WRITTEN QUESTION E-2538/99 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Milk quota exceeded in the Azores Autonomous region of Portugal.
Date: 2000-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Azores, Portugal, agricultural quota, dairy production, producer price, regulation (EU)

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/19

In line with the decision of the Trilogue, the contracts of any non-permanent language teachers were not
renewed once the institutions were in a position to outsource these services. All the teachers concerned
and their representatives were kept fully informed of developments at all stages.

All courses that have been outsourced are monitored on a regular basis. All evaluations demonstrate a high
level of satisfaction on the part of the participants and there is no indication that the quality of any of the
outsourced courses is inferior to those provided by the permanent teaching staff. Regular meetings are held
between the institutions and the language schools concerned to review performance.

At present, the Commission has no intention of suggesting a modification to the Trilogue arrangements,
which would be necessary if it were to recruit a permanent Finnish-language teacher.

The cost of outsourcing language teaching is, on average, about 40 % of that of a permanent teacher.

(2000/C 330 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2538/99

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: Milk quota exceeded in the Azores Autonomous region of Portugal

The dairy sector is of strategic importance to the Azores since it accounts for nearly 80 % of the islands(cid:146)
gross agricultural product, 25 % of milk delivered and over 13 % (equivalent to over 5 000 producers) of
Portugal(cid:146)s dairy farmers. The sector also acts as a stimulus to economic activities which provide jobs in a
region which has to bear the costs of being island-based and which qualifies as an outlying region, even
though it accounts for only 0,03 % of European production.

The sector has received a certain amount of investment and has been increasing its annual production,
which is the only way for farmers to ensure that they earn at least the minimum income, in view of the
fact that production prices have fallen in relative terms over the last ten years. For the current marketing
year, all the indications are that the Azores has already exceeded its own internal quota, which means that
Portugal(cid:146)s quota as a whole will also be exceeded. Producers should not, however, be penalised as a result
since most of them operate small, family-run farms.

On the basis of the Amsterdam Treaty and taking into account the Azores(cid:146) status as an outlying region,
what action could be taken at Community level in order to ensure that the above producers are not
penalised?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2000)

The Commission knows how important milk production is in the Azores. Because the national quota set
in 1991 also reflected that importance, milk production in the Azores has been able to
for Portugal
increase each year since then (as the Honourable Member acknowledges). The Commission therefore
considers that the Council has already taken into account the dairy sector(cid:146)s strategic importance for
the Azores region and that a new proposal in favour of the Azores would not be appropriate, particularly
given the Council(cid:146)s recent decision (cid:129) by Regulation (EC) No 1256/1999 of 17 May 1999 amending
Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (1) (cid:129) to
continue the milk quota system and to set Member States(cid:146) quotas until 2008. It should be borne in mind
that this Agenda 2000 decision was reached after lengthy discussion in which a delicate balance was struck
within the Council between the legitimate demands of all the Member States, the fall in official prices and
their entry into force in 2005. If the national quota is in fact exceeded as forecast, it will be up to Portugal
to implement the adjustment measures available under Community legislation in order to ensure fair
treatment for the producers affected.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.