A4-0012/99

Decision on common position (EC) No 60/98 adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Regulation establishing a special framework of assistance for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas (10460/98 - C4-0583/98 - 98/0014(SYN))(Cooperation procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the common position of the Council, 10460/98 - 98/0014(SYN) ((OJ C 364, 25.11.1998, p. 14.)),

- having regard to its opinion at first reading ((OJ C 210, 6.7.1998, p. 320.)) on the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(98)0005) ((OJ C 108, 7.4.1998, p. 91)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 189c and 130w of the EC Treaty (C4-0583/98),

- having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A4-0012/99),

1. Amends the common position as follows;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission.

(Amendment 1)

Recital 1

>Original text>

Whereas the Fourth ACP-EC Convention provides that, in respect of its banana exports to the Community markets, no ACP State shall be placed, as regards access to its traditional markets and its advantages on those markets, in a less favourable situation than in the past or at present;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the European Union is bound by the undertakings it made to the ACP countries under the Lomé Convention, and more particularly its Protocol No 5, which seeks to guarantee maintenance for the ACP States of their advantages on the European market, access to that market in conditions that may not be less favourable than those that they have previously enjoyed, and improvement of production and marketing conditions for ACP bananas;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 1a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the Community banana regime and the trade preferences it involves are real instruments of development for a good many ACP countries;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 5

>Original text>

Whereas these modifications have substantially altered the market conditions for traditional ACP suppliers;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas these modifications have substantially altered the market conditions for traditional ACP suppliers

and might, in particular, harm the most disadvantaged suppliers;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 7a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the purpose of fair trade is to contribute to the fight against poverty and to the promotion of acceptable social and environmental conditions; whereas such initiatives should be encouraged;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 7b (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas European consumers are increasingly prepared to buy 'fair trade' products and to pay slightly higher prices for them; whereas the European Union supports the goal of increasing the supply of bananas on the European market from producers that adhere to particularly high environmental and social standards; whereas, consequently, ACP banana producers should be granted support for converting their plantations to comply with such criteria and in obtaining certification;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 7c (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas it is necessary to foster alternative economic activities for those growers least able to adapt to new market conditions; whereas the programme of technical and financial assistance should therefore be extended to include aid for diversification; whereas this will only be possible if the sum allocated for this programme is sufficient to meet the real needs of ACP suppliers and is provided for a long enough period to cover the period of crisis;

(Amendment 10)

Article 3(2)(a), indent 1

>Original text>

- increasing productivity, without causing damage to the environment,

>Text following EP vote>

-

increasing productivity, without causing damage to the environment and while complying with minimum social standards relating to working conditions,

(Amendment 11)

Article 3(2)(a), indent 4

>Original text>

- establishing producers' organisations which have as their objective the improvement of the marketing and competitiveness of their products and the development of systems for certifying environment-friendly production methods, including fair trade bananas,

>Text following EP vote>

- assisting producer and farmers' organisations to improve competitiveness and increase market opportunities by supporting initiatives to enable producers to fulfil the social and environment-friendly criteria established by European and internationally recognised fair trade and organic produce importers and marketing organisations,

(Amendment 12)

Article 3(2)(a), indent 5

>Original text>

- developing a production and/or marketing strategy to meet the requirements of the market in the light of the Community's common organisation of the market in bananas,

>Text following EP vote>

-

developing and operating a production and/or marketing strategy, in consultation with producer and farmers' organisations, to meet the requirements of the market in the light of the Community's common organisation of the market in bananas,

(Amendment 13)

Article 3(2)(a), indent 6

>Original text>

- assisting with training, market intelligence, the development of environment-friendly production methods including fair trade bananas, improving the distribution infrastructure and improving commercial and financial services to banana producers;

>Text following EP vote>

-

assisting with training, market intelligence, the development of environment-friendly production methods including fair trade bananas, implementing social projects relating to improvements in the working conditions and lives of workers, improving the distribution infrastructure and improving commercial and financial services to banana producers, in consultation with producer and farmers' organisations;

(Amendment 14)

Article 3(2)(a), indent 6a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

- making producers of fair trade bananas, together with the agencies which provide 'fair trade' certification, eligible for special support measures associated with technical and financial assistance.

(Amendment 16)

Article 7(1)

>Original text>

1. Within the global amount available for a given year, the Commission shall fix the maximum amount available to each traditional ACP supplier for the financing of the programmes referred to in Article 3(2), on the basis of the competitivity gap observed and taking into account the importance of banana production of the country concerned. Where only programmes as defined in Article 3(2)(b) are implemented, the Commission will allocate an amount comparable to that given to the other traditional suppliers.

>Text following EP vote>

1.

Within the global amount available for a given year, the Commission shall fix the maximum amount available to each traditional ACP supplier for the financing of the programmes referred to in Article 3(2), on the basis of the competitivity gap vis-à-vis bananas from competing third countries and taking into account the socio-economic impact of banana production on the country concerned as well as the conditions relating to the policy of regional integration and diversification of agricultural exports. Where only programmes as defined in Article 3(2)(b) are implemented, the Commission will allocate an amount comparable to that given to the other traditional suppliers.

(Amendment 17)

Article 7(1a) (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

1a. The funds available should primarily benefit small independent producers. Multinational firms, i.e. firms that operate banana plantations in more than one State, shall not be eligible for assistance under this Regulation.

(Amendment 18)

Article 7a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Article 7a

The Commission shall undertake to implement a transparent technical and financial assistance mechanism enabling producers or producer organisations to pass aid on or to benefit from it as directly as possible.

(Amendment 20)

Article 9

>Original text>

By 31 December 2000, and every two years thereafter, the Commission shall present a report, accompanied if appropriate by proposals, on the operation of this Regulation to the European Parliament and the Council.

>Text following EP vote>

By 31 December 2000, and every two years thereafter, the Commission shall present a report on the operation of this Regulation to the European Parliament and the Council.

The report shall focus especially on the improvement of the competitiveness of the banana sector in the traditional ACP banana-supplying countries and on trends in incomes of banana producers.