Amended proposal for a EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DIRECTIVE concerning statistical surveys in order to determine the production potential of plantations of certain species of fruit trees (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)

1. BACKGROUND

* By virtue of Council Directive 76/625/EEC, concerning statistical surveys to determine the production potential of plantations of certain species of fruit trees [1], it has been possible for the Member States to conduct five five-yearly surveys on the above theme.

[1] OJ L 218, 11.8.1976, p. 10.

* The experience acquired in implementing the Directive has revealed the urgent need to introduce greater flexibility into the practical aspects of conducting the surveys.

* In response to this need the Commission felt it advisable to draft a new Directive which would be simpler and more straightforward to read and to implement than the old, repeatedly amended, text.

* The flexible elements introduced in the proposed text mainly concern the following points:

- Survey methodology: the rigid threshold is replaced by an objective which relates to the representativeness of the sample (Article 3 of the proposed text).

- Timetable for conducting the survey: the former fixed period (spring) has been eliminated. The only constraint is the deadline for transmitting results to the Commission (Article 4 of the proposed text). This flexibility allows Member States to choose the most appropriate date for conducting the survey.

* On 23 November 2000 the Commission adopted a proposal for a new Directive (COM(2000) 753) [2] which it transmitted to the European Parliament and to the Council.

[2] JO C 96 E of 27.3.2001, p. 212.

* The "Working Party on Agricultural Statistics" and the "Special Committee on Agriculture" of the Council, meeting in December 2000 and January 2001 respectively, examined the text proposed by the Commission and did not make any substantial amendments.

* At the plenary session on 13 June 2001, the European Parliament approved the Commission proposal with 2 amendments. The Commission is prepared to accept these amendments in part.

* The "Working Party on Agricultural Statistics" and the "Special Committee on Agriculture" of the Council, meeting in September 2001, delivered an opinion which is very close to that outlined in this document.

2. EXAMINATION OF THE AMENDMENTS

At the plenary session on 13 June 2001, the European Parliament approved the Commission proposal with 2 amendments. The Commission is prepared to accept these amendments in part.

Amendment 1 (Article 1 (2)) :

The Commission agrees to eliminate the example of small-fruited citrus.

The Commission accepts the point relating to the possibility of using "Committee procedure" to amend the table of species to be surveyed which is appended to the proposal. Indeed this amendment introduces a useful degree of flexibility into the proposed text.

Amendment 2 (Article 2(1)) :

The Commission agrees to the deletion of references to "double grafting" and to the "net area". This will permit more reliable results.

3. CONCLUSION

Pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission hereby amends its proposal for a Directive along the lines stated above.

Done at Brussels,

By the European Parliament By the Council

The President The President