WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1828/97 by Alfonso NOVO BELENGUER to the Commission. Rice imports - cumulative recovery system
Date: 1997-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, NOVO BELENGUER
Subjects: CCT duties, United States, agreement (EU), customs duties, economic offence, import, import price, invoicing, reference price, rice

C 60/48

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 2. 98

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 1997)

The Spanish veterinary authorities confirmed on 17 April 1997 two outbreaks of classical swine fever in the
province of Lerida. The infected pigholdings were depopulated and disease control measures were introduced
within the framework of the provisions of Council Directive 80/217/EC introducing Community measures for
the control of classical swine fever. In spite of these measures the disease had on 23 April been confirmed on a
total of 10 pigholdings. With the objective to confine the disease to a limited geographical area the Commission
adopted on 30 April 1997 Decision 97/285/EC concerning certain protection measures relating to classical swine
fever in Spain. This bans the movement of live pigs from a region consisting of 5 comarcas (communes) to other
Member States. The ban does not refer to pigmeat or pigmeat products.

The Commission has not been informed about a Portuguese unilateral ban on import of pigmeat products from
Catalonia, but an investigation has been initiated.

(98/C 60/76)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1828/97

by Alfonso Novo Belenguer (ARE) to the Commission

(28 May 1997)

Subject: Rice imports › cumulative recovery system

By Council Decision 95/591/EC (1) the European Union concluded an agreement in the form of an exchange of
letters  with  the  United  States  of  America  on  cereals  and  rice.  Under  that  agreement,  a  cumulative  recovery
system (CRS) was introduced for husked rice on a trial basis for a one-year period. Commission Regulation (EC)
No 703/97 (2) introducing the cumulative recovery system has recently been published.

Bearing in mind that the application of the CRS will involve taking account of each import, each consignment
and  each  invoice,  that  the  price  on  which  calculations  are  to  be  based  will  be  that  on  each  invoice  and  that
systematic  fraud  in  the  handling  of  invoices  might  be  expected,  how  will  the  Commission  be  able  to  detect
fraudulent acts on the basis of invoices?

What measures will the Commission apply in order to prevent possible abuse and fraudulent acts?

(1)  OJ L 334, 30.12.1995, p. 25.
(2)  OJ L 104, 22.4.1997, p. 12.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 1997)

The  cumulative  recovery  system  (CRS)  for  husked  rice  established  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  703/97  includes
provision, at the end of the trial period, for an assessment of the operation of the import arrangements based on
reference import prices.

To achieve this objective and to ensure that the system applied is reliable, effective and fraudproof, the CRS
includes  a  number  of  specific  features  of  organization,  procedure  and  checking  and  provides  the  national
authorities with adequate powers of assessment.

(98/C 60/77)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1829/97

by Alfonso Novo Belenguer (ARE) to the Commission

(28 May 1997)

Subject: Rice imports › cumulative recovery system

By Council Decision 95/591/EEC (1) the European Union concluded an agreement in the form of an exchange of
letters with the United States of America on cereals and rice. Under the agreement, a cumulative recovery system
(CRS) was introduced for husked rice on a trial basis for a one-year period.  The Commission Regulation (EC)
No 703/97 (2) introducing the cumulative recovery system has recently been published.