WRITTEN QUESTION E-4160/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Cotton quotas

On 11 December 2000 the Greek Ministry of Agriculture announced that it was imposing individual quotas in respect of both the area which each producer is entitled to cultivate and the volume of production eligible for aid in 2001. Each producer will be entitled to cultivate an area 5 % smaller than the average over the previous five years and receive aid for a quantity of cotton 5 % less than average of his three best harvests over the previous five years.

The Commission's answer to my Written Question E-1952/00(1) states that existing Community legislation makes no provision whatsoever for restrictions on the area on which cotton may be grown. The same applies to the volume of cotton eligible for aid. Even the Commission's proposal adjusting the system of aid for cotton(2) which is not definitive and will not be adopted before the middle of February 2001 makes no provision for the implementation of generalised individual quotas for the cultivation and production of cotton, but merely provides that measures may be taken to restrict the area under cultivation on the basis of a number of specific criteria in certain regions.

1. How does the Commission intend to intervene to avert in good time the implementation of measures contrary to Community regulations governing cotton?

2. How will it ensure the right of producers to find out in good time, i.e. at the time in which they plan their annual crops, the legal provisions applicable to each crop so that they can take decisions and undertake the necessary work (choice of crop, tenancy arrangements, cultivation, acquisition of seeds, use of fertilisers, etc.)?

(1) OJ C 81 E, 13.3.2001, p. 117.

(2) COM(1999) 492 final.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2001)

The answer to the Honourable Member's Question E-1952/00 about cotton areas and production volumes eligible or not eligible for aid(1) is hereby confirmed, namely that there is no provision in current Community legislation imposing restrictions on the area which may be put under cotton and hence on the corresponding cotton production volume eligible for aid.

After examining in detail Greek ministerial decree No 35 870 of 10 February 2000 laying down for 2000/2001 marketing year sowings administrative measures to support cotton growing, the Commission instituted infringement proceedings against Greece under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty.

The Commission wishes to examine in more detail the official legal texts concerning the ministerial decree of 11 December 2000 before commenting on the new measures to which the Honourable Member refers in respect of sowings for the forthcoming 2001/2002 marketing year. After examining the decree in detail, the Commission may decide to institute proceedings similar to those in respect of the 2000/2001 marketing year sowings.

The proposal on adjusting the system of aid for cotton was published on 13 December 1999(2). The proposal's content inter alia the scope for Member States to restrict, where appropriate, the areas eligible for aid on the basis of objective criteria was therefore known several months before the normal date of the sowings in question, thus ensuring compliance with the principle of safeguarding operators' legitimate expectations.

In any case, measures taken at national level must not infringe the corresponding Community legislation.

(1) OJ C 81 E, 13.3.2001.

(2) COM(1999) 492 final.