WRITTEN QUESTION No. 572/98 by Carles-Alfred GASOLIBA I BÖHM to the Commission. Aid to combat the citrus wilt virus
Date: 1998-03-04
Institutions: European Parliament, GASOLIBA I BOEHM
Subjects: Community of Valencia, Structural Funds, citrus fruit, grubbing premium, infectious disease, operational programme, plant disease, redevelopment aid, redirection of production, regional aid

C 310/92

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

9. 10. 98

Furthermore, the joint research centre devotes a large part of its budget to safeguards in the implementation of the
Community support programme to the International atomic energy agency. Plutonium management is among the
highest priorities.

Provided that the appropriate resources (manpower and finance) required to keep track of the increasing amount
of plutonium handled in installations in the Community are available, the Commission considers that it will be
able to meet its safeguards objectives in the future.

(98/C 310/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0572/98

by Carles-Alfred Gaso‘liba i Bo¤hm (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: Aid to combat the citrus wilt virus

According to a study drawn up by the Ministry of Agriculture the prospects for the citrus sector in the Valencia
Region are not very encouraging. It indicates that 48.5% of the citrus farms in the region are affected by the citrus
wilt virus. The situation is worst in Valencia itself, with a 65% infection rate, followed by Castello·n with 30%
and Alicante with 20%.

This serious disease is causing a substantial decline in agriculture in the area, since trees are being grubbed up
and  farmers  are  suffering  heavy  financial  losses.  The  removal  of  leaves  and  stems,  as  suggested  by  the
Commission,  and  the  moving  of  trees  affected  by  the  virus  to  and  within  the  region  and  within  it  is  not  the
appropriate solution to the problem.

Can the Commission say whether it envisages a programme for the conversion of the areas affected by the virus
to include the relevant aid and accompanying measures?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1998)

The  Commission  has  no  specific  programme  for  the  conversion  of  areas  affected  by  the  (cid:145)tristeza(cid:146)  virus.
However, there are three cross-sector regional measures which may apply to such conversion, though recipients
cannot qualify for more than one.

Operational  programmes  of  fruit-and-vegetable  producer  organisations  are  financed  by  the  operational  funds
established by the latter with a (50%) contribution from the Community (Article 15 of Council Regulation (EC)
No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (1)).

Operational programmes are presented by the Member States under Regulation (EEC) No 2081/93 of 20 July
1993 (2) on the objectives of the Structural Funds (ERDF, ESF and EAGGF Guidance Section). The Commission
has  approved  an  operational  programme  for  the  region  of  Valencia  for  the  period  1994-99,  providing  for
Community and Member State part-financing of conversion, restructuring and varietal improvement operations
in  the  citrus-growing  sector.  Such  operations  comprise  the  financing  of  citrus  seedlings  not  sensitive  to  the
(cid:145)tristeza(cid:146) virus. The Community contribution to operations under this programme amounts to 70% of total public
expenditure,  the  remaining  30%  being  the  responsibility  of  the  Member  State.  The  aid  equals  ESP  600  per
seedling planted.

Under Regulation (EC) No 950/97 on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures (3), farmers who fulfil
the  conditions  laid  down  in  Article  5  of  that  Regulation  can  qualify  for  aid  for  investments  carried  out  in
accordance  with  their  holding  improvement  plans.  Investments  in  perennials  like  citrus  are  eligible  for
Community part-financing provided that the purchase of the plants does not form part of the holding(cid:146)s running
costs. The total aid is expressed as a percentage of the eligible investment and varies with the type of investment
(immovable property, etc.) and the area where the investment is made (less-favoured or other areas).

(1)  OJ L 297, 21.11.1996.
(2)  OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.
(3)  OJ L 142, 2.6.1997.