WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4012/98 by Gérard d'ABOVILLE to the Commission. System of export refunds - Amendment of Community Regulation No 3665/87
Date: 1998-12-22
Institutions: D'ABOVILLE, European Parliament
Subjects: Community budget, agricultural product, application of EU law, customs fraud, export refund, import policy, third country

15.10.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 297/121

(1999/C 297/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3986/98

by Heidi Hautala (V) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Allocation of mushroom import quotas

The supply of European mushrooms is limited, both in quantity and in quality, and is confined to only a few
suppliers. Recently, harvests in EU Member States have been reduced, inter alia, by disease in the Netherlands.
In addition, exports to the United States have increased, so that the supply on the internal market has declined.

Imports of mushrooms from China are limited, and it has not proved possible to meet consumer demand in
the new Member States. The position and competitiveness of traditional importers have suffered from import
quotas. Importers apply for, and purchase, import licences, whose apportionment among the Member States is
unclear.

Can the Commission publish its statistics on the allocation of import quotas by Member State? On what basis
are licences granted?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 February 1999)

Community tariff quotas for preserved mushrooms of the Agaricus genus are administered by means of
import licences (Commission Regulation (EC) 2125/95, as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC)
2493/98) of 18 November 1998 opening and providing for the administration of tariff quotas for preserved
mushrooms (1) issued to importers in the Member States as and when they apply for them.

The data on the use of these quotas are notified regularly to the Member States. For 1998, the final figures (in
tonnes, drained net weight ) were as follows: Belgium 33, Denmark 290, Germany 15 963, Greece 275, Spain
73, France 474, Italy 7 496, Netherlands 9 422, Austria 2 658, Portugal 30, Finland 301, Sweden 2 299, total
39 315. Of the overall quota of 68 215 tonnes for 1998, 28 900 tonnes were unused.

Contrary to what the Honourable Member claims, Community statistics do not show any increase in exports
of preserved mushrooms to the United States. On the other hand, prices for Community produce have fallen in
recent years because of the build-up of stocks due to stagnant demand. The Community is therefore well able
to meet its own requirements, in terms of both quantity and quality.

(1) OJ L 309, 19.11.1998.

(1999/C 297/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4012/98

by Gérard d’Aboville (UPE) to the Commission

(22 December 1998)

Subject: System of export refunds > Amendment of Community Regulation No 3665/87

Growing constraints are being imposed on Community exporters to obtain the refunds sought by the
Community legislative authority which permit European agricultural products and food industry products to
be exported outside the EU.

This increased regulatory burden is jeopardising the dynamism of the EU’s principal industrial sector, which
has a turnover of ECU 500 billion, provides 2,5 million jobs, adds value to more than 70 % of European
agricultural production, has an economic spill-over impact on a host of sectors and, in population terms,
constitutes an industrial fabric acting as a factor of social stability. The viability of many SMEs is at stake, and
the relocation of international firms outside the EU is a further, equally serious thereat.