WRITTEN QUESTION E-1638/00 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Elimination of milk quotas and its consequences.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural quota, aid to agriculture, common agricultural policy, dairy production

C 89 E/62

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2000)

The procedure for reassignment of posts properly applied in the case of Mr Ricardo Levi, who was the
subject of written question P-1557/00 from the Honourable Member, was also applied in the cases of
Mr O(cid:146)Sullivan as new Secretary General of the Commission and of Mr Trojan as new Head of Delegation in
Geneva, with the only difference being that Mr Levi(cid:146)s appointment is confined to Mr Prodi(cid:146)s term of office
while the appointments of Mr O(cid:146)Sullivan and Mr Trojan are not time limited.

As pointed out to the Honourable Member in the answer to question P-1557/00, when transfers are made
to posts that are not vacant the procedures set out in Articles 4 and 29 are not applicable.

Under the normal Staff Regulations procedure applied for posts in Cabinets taken up by Commission
officials, Mr Petite has been detached to become Head of Cabinet of Mr Prodi. The appointment is confined
to Mr Prodi(cid:146)s term of office.

(2001/C 89 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1638/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Elimination of milk quotas and its consequences

(29 May 2000)

In the recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), provision is made for a possible revision of
certain sectoral policies adopted in the first years after its entry into force. More specifically, the revision of
the milk sector is envisaged for 2003. In such a review, will consideration be given to bringing forward the
possible elimination of the quota system to a date before 2008? If so, and if the definitive elimination of
quotas in 2008 or before were to be agreed on, what measures or mechanisms does the Commission
envisage in order to compensate farmers for the major investments made to acquire quotas in the various
Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 2000)

Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1256/1999 of 17 May 1999 amending Regulation (EEC)
(cid:145)The
No 3950/92 establishing an additional
Council undertakes to conduct a mid-term review in 2003, on the basis of a Commission report, with the
aim of allowing the present quota arrangements to run out after 2006(cid:146).

levy in the milk and milk products sector (1) states that:

The Commission has not yet drawn up this report or decided on the measures that it will propose.
Moreover, it would not be wise to decide on measures now that will not be published until 2003, without
taking subsequent account of the situation at that time, since it may have changed in the interim.

The Commission would nonetheless like to reassure the Honourable Member that, when the time comes, it
will look again at the quotas in the context of the dairy sector as a whole, and if their progressive abolition
should be decided, it will examine any possible repercussions and propose the appropriate transitional
measures.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.