Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) on measures to promote and market quality beef and veal and on publicity measures on the labelling of beef and veal and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 (97/C 149/10) (Text with EEA relevance) COM(97) 70 final - 97/0058(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 19 March 1997)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 of 30 June 1992 (1) allows the Community to part-finance specific measures undertaken by trade and inter-trade organizations to encourage the consumption and marketing of quality beef and veal; whereas, in the light of experience and in order to deal better with the market problems arising from the BSE crisis, changes should be made to the current promotional scheme;

Whereas Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 lays down that promotional measures providing for the control of meat quality throughout the chain of production, from the producer to the consumer, may be given priority and qualify for a higher Community contribution; whereas most of the programmes submitted so far by trade and inter-trade organizations provide for such control; whereas this is what is required to restore consumer confidence; whereas, therefore, Community financing should be reserved for those programmes;

Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No . . . established a new Community labelling system for beef and veal intended to provide the consumer with additional guarantees; whereas consumers should be informed about the new system by means of special measures financed by the Community;

Whereas national programmes to promote identified beef and veal exist alongside the Community programmes in a number of Member States; whereas provision should be made to take account of such programmes so as to ensure the necessary coordination;

Whereas consumer reaction to the crisis has shown that consumers invariably prefer products whose origin is indicated; whereas an approval procedure should be laid down to permit the identification of the origin of products under certain conditions preventing infringement of Article 30 of the Treaty;

Whereas balance on the Community market also depends on the demand on foreign markets; whereas, in order to restore consumer confidence on those markets, the means should be provided to implement suitable publicity measures in third-country markets; in order to achieve this objective, the Community financial contribution should be increased;

Whereas, in order to ensure that the measures are as effective as possible, the Commission should be able to call for technical assistance in the areas concerned;

Whereas, given the extent of the changes envisaged, Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 should be repealed and replaced by this Regulation,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Community may part-finance measures undertaken by trade and inter-trade organizations to promote quality Community beef and veal identified as such.

As soon as the Community labelling system is put in place, the Community may finance publicity measures intended to inform the consumer of the guarantees offered by this system.

Article 2

Part-financed measures referred to in Article 1 first sub-paragraph shall provide for the control of meat quality throughout the chain of production, from the producer to the consumer.

Account shall be taken of existing measures in the Member States to promote identified beef and veal when programmes part-financed by the Community are adopted.

Promotional and marketing measures must not be biased in favour of any trade mark nor confer advantage on products from a particular Member State.

Article 3

The use of logos or symbols identifying the origin of products in accordance with Regulation (EC) No . . . on the labelling of beef and veal and beef products may be authorized in accordance with the terms and the procedure to be laid down in the detailed rules for the application of this Regulation.

Article 4

The Community may finance suitable measures to publicize the qualities of Community beef and veal in third countries.

Article 5

The Community financial contribution to the measures referred to in Article 1 may not exceed 60 % of their actual cost. However, for the actions under Article 4, this financial contribution may be increased up to 80 % of their actual cost.

Article 6

For the application of Articles 1, 3 and 4, and particularly as regards the choice of strategic means, assessment and monitoring, the Commission may ask for technical assistance from publicity experts with a thorough knowledge of the beef and veal sector.

Article 7

Expenditure relating to the Community financial contribution referred to in Articles 1 and 4 and the financing of the measures referred to in Article 3 and the technical assistance referred to in Article 6 shall be considered to be intervention within the meaning of Article 3 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70.

Article 8

Detailed rules for the application of this Regulation, and in particular those defining the promotion and publicity measures, shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 27 of Regulation (EEC) No 805/68.

Article 9

Regulation (EEC) No 2067/92 is hereby repealed.

It shall, however, continue to apply to applications for a Community contribution submitted under that Regulation prior to the entry into force of this Regulation.

Article 10

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

(1) OJ No L 215, 30. 7. 1992, p. 57.