WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3424/97 by José POMÉS RUIZ to the Commission. Meat quotas
Date: 1997-10-31
Institutions: European Parliament, POMES RUIZ
Subjects: Argentina, Brazil, beef, buffalo meat, import, import licence, product quality, quantitative restriction, tariff quota

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/107

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 1997)

The  Commission  would  inform  the  Honourable  Member  that,  according  to  data  provided  by  the  Greek
authorities, around 20% of the total budget of measure 4 (cid:145)Romanies (Gypsies) and Pomacks(cid:146) of subprogramme 3
(cid:145)Other  excluded  groups(cid:146)  of  the  operational  programme  (cid:145)Combating  exclusion  from  the  labour  market(cid:146)
(1994-1999  Community  support  framework  for  Greece)  was  absorbed  by  July  1997.  A  total  of  around
1  560  people  benefited  from  the  relevant  measures.  An  amount  of  948.000  ECU  (European  social  fund
contribution) was approved during the operational programme monitoring committee meeting in July 1997 for
1997 action.

Implemented projects included actions aiming to combat the socio-economic exclusion of the afore-mentioned
target groups such as, pre-training, (including literacy) training, promotion of employment and accompanying/
support services.

There have been delays in the specific operational programme implementation due to the difficulties in applying
its innovative approach, the lack of appropriate structures for action implementation as well as the difficulties
during the 1995-1996 period in particular to establish and apply systems and procedures that would guarantee
more effective implementation.

Taking into consideration the experience acquired during the first implementation period, the Greek authorities
are currently elaborating an in-depth modification of the operational programme aiming at developing policies
and actions to address more effectively the specific needs of the target groups in question.

(98/C 158/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3424/97

by Jose· Pome·s Ruiz (PPE) to the Commission

(31 October 1997)

Subject: Meat quotas

Can the Commission explain how the quotas are decided for imports of sirloin of beef from Argentina and Brazil
and what conditions are required of enterprises importing meat of this kind?

Can the Commission also provide information on the most recent distribution of meat quotas for beef from the
above-named countries?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 1997)

The  country-specific  import  quotas  for  high  quality  beef  such  as  striploin  ((cid:145)Solomillo(cid:146))  are  based  on  the
undertakings of the Community in the framework of the agreement on agriculture concluded under the Uruguay
Round.

The detailed rules of application for the quota year 1997/1998 are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC)
No 936/97 of 27 May 1997 opening and providing for the administration of tariff quotas for high-quality fresh,
chilled and frozen beef and for frozen buffalo meat (1). The Community criteria for importers of high quality beef
are fixed by Article 4(a) which reads (cid:145)the licence applicants must be natural or legal persons who, at the time their
applications are submitted, have been engaged for at least 12 months in trade in beef and veal between Member
States or with third countries and who are registered in a Member State for VAT purposes(cid:146).

The  1997/1998  high  quality  beef  quotas  for  Argentina  and  Brazil  are  28  000  tonnes  and  5  000  tonnes
respectively.

(1)  OJ L 137, 28.5.1997.