Commission communication to the Council on an interim programme of measures to promote the use of flax fibre for the period September 1997 to March 1998
Date: 1997-06-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, flax, public relations, sales promotion, trade information

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

tir 

à 

Brussels,  12.06.1997 
COM(97) 288  final 

COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNCIL 

on an interim programme of measures to promote the use of flax fibre for the period 
September  1997 to March  1998 

flpw«-- vm 

^m^^^^ 

"an 

INTRODUCTION 

1.  Article  2 of Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  1308/70 on  the common  organization  of  the 
market  in  flax  and  hemp  lays  down  that  Community  measures  may  be  taken  to 
encourage  the  use  of  flax.  The  Commission  hereby  notifies  the  Council  of  the 
programme which it plans to  implement. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

The flax promotion  programme is needed  to consolidate and develop a quality image  for 
European  flax  in the face  of international  competition  and to distinguish  it from all  other 
textile fibres. 

The two-year programme financed from revenue  from  the marketing years  1993/94  and 
1994/95,  which  runs  until  the  end  of  August  1997,  is  to  be  the  subject  of  an  ex-post 
evaluation  from  which  conclusions  will  be  drawn  about  the  results  achieved  and  the 
guidelines  to  be  laid  down  for  the  subsequent  two-year  programme.  It  will  thus  be  at 
least  six  months  before  a  new  programme  can  be  implemented  on  the  basis  of  a 
Commission decision. 

To  maintain  continuity  in  the  information  campaigns  on  quality  European  linen  and 
consolidate  its presence at  the  most  significant  events as far  as its image is concerned,  it 
seems  appropriate  to  implement  an  interim  programme  of  promotion  measures  to  run 
from September  1997 until March  1998. 

This  programme  will  thus  include  schemes  continuing  and  developing  those  currently 
under  way,  while  at  the  same  time  enabling  full  and  effective  use  to  be  made  of  the 
results obtained. 

The  prime  objective  of  the  action  planned  is  therefore  to  maintain  and  reinforce  the 
positive image of European  linen in the trade and, in particular, the distribution  chains, by 
continuing appropriate public relations exercises. 

It  is  above  all  a  matter  of  continuing  to  promote  the  product  at  the  most  significant 
textile trade fairs  scheduled  during  the  period  in question  and to  take appropriate  action 
to ensure an effective  presence at these events. 

v 

COMMISSION COMMUNICATION 

on  an  interim  programme  of  measures  to  promote  the  use  of  flax  fibre  for  the  period 

September 1997 to March 1998 

PURPOSE 

1.  Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No  1308/70 on the common organization of the 
market in flax and hemp1, as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3290/942, lays down 
that  two  types  of  Community  measure  may  be  taken  to  promote  the  use  of  flax: 
information  campaigns  and  the  search  for  new  outlets  and  improved  products.  Such 
measures  are  to  be  adopted  by.  The  purpose  of this communication  is  to  inform  the 
Council of the programme which the Commission intends to implement. These measures 
will be financed from  the deduction from  the Community flat-rate  aid per hectare under 
fibre  flax 

2. 

This  communication  relates  to  the  interim  programme  of  measures  which  the 
Commission plans to implement during the period from September 1997 to March 1998. 

FINANCING 

An amount of ECU  1  million is entered for this purpose in heading Bl.380 of the  1997 budget, 

to  which  the  requisite  commitment  appropriations  for  funding  this  programme  can  be 
charged. 

PLANNED MEASURES 

The Commission considers it  necessary to ensure continuity in the information  campaigns on 

European quality linen for the following reasons: 

I. 

The strategy of enhancing its image on the basis of recognition of and familiarity with the 
trade  mark  "Masters  of  Linen"  must  continue  without  interruption  if it  is to  be  fully 
effective 

II.  The  presence  of  European  linen  identified  by  its  collective  trade  mark  at  the  most 
significant textile trade fairs is a determining factor in the strategy referred to above. 

III.  The information gap in the distribution sector detected in the evaluation of the first phase 
of the previous programme needs to be filled by appropriate public relations exercises. 

IV. 

It would seem a sensible reaction to a less favourable situation for flax - even if there are 
signs  of  a  return  to  natural  fibres  in  general  -  to  continue  efforts  to  consolidate  the 
presence of flax in the textile trade by continuing the existing promotion programmes. 

1  OJNoL  146. 4.7.1970. 

2  OJ No L 349. 31.12.1994. 

In view of the reasons set out above, the Commission  is planning to implement the  following 
information and evaluation measures. 

Information campaigns 

Public relations 

For  the  reasons  indicated  above,  enhancing  the  image  of  European  linen  and  its 
collective  trade  mark  "Masters  of  Linen"  among  distributors  is  one  of  the  priority 
objectives of this interim  programme. The target group needs to be made aware of it 
by  means  of  public  relations  campaigns  to  improve  information,  by  distributing 
technical/commercial 
information  and  also  holding  seminars  focusing  on  the 
characteristics  of the  product  and  the  advantages  of using  the collective  trade  mark 
"Masters of Linen". 
Budget: 

ECU  168.000 

Events 

The  Commission  takes  the  view  that  the  quality  image  of  European  linen  should 
continue to be promoted by means of a stand at the most appropriate textile trade fairs 
scheduled during the period covered by this interim programme. 

Technical and commercial  preparation  and  assistance at trade fairs could  be provided 
for  representatives  of  the  flax  trade  under  Article 14(2)  of  Commission  Regulation 
(EEC) No 1164/89. 
Budget: 

ECU 240.000 

Promotional material 

Information campaigns should be based on the creation and distribution of promotional 
material conveying the desired messages to the selected target group. 

During  the  period  set  for  this  programme  (six  months)  it  will  be  possible  to  use 
material already created  during the  previous programme, but  it  is also thought  to  be 
essential to distribute an information  kit on fashion  trends for  1999 to the trade at the 
events planned and by other means. 
Buduet: 

ECU  60.000 

H 

Advertising 

The Commission takes the view that it should continue to support promotion measures 
by  means  of  appropriate  advertising  in  the  principal  trade  journals,  together  with 
attendance at the textile trade fairs and the various public relations campaigns aimed at 
distributors. 
It  is also proposed  to  support  public  relations  campaigns  directed  at  distributors  by 
creating and circulating appropriate information to users. 
Budget: 

ECU  82.000 

Action on the American market 

Continuation  of the schemes undertaken  under the previous programme,  maintaining 
the presence of European  linen at a textile trade fair in New York and continuing PR 
activity by means of press conferences  in connection with the above-mentioned  trade 
fair and when other opportunities arise. 
Budget: 

ECU 120.000 

Evaluation 

The  Commission  also  intends  that,  in  addition  to  their  own  systematic  evaluation, 
contractors  should  call  on the  services of an independent  consultant  to  carry  out  an 
external assessment of each of the schemes. 
Budget: 

ECU  40.000 

MISCELLANEOUS 

1. 

2. 

The  Commission  will  ensure  that  the  Community financial contribution  is 
mentioned in all promotional material produced and circulated and at any event 
or in any communications in connection with the promotion programme. 

The  Commission  reserves  the  right  to  review  this  programme  and  make 
adjustments  to  it in the light of information  received  concerning the impact  of 
the current  programme or in order to adapt to economic changes. In the event 
of significant  changes, the Council will be informed immediately. 

X 

SUMMARY TABLE OF PROPOSED MEASURES 

Budget 
allocation 
(ECU) 

Percentage 
of budget 

Information campaigns 

1. 

Public relations (distributors) 

168.000 

23% 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

Events 

240.000 

34% 

Promotional material 

60.000 

8% 

Advertising 

82.000 

12% 

US market measures 

120.000 

17% 

Assesment 

40.000 

6% 

C 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(97) 288  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03 

Catalogue  number  :  CB-CO-97-280-EN-C 

ISBN  92-78-21209-1 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg 

^