[10] OJ L 16, 23.1.2004, p. 3.

[11] OJ L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1.

[12] OJ L 339, 24.12.2003, p. 52.

[13] OJ C 92 E, 20.4.2006, p. 284.

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