WRITTEN QUESTION E-0803/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Community support for the Lacto-Ibérica undertaking.
Date: 2000-03-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF Guidance Section, Northern Portugal, Portugal, cheese factory, collective dismissal, eligibility criteria, job preservation

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/27

positive effect on employment levels. In some other cases, for example, where companies seek to
adopt aggressive (cid:145)hire and fire(cid:146) strategies,
it is particularly important to ensure that the workers
concerned are adequately protected. Furthermore, it is not clear that this type of flexibility leads to
increases in overall levels of employment.

(1) COM(1999) 347 final.
(2) OJ C 81, 21.3.2000.

(2001/C 53 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0803/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Community support for the Lacto-IbØrica undertaking

(16 March 2000)

Lacto-IbØrica used to have a cheese factory in Ponte de Lima, producing cheese with the trademark
(cid:145)Limiano(cid:146) and employing more than 100 workers. The undertaking, which received Community funding,
has since decided to cease production in Ponte de Lima and concentrate production in Vale de Cambra,
several hundred kilometres away, which in practice means that most of the workers will be made
redundant.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1.

Is it aware of the Lacto-IbØrica projects which received Community funding? What amounts were
allocated and how much was actually paid?

2. Were there any conditions attached to these projects in terms of maintaining jobs and production in

the Ponte de Lima factory?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 May 2000)

Lacto-IbØrica was granted aid from the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and
Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) for a project to modernise installations at its Ponte de Lima industrial unit. The
project was approved in March 1997 and the financing plan was: total investment PTE 519 662 000,
national aid approved PTE 74 765 236, EAGGF aid approved PTE 224 295 705.

In July 1998 the recipient applied for authorisation to move the investment to its Vale de Cambra
industrial site in order to concentrate its activities at this location. Since the direct contractual links with
the milk producers were not to be altered the national authorities agreed.

In May 1999 the recipient received a first instalment of PTE 144 456 876, for work already carried out.

For processing and marketing projects for agricultural products there are rules on Community origin and
maintenance of the investment but none on employment.

The Commission has been informed by the Portuguese authorities responsible for implementation of
operational programmes that Lacto-IbØrica (cid:129) Industria de lacticinios e quejios, SA has received support
from the European Social Fund for vocational training projects. The amounts approved were PTE 704 170
under Community Support Framework (CSF) I (1989-1993) and PTE 15 373 078 under CSF II (1994-
1999). The amounts actually paid were PTE 565 336 and PTE 7 484 400 respectively.

For such vocational training support no rules apply on job maintenance or the activity of the production
unit.