WRITTEN QUESTION E-1336/96 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (3 June 1996)

Subject: Floriculture promotion fund to cover organically grown flowers

Does the Commission intend to establish a floriculture promotion fund, in accordance with the demand from the Netherlands Government in particular during the negotiations on the association agreement with Morocco in 1995?

If so, will the Commission also point to the need for coherence between agricultural policy and environmental policy?

Is the Commission aware that in the Netherlands, the Member State most interested in the promotion fund, current flower cultivation involves considerable environmental pollution as a result of energy consumption, fertilizers and waste production and in particular the excessive use of pesticides ((On average 50 kg of pesticides per hectare which is four times as much as in the cultivation of the infamous 'poison potatoes'. ))?

Does the Commission share my view that a Community campaign to encourage the sales of European flowers should not increase the risks to the environment and public health?

Is the Commission aware of the existence in the Netherlands and other Member States of organic flower growing, which causes much less environmental pollution?

Is the Commission prepared to earmark part of the floriculture promotion fund to encourage awareness and sales of organically grown flowers?

Is the Commission willing to consider increasing the subsidies for switching to organic flower growing as the current per hectare subsidy arrangement is unfavourable to the floriculture sector?

What other measures is the Commission considering to encourage organic flower growing?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (1 July 1996)

In line with the undertaking made at the Council meeting of 10 November 1995, the Commission will be proposing a fund to promote floriculture.

The promotion campaign will aim to encourage people to buy Community-grown flowers and plants both within the EU and outside. The exact operational form the fund will take will not be decided on by the Commission until the overall framework has been adopted by the Council.

Dutch production of bulbs and flowers is very intensive and consumes high quantities of energy and chemicals. The Dutch authorities are aware of this problem and have for some years been encouraging growers to adopt more environmentally friendly techniques (with a multiannual agreement concluded between the government and the sector). Similarly, auction houses such as Bloemen Veiling Holland now have an eco-ranking system for firms according to how much use they make of fertilizers and water, plant-health products, energy, and other raw materials and additives. The firm's ranking is specified at auction and enables it to get a reduction on the commission kept by the flower market. By improving their environmental record, firms can go up a rank and so better their standing.

The need for consistency between agricultural and environment policies underpins all action at Community-level.

Production and environmental protection are an integral part of the CAP and are covered by appropriate rules on the use of chemicals and of organic production methods. The aim is to reduce the risks to the environment and public health.

The Commission is indeed aware of the existence in the Netherlands and other Member States of organic flower growing techniques, which are less harmful to the environment.

It is worth noting that flowers marketed as organic produce fall under Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 ((OJ L 198, 22.7.1991. )) since they are considered to be unprocessed vegetable farm produce, i.e. they only treatment they have undergone is that normally expected on a farm. It follows then that only those growers who comply with the production and inspection rules in the Regulation can sell their flowers as organic.

The Commission is doing everything in its legal power to ensure the Regulation has maximum effect. It will in the near future be devising a Community logo for organically-grown produce.

Under Regulation (EEC) 2078/92, ((OJ L 215, 30.7.1992. )) aid is available for environmentally friendly production methods, which could in some cases include organic farming. There are, however, no plans at this stage to alter the relevant aid ceilings.