Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 3438/92 laying down special measures for the transport of certain fresh fruit and vegetables originating in Greece as regards their period of application
Date: 1996-04-03
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, Greece, Yugoslavia, fresh fruit, fresh vegetable

* * * ** 

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  03.04.1996 
COM(96)  142  final 

96/0100  (CNS) 

REPORT  FROM  THE  COMMISSION  TO  THE COUNCIL, 

on the  cost  of  the  aid  measures  for the transport  of  certain  fruit  and vegetables  in  1994 
provided  for  in  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3438/92 

Proposal  for a 
COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EQ 
amending  Regulation  (EEC) No  3438/92  laying  down  special  measures 
for the transport  of  certain  fresh  fruit  and vegetables  originating  in  Greece 
as regards their period  of  application 

(presented  by  the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

Council  Regulation  -(EEC)  No 3438/92,  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC) 
No 456/95,  provides  for  the  grant  in  1992,  1993  and  1994  of  a  special  temporary 
allowance for the transport  of certain  Greek  fresh  fruit  and vegetables to Community 
Member  States other  than  Italy,  Spain  and  Portugal  as a result  of the need for  these 
products to avoid the territory  of the former  Yugoslavia. 

Article 2(4) of Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  3438/92 provides that the Commission 
is to present  a report to the Council  on the cost  of the aid measures for the transport 
of certain  fruit  and vegetables.  The report  covering  consignments  in  1991  (governed 
by  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  525/92)  and  1992  was  presented  in  document 
COM(94)  89  final.  The  report  concerning  consignments  in  1993  is  contained  in 
document  COM(94)  534  final. 
The  current  report  concerns  the  cost  of  the  measures  in  1994,  amounting  to  some 
ECU 9 million,  which  were borne by the EAGGF. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  transport  conditions  in  some  territories  of  the  former 
Yugoslavia have not yet returned to what they were before the war, it is proposed also 
that the Council  prolong the measure for  the first  six  months of  1996. 

4. 

Since this exceptional  measure for  the transport  of certain  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables 
is a matter  falling  within  the Community's  exclusive jurisdiction,  the  measures must 
be adopted  by the Community. 

COMMISSION  KKPOKT TO  THE  COUNCIL 

on  the  cost  of  the  aid  measures  for  (he  transport 
of  certain  fruit  and  vegetables  in  1994  provided  for 
in  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3438/92 

The Commission  is required  under Article 2(4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3438/92', as 
last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No 456/952, to present  a report to the Council  on  the cost 
of  tho  aid  measuroo  for  tho  transport  of  certain  fruit  and  vegetables. 

The first  report covering  1991 and  1992 was presented on 22 March  1994 (COM(94) 89 final). 
The second report covering  1993 was presented on 29 November  1994 (COM(94)  534 final) 
The present  report  concerns the cost of the measures in  1994. 

I.  Background 

The conflict  in  Yugoslavia, which  erupted  in  1991, hampered the transport  of certain  Greek 
agricultural  products  destined  for  other  Community  Member  States,  in  particular  fruit  and 
vegetables, which  are highly  perishable. 

As a result of this exceptional  situation, unprecedented  since the introduction  of the common 
agricultural  policy, the Council  took  a decision, in  respect of fruit  and vegetables covered by 
Council  Regulation (EEC) No Ï035/723, as last amended by Regulation  (EC) No  1363/95*, on 
account  of  their  perishability,  to  compensate  for  the  costs  arising  as a  result  of  the  need  to 
avoid  the  territory  of  the  former  Yugoslavia 

2.  Regulatory  framework 

Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3438/92  provides  for  the  grant  of  a  special  temporary 
allowance in  1992  1993  1994 and  1995 on consignments made bv wauon  lorrv  or vessel  to 
\4oml-\fir  Cto+<ic  rt+tior  tVioti  Itolir  Çr»a»rt  on/4  Pr»r+ii»tol 
I»IV.IIIU^I  u i u i co  f u i vi  mem  jitiiy,  u p u ui  unvi  « ui  lUgui. 

The  Commission  subsequently  adopted  a  number  of  implementing  regulations,  including 
Regulation  (EC) No  1402/945 concerning  consignments in  1994. 

The  aid  amount  that  year  was  ECU  4  per  100  kg  net  weight. 

OJ  No L 350.  1.12.1992, p. I 
OJ  No L  47.  2. 3.1995, p. 1. 
OJNoL  118,20.  5.1972, p.  1. 
OJ  NO  L  132,  16.  0.1993,  p.  R. 
OJ  NoL  154, 2.1.6.1994, p. 4. 

The  competent  Greek  authorities  were  instructed  to  examine  aid  applications  and  their 
admissibility  and  to  proceed  with  payments  They  were  instructed  also  to  carry  out  the 
necessary  checks  on  these  operations 
Financing is provided by the European  Agricultural  Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), 
Guarantee  Section. 

The  Greek  authorities  are required  to notify  the Commission  of the quantities  qualifying  for 
the  transport aid. 

3  Cost  of  the aid 

The  I mures  below  have  been  nreoaied  on  the  basis  of  information  sent  bv  Greece  on 
19 January  1996  concerning  consignments  in  1994  which  qualified  for  transport  aid 
The data  supplied  to  the  Commission  are  broken  down  by  product,  means  of  transport  and 
Member  State  of  destination 

In  1994, aid was granted  in respect of 217  209  136  kg of fruit  and vegetables,  which  was 6% 
less  than  in  1993.  The  cost  of  the  measure  can  be  put therefore  at  ECU  8  688  365. 

4.  Summary 

Table  I  gives  a  breakdown  by  product  of  the  quantities  dispatched.  Grapes  are  the  main 
product that benefited  from  the measures,  accounting  for  37% of the  consignments  on  which 
the allowance was granted.  Next come peaches and nectarines (16%), followed  by  cucumbers 
(12%) 

(icrmany  was  by  far the  principal  consignee  Member  Slate,  receiving  71% of  the  quantities 
dispatched, followed  by the Netherlands (16%) and the United  Kingdom  (10%) (see  Table 2) 

Consignments  by  lorry  represented  96% of  the  quantities  dispatched,  while  those  by  wagon 
and  vessel  represented  only  3% and  1% respectively. 

Consignments of Greek fruit and vegetables which qualified  for transport aid in  1994 

Table 1 

Percentage 
-
(%) 

Expenditure 
(ECU) 

Product 

Grapes 
Peaches 
Apricots 
Asparagus 
Kiwifruit 
Oranges 
Mandarins 
Cherries 
Plums 
Mirabelles 
Aubergines 
Peppers 
Melons 
Lemons 
Cucumbers 
Watermelons 
Others 

Quantity 
(kg) 

79 289 033 
34 095 422 
10 651 480 
18 395 840 
10  164 459 
7 289 249 
3 318 227 
7  717 640 
63 650 
26 336 
13 440 
1 041  173 
46 966 
2  198 
25  800 430 
19 257 407 
36 186 

37 
16 
5 
8 
5 
3 
2 
4 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
12 
9 
0 

Total 

217 209  136 

100 

3  171 561 
1 363 817 
426 059 
735  834 
406 578 
291  570 
132 729 
308 706 
2  546 
1 053 
538 
41  647 
1 879 
88 
1 032 017 
770 296 
1 447 

8 688 365 

Table 2 

Consignments of Greek fruit and vegetables which qualified  for transport aid in 1994 
by Member State of destination 

Member  State of 
destination 

Quantity 
(kg) 

Percentage 
(%) 

D 
NL 
UK 
F 
DK 

I B 

148 450 371 
39 719 204 
24 902 615 
2  104 384 
365 062 
1 667 440 

1 

70.5 
16.4 
10.0 
1.5 
1.4 
0.3 

I 

| 

^ 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC) No 

/96 

96/0100(CNS 

amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No 3438/92 
laying down  special  measures  for  the transport 
of certain  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables  originating  in Greece 
as regards  their period  of application 

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  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3438/923  lays  down  special  measures  for  the  transport  of 

certain fresh  fruit  and vegetables originating in Greece dispatched in the period  1992 to 1995 

to  Member  States other than  Italy,  Spain  and  Portugal; 

Whereas, since transport conditions in certain territories of the former  Yugoslavia continue to 

be poor despite the cessation  of hostilities in  the region,  these measures, covering temporary 

assistance  to  the  operators  involved  in  avoiding  those  territories,  should  be  extended  for  a 

period  of  six months, 

HAS  ADOPTED  THIS  REGULATION: 

OJ  No C 
O J N o .. 
OJ No L 350,  1.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation last amended by Regulation (EC) No 456/95 (OJ  No L 
47, 2.3.1995, p.  I.). 

6 

Article 1 

Regulation  (EEC)  No  3438/92  is  hereby  amended  as  follows. 

I 

Article  2(1)  and  (2)  is  replaced  by  the  following: 

"1. 

The  special  temporary  allowance  shall  be  granted  from  I  January  1992  to 

30  June  1996  for  the  marketing  of  the  fruit  and  vegetables  referred  to  in 

Article  1. 

2 

The amount  of the  special  temporary  allowance  shall  be determined  in  such a 

way as to contribute to meeting the additional  transport costs arising as a result 

of  the  poor  transport  conditions  obtaining  in  certain  regions  of  the  former 

Yugoslavia.  It may be  fixed  on  a flat-rate  basis." 

2. 

The first  indent  of  Article  3  is deleted 

Article  2 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into force  on the date of  its publication  in the Official  Journal  of 

the  European  Communities. 

It  shall  apply  from  1 January  1996. 

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

Done  at Brussels, 

For the  Council 

% 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

BUDGET HEADING:  1509 

Date:  13 February  1996 

APPROPRIATIONS: 
B96:  ECU  57 million 

TITLE: 
Proposal for  a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC) No  3438/92 laying down  special  measures for the 
transport  of certain fresh fruit and vegetables originating in Greece as regards the period  of their  application 

LEGAL  BASIS: Article 43 of the  Treaty 

AIMS: To extend the  special  transport  allowance  for  Greece to  30 June  1996 

FINANCIAL  IMPLICATIONS: 

PERIOD OF 
12 MONTHS 

(ECU million) 

CURRENT 
FINANCIAL 
YEAR (96) 
(ECU million) 

FOLLOWING 
FINANCIAL 
YEAR  (97) 
(ECU  million) 

5.0. 

EXPENDITURE 
-  CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET 

(REFUNDS/INTERVENTION) 

- NATIONAL  AUTHORITIES 
-OTHER 

5.1. 

REVENUE 
-  OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC 
(LEVIES/CUSTOMS  DUTIES) 

-  NATIONAL 

5.0.1. 
5.1.1. 

ESTIMATED  EXPENDITURE 
ESTIMATED  REVENUE 

5.2. 

METHOD OF  CALCULATION: 

4.9 

4.3 

0.6 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

Quantities forecast  for  export  over the  six months:  100 0001 
100 000 t x ECU 48.3/t x  1.006  = ECU 4.9 million, of which 
ECU 4.3 million =  1996 budget, and 
ECU 0.6 million =  1997 budget 

6.0. 

6.1. 

6.2. 

6.3. 

CAN THE  PROJECT  BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE RELEVANT 
CHAPTER  OF THE CURRENT  BUDGET? 

v 

CAN THE  PROJECT  BE FINANCED  BY TRANSFER  BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF THE  CURRENT 
BUDGET? 

WILL A SUPPLEMENTARY  BUDGET  BE NECESSARY? 

WILL FUTURE  BUDGET  APPROPRIATIONS  BE NECESSARY? 

YES/N© 

YF<UNCi 

¥fiS/NO 

YES/N© 

OBSERVATIONS 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 142 final 

EN 

03 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-96-147-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-02216-0 

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