WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2819/97 by Honório NOVO to the Commission. Damage to Portuguese fruit and vegetables caused by rain and hailstorms
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, NOVO
Subjects: EAGGF Guidance Section, Portugal, agricultural insurance, aid to disaster victims, atmospheric conditions, family farming, horticulture, indemnification, natural disaster, producer organisation

C 102/128

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2804/97 and E-2805/97
given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 1997)

The Commission assumes that the Honourable Member is referring to the implementation of Council Regulation
(EC) No 3051/95 on the safety management of roll-on roll-off passenger ferries (1).

Member States had the possibility of derogating from the requirement to impose international standards method
(ISM)  obligations  on  ferries  and  companies  operating  exclusively  in  sheltered  waters  until  1  July  1997.  The
Commission regrets that it does not at present have sufficient information to be able to provide a full answer to
the question but will ask the Member States for up-dated information and communicate with the Honourable
Member when it is available.

(1)  OJ L 320, 30.12.1995.

(98/C 102/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2819/97

by Hono·rio Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Damage to Portuguese fruit and vegetables caused by rain and hailstorms

The untimely recent torrential rains, coupled in many cases with violent hailstorms, have devastated fruit and
vegetable crops in Portugal.

According to some estimates, approximately 60% of the potato crop has been affected, especially in parts of the
Beira  Litoral,  Ribatejo  (Chamusca),  Setu·bal,  and  Tra·s-os-Montes  regions.  The  cherry  and  tomato  crops  in,
respectively, Beira Interior and several other areas have also been damaged.

Portuguese agricultural insurance apparently does not cover bad weather of this particular sort. Furthermore, the
vast majority of the farmers concerned, who work on family farms or holdings nearly as small, have scant capital
resources and, as the Commission is well aware, receive little or no Community support.

Funds are available in the Community budget to cope with the kind of severe weather conditions which have
occurred. However, the small farmers now in difficulty will not be able to obtain them unless the Portuguese
Government elects to inform the Commission and submit the necessary request/application.

Can the Commission therefore say:

1.  What amounts are earmarked to make good the losses sustained when fruit and vegetable crops in Member
States  have  been  almost  completely  destroyed  by  bad  weather?  Are  the  sums  granted  in  the  form  of
non-returnable payments and/or loans with interest-rate subsidies?

2.  Has the Portuguese Government already informed the Commission about what has happened to fruit and
vegetable  crops  in  Portugal?  Has  it  already  submitted  the  necessary  requests  for  aid?  If  so,  how  has  the
Commission responded?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 September 1997)

The  Commission  does  not  finance  losses  of  agricultural  production  caused  by  bad  weather.  However,
Article  5(h)  of  Regulation  (EEC)  No  4256/88  laying  down  implementing  provisions  for  the  European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Section (EAGGF) › Guidance Section, as amended by Regulation (EEC)
No 2085/93 (1), states that the EAGGF Guidance Section may provide financial assistance to restore agricultural
and forestry production potential damaged by natural disasters.