WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/99 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Small farmers and preservation of the countryside.
Date: 1999-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, biodiversity, common agricultural policy, economic support, environmental protection, farmer, national agricultural policy, rural development, rural tourism

20.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 170 E/139

Please may I have a complete list of those powers which the European Union or any of its predecessor
bodies have ever specified shall remain with the nation-states and shall not be transferred at any time to
the European Union.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 1999)

The only powers the Community has are those conferred on it by the Member States in the Treaties.

(2000/C 170 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024/99

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(3 November 1999)

Subject: Small farmers and preservation of the countryside

Does the Commission recognise the role of small farmers in helping to preserve the countryside as a
resource both for the local community and for tourism?

Does the Commission not feel that the rural environment protection scheme and other rural development
schemes should be widened and enlarged to ensure that adequate financial recognition is given to small
farmers for this role?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 November 1999)

The Commission recognises the important role of small farmers in the management of the countryside, in
the conservation of bio-diversity and the protection of the environment.

Council Regulation (EC) 1259/1999 of 17 May 1999, establishing common rules for direct support
schemes under the common agricultural policy (1), allows the Member States to modulate the direct
payments granted to farmers according to certain objective criteria. The Member States can use money
made available from reduced payments for certain additional measures in the framework of rural
development support provided under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/ of 17 May 1999 on support for
rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending
and repealing certain Regulations (2). This Regulation presents an integrated approach to rural develop-
ment, where the recognition of the multi-functional role of agriculture, and implicitly of small farmers, is a
key element. It provides a series of measures which may be adopted by Member States according to their
specific needs. Since Member States may lay down further or more restrictive conditions for granting
Community support for rural development, some of these measures can be used specifically to support
small farmers. Agri-tourism is one of the possible actions that can be adopted by Member States in their
rural development programmes to promote rural restructuring and diversify the economy.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2000/C 170 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2026/99

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 November 1999)

Subject: Organophosphate sheep dips

Can the Commission say whether the EU is helping finance any research projects into the effects on
human health of the handling of organophosphate sheep dips, and whether it has any plans either to ban
such dips, or to reinforce the safety measures that must be employed when they are being used?