WRITTEN QUESTION P-2482/99 by Liam Hyland (UEN) to the Commission. EU's response to the crisis in the pigmeat market.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU market, economic analysis, export (EU), export refund, market economy, market support, over-production, pigmeat, supply and demand, world market price

C 225 E/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Organising and carrying out these admirable projects, which involve hospitals, universities, doctors,
psychologists, entertainers and voluntary workers, is very costly. It has been proved that from the medical
point of view too it is useful for patients, especially children and adolescents, to receive psychological and
moral support.

Can the Commission state:

1. Whether it has already provided funding for this type of project, which is usually called (cid:145)Clinic
Clowns(cid:146)?

Does it intend to earmark funds for European projects for the development of deserving projects of

2.
this kind in all Member States of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2000)

1.

No, the Commission is not funding any (cid:145)Clinic Clowns(cid:146) project under its public health programmes.

2.
In accordance with the provisions of European Parliament and Council decisions concerning public
health programmes, calls for proposals are published annually in the Official Journal and it is at that stage
that interested persons or organisations should indicate the projects for which they wish to apply under
these programmes.

(2000/C 225 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2482/99

by Liam Hyland (UEN) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: EU(cid:146)s response to the crisis in the pigmeat market

As the Commission will recall, prices for pigmeat in 1998 were severely hit by the combination of internal
supply and world market trading conditions. Despite market support measures, they ended the year 40 %
lower than the equivalent periods in 1996 and 1997. The Commission stated that the consensus view was
that the mechanisms were deemed to be sufficient when effectively used.

Will the Commission now give its up-to-date assessment of the market in pigmeat for the EU as a whole as
we approach the end of 1999 and, in particular, indicate its current assessment of the effectiveness of the
mechanisms which it considered were sufficient to deal with the crisis?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 January 2000)

It is regrettable that the pigmeat market has suffered since summer 1998. The main reason for the poor
prices is the continuous oversupply of pigmeat. It is also true that for certain periods there were difficulties
in export markets, but poor exports can hardly be blamed for poor pigmeat prices as exports have
continuously increased. In 1997 exports of pigmeat increased by 13 %, in 1998 16 %, and in 1999 the
increase is estimated to be more than 20 %.

Pig farmers all over Europe expanded their herds after exceptionally good years of 1996 and 1997, which
resulted in record high production. Production increased in 1998 by 1,2 million tonnes or by 8 % reaching
a total of 17,6 million tonnes. Production is expected to increase in 1999 by 2 % and to remain at a high
level in 2000. Export markets cannot be expected to absorb this kind of supply increase, as the volume of
the world market has traditionally been just over 3 million tonnes.

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/145

The Commission has supported the pigmeat market quite actively from spring 1998 increasing export
refunds, providing for aid for private storage and supplying pigmeat as food aid to Russia. The
Commission is committed to support the market at difficult times to avoid extensive harm to the sector,
but the pigmeat market is supposed to be self-regulating. The prices will affect supply and vice versa. The
Commission has used export refunds extensively to support the market but, as the world markets are
limited, there is a limit to the extent it is feasible to support exports. Also, World trade organisation
(WTO) ceilings have to be taken into account in European export policy.

Since summer 1999 the prices improved considerably, but more recently the prices again have seen a
seasonal low, as the supply tends to be very high in the last quarter of each year.

One should remember that in the pig sector there are seasonal trends as well as longer cycles, where prices
adjust according to the supply and vice-versa. The pig farmers are aware that after good times there always
come poor times and they should be prepared. Unfortunately, many have not been prepared.

The Commission has discussed other possible measures (e.g. to create voluntary based funds) with Member
States on several occasions, but so far these ideas have received little support from the majority of Member
States.

(2000/C 225 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2484/99

by Josu Ortuondo Larrea (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Information on the phasing-out of vessels using driftnets under Regulation 1239/98

Regulation (EC) 1239/98 (1) outlaws the use of driftnets in the Atlantic and Mediterranean tuna fisheries as
from 1 January 2002. This Regulation states that the maximum number of vessels per Member State using
driftnets may not exceed 60 % of the total so doing for the period 1995-1997.

In view of the incomplete nature of the information previously provided by it to other MEPs, can the
Commission now supply a precise list, with the registration numbers of all the fishing vessels which have
been in operation each year between 1995 and 1999, broken down by Member State? Can it also state
whether the fishing vessels operating each year have been the same ones, with the same registration
numbers, or whether there have been variations?

(1) OJ L 171, 17.6.1998, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2000)

In conformity with Article 11 (4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 894/97, as modified by Council
Regulation (EC) No 1239/98 of 8 June 1998 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation
of fishery resources (1), Member States are obliged to notify, as from 1998, the list of vessels authorised to
use driftnets. All Member States concerned have transmitted, pursuant to this provision, the lists of named
vessels. As regards the years before 1998, there were no provisions included in Community legislation
obliging Member States to submit lists of vessels nor to restrict access by requiring that vessels be
authorised for using driftnets. Indeed, during that period, Community fishing vessels could freely engage in
driftnet fishery. The Member States concerned have verified which of their vessels have used driftnets in
the period 1995-1997 and, on request, communicated the total number of positively identified vessels to
the Commission.