Commission Regulation (EC) No 503/98 of 3 March 1998 amending for the eighth time Regulation (EC) No 913/97 adopting exceptional support measures for the market in pigmeat in Spain
Date: 1998-03-03
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Spain, market support, meat processing industry, pigmeat, slaughter premium, swine

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Official Journal of the European Communities

4. 3. 98

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 503/98

of 3 March 1998

amending for the eighth time Regulation (EC) No 913/97 adopting exceptional
support measures for the market in pigmeat in Spain

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75
of 29 October 1975 on the common organisation of the
market in pigmeat (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 3290/94 (2), and in particular Article 20 and Article 22
second paragraph thereof,

Whereas, because of the outbreak of classical swine fever
in Spain, exceptional
in certain production regions
in that
support measures for the market
Member State were adopted by Commission Regulation
(EC) No 913/97 (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC)
No 292/98 (4);

in pigmeat

Whereas in certain areas affected recently by classical
swine fever, fattening pigs of the Iberian breed are subject
to veterinary and commercial restrictions adopted by the
Spanish authorities; whereas these pigs are different, at a
technical and economic level, from other fattenings pigs;
whereas it is consequently justified to create a specific
category for these pigs and to include them in the support
measures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 913/97;

Whereas it is convenient, owing to the veterinary and
commercial restrictions adopted by the Spanish authorit-
ies, to increase the number of fattening pigs which can be
delivered to the competent authorities, thus allowing the
continuation of the exceptional measures in the weeks to
come;

Whereas it is necessary to specify that piglets of a weight
equal to or greater than 25 kilograms can be delivered
under these support measures, but that a ceiling is set for
the aid for these animals at the level of aid for piglets
weighing 25 kilograms;

the support measures

Whereas
in the provinces of
Segovia, Madrid and Toledo started with a certain delay,
in particular owing to problems of capacity in the ren-
the fattening pigs
dering plant; whereas consequently,
have been blocked on the holdings for several weeks;
whereas it
to apply the
ceiling for the aid for fattening pigs weighing more than

is consequently justified not

(1) OJ L 282, 1. 11. 1975, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 349, 31. 12. 1994, p. 105.
(3) OJ L 131, 23. 5. 1997, p. 14.
(4) OJ L 30, 5. 2. 1998, p. 14.

110 kilograms from these areas for the period 6 February
to 15 March 1998;

Whereas Articles 1 and 4 were amended several times;
whereas it is therefore convenient to draft them again in
order to ensure the comprehensibility of the text;

Whereas the restrictions on the free movement of live
pigs have existed for several weeks in the areas of Segovia,
Madrid and Toledo leading to a substantial increase in the
weights of the animals and, as a consequence, to an intol-
erable situation at the level of animal welfare; whereas it is
consequently justified to apply this Regulation as from 18
February 1998;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are
in accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Pigmeat,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 913/97 is hereby amended as follows:

1. Article 1 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 1

From 6 May 1997 producers shall be eligible, on
1.
request,
for aid granted by the competent Spanish
authorities for delivery to them of pigs for fattening
falling within CN code 0103 92 19 weighing 90 kilo-
grams or more on average per batch.

From 18 February 1998, producers

2.
shall be
eligible on request, for aid granted by the competent
Spanish authorities for delivery to them of pigs for
fattening of
the breed “Iberian pig” or its crosses,
falling within CN code 0103 92 19 weighing 150 kilo-
grams or more on average per batch.

3.
From 18 September 1997, producers may, on
application, receive aid from the competent Spanish
authorities when they deliver to them cull sows falling
within CN code 0103 92 11 with an average weight,
per batch, of not less than 160 kg.

4.
From 6 May 1997 producers shall be eligible, on
for aid granted by the competent Spanish
request,
authorities for delivery to them of piglets falling
within CN code 0103 91 10 weighing 10 kilograms or
more on average per batch.

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Seventy per cent of the expenditure relating to
5.
these aids
shall be financed by the Community
budget, for a total maximum number of animals as
laid down in Annex I.’;

on the basis of the price per kilogram for “piglets of
Lerida” of the category 15 kilograms, recorded on the
market “Mercolerida” during the week preceding the
delivery of piglets to the competent authorities.

2. Article 4 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 4

For pigs for fattening weighing 90 kilograms or
1.
more on average per batch,
the aid referred to in
Article 1(1), at farm gate, shall be equal to the market
price for slaughtered pigs of grade E within the
meaning of Article 4(2) of Regulation (EEC) No
2759/75, of Commission Regulation (EEC) No
3537/89 (*) and Commission Regulation (EEC) No
2123/89 (**), recorded in Spain during the week pre-
ceding the delivery of the pigs for fattening to the
competent authorities, less transport costs of ECU 1,3
per 100 kilograms carcase weight.

For pigs for fattening weighing less than 90 kilograms
but more than 80 kilograms on average per batch, the
aid fixed pursuant to subparagraph 1 shall be reduced
by 15 %.

The aid provided for in Article 1(4) at farm gate, for
piglets weighing 16 kilograms or more but less than
25 kilograms on average per batch, is calculated on the
basis of the price per kilogram for “piglets of Lerida”
of the category 20 kilograms “Selecta” recorded on the
market of Segovia during the week preceding the
delivery of the piglets to the competent authorities.

For piglets weighing 25 kilograms or more on average
per batch, the aid cannot be higher than the aid fixed
pursuant to the second paragraph for piglets weighing
25 kilograms on average.

5.
For fattening pigs, referred to in Article 1(1),
weighing more than 110 kilograms on average, the aid
cannot be higher than the aid fixed pursunt to para-
graph 1 for fattening pigs weighing 110 kilograms on
average.

this provision does not apply from 6
However,
February to 15 March 1998, to pigs for fattening from
the zones provided for in Annex II, located in the
provinces of Segovia, Madrid and Toledo.

The aid shall be fixed on the basis of the established
slaughter weight. If, however, the animals are only
weighed live, a coefficient of 0,81 shall be applied to
the aid.

(*) OJ L 347, 28. 11. 1989, p. 20.
(**) OJ L 203, 15. 7. 1989, p. 23.’;

3. Article 6 is replaced by the following:

reared and fattened under

2.
For pigs for fattening of the breed “Iberian pig”
or its crosses weighing 150 kilograms or more on
average per batch,
the
specific conditions for this type of production, the aid
referred to in Article 1(2), at farm gate, shall be equal
to the market price, per kilogram live weight,
for
Iberian pigs
(fattened with
compound feed), recorded in Spain by the Ministry for
Agriculture during the week preceding the delivery of
the pigs to the competent authorities, less transport
costs of ECU 1,3 per 100 kilograms carcase weight.

cebados de

pienso

For pigs weighing less than 150 kilograms but more
than 140 kilograms on average per batch, the aid fixed
pursuant to the first subparagraph shall be reduced by
15 %.

For cull sows weighing 160 kilograms or more
3.
on average per batch, the aid referred to in Article 1(3),
at farm gate, shall be equal to the aid fixed pursuant to
paragraph one, first subparagraph, reduced by 30 %.

The aid shall be fixed on the basis of the established
slaughter weight. If, however, the animals are only
weighed live, a coefficient of 0,78 shall be applied to
the aid.

4.
The aid provided for in Article 1(4) at farm gate,
for piglets weighing 10 kilograms or more but less
than 16 kilograms on average per batch, is calculated

‘Article 6

The competent Spanish authorities shall send the
Commission each Wednesday the following informa-
tion concerning the previous week:

— number and total weight of:

— pigs for fattening delivered,

— Iberian pigs for fattening delivered,

— cull sows delivered,

— piglets delivered,

— aids provided for in Article 4:

— paragraph one, first subparagraph,

— paragraph two, first subparagraph,

— paragraph 4, first and second subparagraphs.’;

4. Annex I is replaced by the Annex hereto.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its
publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

It shall apply with effect from 18 February 1998.

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4. 3. 98

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
States.

Done at Brussels, 3 March 1998.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

ANNEX

‘ANNEX I

Maximum total number of animals from 6 May 1997:

Fattening pigs

Piglets

Cull sows

Fattening pigs of the breed “Iberian pig”

590 000 head

140 000 head

8 000 head

6 000 head’