WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1466/97 by Giovanni BURTONE to the Commission. Agreements with Mediterranean non-member countries
Date: 1997-04-30
Institutions: BURTONE, European Parliament
Subjects: Morocco, Sicily, citrus fruit, import policy, producer organisation, production aid, ratification of an agreement, restriction on competition, trade agreement (EU)

C 21/58

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22. 1. 98

Answer

(6 August 1997)

Although the Council meets in different formations, there is only one Council of the European Union. 
1.
Under the Council(cid:146)s rules of procedure (1) the agenda for a Council meeting is divided into Part A and Part B. 
Items for which approval of the Council is possible without discussion are included in Part A.

2.
The Honourable Member refers to the joint action which the Council adopted, on the basis of Article K.3 of
the Treaty on European Union, concerning the participation of the Member States of the European Union in the
strategic operation planned by the Customs Cooperation Council (World Customs Organisation) to combat drug
smuggling on the Balkan route.  That joint action was included in Part A of the agenda for the Council meeting on
20 December 1996.

(1)  OJ L 304, 10.12.1993, p. 1, and L 31, 10.2.1995, p. 14.

(98/C 21/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/97

by Giovanni Burtone (PPE) to the Commission

(30 April 1997)

Subject: Agreements with Mediterranean non-member countries

In March 1996 I called for the blocking of a trade agreement with Morocco, which would inevitably have led to a
crisis in the agricultural sector and, in particular, in the Sicilian citrus fruit sector.

Member  States  are  now  going  ahead  with  ratification  of  such  agreements  with  Mediterranean  non-member
countries, giving rise to discontent among and opposition from farmers.

Has  the  Commission  considered  the  impact  and  serious  consequences  of  such  agreements  (especially  with
Morocco) on EU regions (in particular, Sicily), which have traditionally relied on such sectors of production and
which  are  now  faced  with  competition  that  is  distorted  by  the  lower  labour  costs  in  the  Mediterranean
non-member countries in question?

If  the  trade  agreements  with  Mediterranean  non-member  countries  are  not  suspended,  does  the  Commission
intend to introduce a policy of aid to producers who suffer as a result of unfair competition? If so, on the basis of
what criteria?

Answer given by M. Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 1997)

The Commission has held negotiations for new Euro-Mediterranean agreements with certain countries following
the  specific  mandates  adopted  by  the  Council.  The  mandates  include  the  guidelines  for  the  negotiations  on
agricultural  concessions.  In  the  course  of  the  negotiations,  the  historical  trade  flows  and  the  situation  of  the
internal market have been carefully examined by the Commission before proposing new concessions. It should
be noted that the concessions on citrus fruits are granted within the limits of tariff quotas and that the preferential
imports  are  subject  to  entry  prices  (entry  prices  have  been  reduced  for  Moroccan  and  Israeli  oranges).  The
Commission  believes  that  the  concessions  agreed  so  far  with  the  Mediterranean  countries  (Morocco,  Israel,
Tunisia and the Palestinian authority) will permit the continuation of the historical trade flows but should not
unduly affect Community imports of citrus fruits in general.

The market organisation for fruit and vegetables has been recently reformed. It foresees various means of support
for Community fruit and vegetable farmers, mainly through the producers(cid:146) organisations. This reform is being
implemented at present. The Commission believes that such a regime will enhance competition in the fruit and
vegetable sector and that this sector will also be capable of facing competition from imported products.