Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 on the common organization of the markets in processed fruit and vegetable products'
Date: 1997-10-29
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: common organisation of markets, fruit product, fruit vegetable, production aid, vegetable product

C 19/126

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21. 1. 98

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation
(EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 on the common organization of the markets in
processed fruit and vegetable products’

(98/C 19/33)

On 15 September 1997 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee,
under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the
above-mentioned proposal.

The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr Sabin as rapporteur-general.

At its 349th plenary session of 29 and 30 October 1997 (meeting of 29 October) the Economic
and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 82 votes in favour and 2 abstentions.

The Committee notes that the proposed amend-
1.
ment to the common organization of the markets in
processed fruit and vegetables, last reformed in 1966,
solely concerns the internal breakdown of the French
quota for tomatoes intended for processing. It has no
impact on the quotas of other Member States.

1.1.
The 1996 reform of the COM reduced the total
French quota by 24 000 metric tonnes. This reduction
affected both the quota for tomato concentrate and the
quota for ‘other products’.

1.2.
Similarly, the 1996 reform prevented transfer of
tonnages between the various product groups, if the
ceiling for one of these groups was exceeded.

The French quota for tomatoes intended for
1.3.
‘other products’ thus did not reflect the realities of
national production, since there was a difference of
approximately 15 000 tonnes between actual production
and the quota.

1998/1999 marketing years, of the breakdown of the
French quota between product groups, ‘so as to reduce
the peeled tomato group by 15 000 tonnes and increase
the “other products” group by the same amount’.

implements

The Commission’s proposal

the
2.
Council decision of June 1997. The proposed quota is
more appropriate to the actual production of the French
tomato processing sector. It does not increase the
aggregate French total. Furthermore, an increase of
15 000 tonnes in the French ‘other products’ quota will
not have an adverse impact on the other producer
Member States, since France only produces 35-40 %
of its processed-tomato requirements. Present figures
indicate that Community quotas for the 1997 marketing
year will not be fully taken up. Finally, the proposal will
not cost anything and will even generate a slight saving,
since peeled tomatoes received a higher premium than
those to be used for ‘other products’.

1.4.
The Agriculture Council of June 1997 asked the
Commission to propose a change, for the 1997/1998 and

The Committee therefore endorses the proposal

2.1.
made by the Commission.

Brussels, 29 October 1997.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Tom JENKINS