COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 23.02.1998 
COM(1998) 94 final 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
on the cost of the aid measures for the transport of certain fruit and vegetables 
in 1996 provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3438/92 
Hi 

Article 2(4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3438/921, as last amended by Regulation 
(EC) No 1600/962, requires the Commission to present a report to the Council on the cost 
of the aid measures for the transport of certain fruit and vegetables. 
This report concerns the cost of the measures in 1996. 
1, Background 
The conflict in Yugoslavia, which erupted in 1991, hampered the transport of certain 
Greek agricultural products destined for other Community Member States, in particular 
fruit and vegetables, which are highly perishable. 
As a result of this exceptional situation, unprecedented since the introduction of the 
common agricultural policy, the Council took a decision, in respect of fruit and 
vegetables covered by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/723 (which was subsequently 
repealed and replaced by Regulation (EC) No 2200/964), on account of their 
perishability, to compensate for the costs arising as a result of the need to avoid the 
territory of the former Yugoslavia. 
2. Regulatory framework 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3438/92 provides for the grant of a special temporary 
allowance for the years 1992-96 on consignments made by wagon, truck or vessel to 
Member States other than Italy, Spain and Portugal. The allowance for 1996, which is the 
last year for which it is to be granted, must be adjusted on a diminishing scale. 
The Commission subsequently adopted a number of implementing regulations, including 
Regulation (EC) No 2133/965, amended by Regulation (EC) No 95/98°, concerning the 
consignments in 1996. 
This Regulation set the aid originally at ECU 3.21 and ECU 2.76 per 100 kilograms net 
weight for consignments from 1 January to 17 October 1996 and from 18 October to 31 
1 OJL 350, 1.12.1992, p. 1. 
2 OJL 206. 16. 8.1996, p. 45. 
3 OJL US, 20. 5.1972, p. 1. 
4 OJL 297, 21.11.1996,p. 1. 
5 OJL 285. 7.11.1996, p. 13. 
6 OJL 9, 15. 1.1998, p. 28. 
2 
December 1996 respectively on condition that the quantities dispatched during those 
periods do not exceed 175 000 tonnes and 41 000 tonnes respectively. 
The competent Greek authorities were instructed to examine aid applications and their 
admissibility and to proceed with payments. They were instructed also to carry out the 
necessary checks on the operations. Financing is provided by the Guarantee Section of 
the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). 
The Greek authorities are required to notify the Commission of the quantities qualifying 
for transport aid. 
3, Cost of the aid 
The figures below have been prepared on the basis of information sent by Greece 
concerning the consignments in 1996 which qualified for transport aid. The data supplied 
to the Commission are broken down by product, means of transport and Member State of 
destination. 
In 1996 aid was granted in respect of 260 958 437 kg offrait and vegetables, i.e. 5% less 
than in 1995. The quantities dispatched during the two reference periods referred to in 
point 2 above totalled 206 016 864 kg and 54 941 573kg (Le. 79%and2I%) 
respectively. The aid amounts were consequently reduced in proportion to the overruns, 
as required under Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2133/96, to ECU 2.727 and 
ECU 2.060 per 100 kg respectively, giving a total cost for the measure of 
ECU 6 749 876. 
4. Summary 
Table t gives a breakdown by product of the quantities dispatched. 
Grapes are the main product that benefited from the measures, accounting for 31% of the 
consignments for which the allowance was granted. Next come oranges (14%), followed 
by water melons (11%X 
Germany was by far the principal consignee Member State, receiving 64% of the 
quantities dispatched, followed by the Netherlands (16%) and the United Kingdom (11%) 
(see Table 2> 
% 
Table 1 
Consignments of Greek fruit and vegetables which qualified for transport aid in 1996 
Product 
Grapes 
Oranges 
Water melons 
Asparagus 
Cucumbers 
Mandarins 
Peaches 
Kiwis 
Cherries 
Lemons 
Apricots 
Nectarines 
Peppers 
Tomato peppers 
Carrots 
Sweet peppers 
Valencia oranges 
Lettuce 
Apples 
Tomatoes 
Aubergines 
Quinces 
Cabbages 
Plums 
Raspberries 
Beans 
Mirabelle plums 
Grapefruit 
Pears 
Total Quantity (kg) 
81,607,965 
35,645,944 
29,705,048 
24,016,518 
19,854,739 
16,871,482 
15,016,785 
10,713,782 
6,067,158 
5,558,389 
4,711,271 
4,604,271 
1,711,130 
1,697,056 
1,008,972 
957,327 
524,450 
243,220 
240,072 
65,277 
47,445 
34,430 
17,800 
11,640 
10,903 
8,900 
3,393 
2,710 
360 
260,958,437 Percentage (%) 
31.3 
13.7 
11.4 
9.2 
7.6 
6.5 
5.8 
4.1 
2.3 
2.1 
1.8 
1.8 
0.7 
0.7 
0.4 
0.4 
0.2 
0.1 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
100.0 
Table 2 
Consignments of Greek fruit and vegetables which qualified for transport aid in 1996 
by Member State of destination 
Member State of Quantity (kg) Percentage (%) 
destination 
D 165,770,941 oTT 
_ 40,382,906 TsT 
_K 29,282,103 TTT 
A 16,175,286 62 
F 2,479,037 09" 
_ 1,671,658 Oo~ 
S 3,796,306 Lf 
B 1,400,200 05~ 
r 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 94 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 07 10 01 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-099-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-31240-1 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg