WRITTEN QUESTION P-1986/00 by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission. Forthcoming start of the new marketing year for sugar and fixing of the basic price for sugar beet: consequences for Italy's southern region.
Date: 2000-06-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, aid system, basic price, import policy, intervention policy, marketing, production aid, sugar, sugar beet

C 81 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

(2001/C 81 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1984/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Participation of Commission officials in local elections in the Belgian Federation

Under Article 19(1) of the EC Treaty EU citizens have the right to vote and to stand as candidates in
elections in the Belgian Federation.

The Commission, however, is said to have adopted an internal regulation making it very unattractive for
its officials to stand as candidates in elections. If they do so, they must take three months(cid:146) unpaid leave.

This measure is inconsistent with the concern that EU citizens, including Commission officials, should
integrate into the social fabric of their local community. It also seriously erodes officials(cid:146) involvement in
local decision-making.

including Commission officials, should integrate fully into the social

Does the Council accept that a regulation of this kind is inconsistent with the concern that EU
1.
citizens,
their local
community? If so, will it ask the Commission to withdraw the regulation concerned? If not, how is the
requirement that three months(cid:146) unpaid leave be taken to be reconciled with the concern that EU citizens,
including Commission officials, should integrate into the social fabric of their local community?

fabric of

2.
Does the Council accept that a regulation of this kind seriously erodes officials(cid:146) involvement in local
decision-making? If so, will it recommend the Commission to withdraw the regulation concerned? If not,
how is the requirement that three months(cid:146) unpaid leave be taken to be reconciled with the concern that
Commission officials should be fully involved in local decision-making?

Reply

(28 September 2000)

The question put by the Honourable Member concerns an internal Commission regulation. In accordance
with the principle of the organisational autonomy of each institution, the Council believes that the
question should be directed towards the Commission.

However, in the event that the regulation referred to by the Honourable Member is Article 15 of the Staff
Regulations of officials, which stipulates that: (cid:145)An official who is a candidate for elective public office shall
apply for leave on personal grounds for a period not exceeding three months(cid:146), the Council would
emphasise that this provision applies to officials of all the institutions and can be amended only by
amending the Staff Regulations on the basis of Article 283 of the Treaty establishing the European
Community.

(2001/C 81 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1986/00

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: Forthcoming start of the new marketing year for sugar and fixing of the basic price for sugar beet:

consequences for Italy(cid:146)s southern region

Under Regulation No 2038/1999 (1), the Commission must submit by this summer a proposal concerning
the fixing of target prices for sugar and the basic price for sugar beet for the 2001-2001 marketing year.

13.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/127

The regulation provides for the progressive reduction of price support for sugar beet. If the aid in question
were to be reduced as planned, it is calculated that the price of sugar beet, which is currently fixed at
ITL 10 400 per quintal (after already having been reduced by 16 % in comparison to previous marketing
years), would fall to below ITL 8 500 per quintal. That prospect would cause an insuperable crisis in the
beet sector, with very serious consequences for the four sugar-processing plants in southern Italy and
hence for employment throughout the southern region.

Is the Commission aware of the serious consequences of implementing its decision for sugar beet growing
and sugar production in southern Italy, and of the economic and social implications?

Will the Commission take due account of the provisions of the regulation that allow for a more gradual
reduction of aid in the southern region of Italy? Would the Commission be prepared to consider the
introduction of supplementary support measures to compensate farmers in less-favoured areas for the
increased costs of growing beet, and the lower output achieved? Does the Commission agree that it would
be advisable to review the system of allocating quotas to Italy by converting the B quota and
simultaneously increasing the A quota in order to limit the unfair imposition of penalty payments on
producers in areas that are lagging behind in terms of development? Would the Commission consider the
possibility of maintaining prices at the current level and thus averting a very serious crisis?

(1) OJ L 252, 25.9.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 July 2000)

It should be pointed out that, when Council Regulation (EC) No 2038/1999 of 13 September 1999 on the
common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector is replaced shortly, that replacement will relate
neither to setting the target price and the basic price of beet for the 2001/02 marketing year, nor to the
system of national aid (cid:129) including that applied in Italy and authorised until 30 June 2001.

A number of the rules on quotas and preferential imports are to be replaced, however.

That said, the Commission is aware of the particular difficulties facing beet cultivation in the south of Italy.

In the interests of objectivity, the Commission would like to make two comments on the 16 % fall in the
price of beet to which the Honourable Member refers and which, incidentally, the Commission does not
dispute. Firstly, a not inconsiderable portion (about 6 %) of that 16 % fall results from the fact that, since
the 1998/1999 marketing year, Italy has no longer been in deficit as regards sugar and that, under the
basic Regulation on sugar, the Council had no choice but to set non-regionalised prices for the sugar
sector in Italy. Secondly, it is likewise true that the remaining portion of the fall (about 10 %) results from
the progressive reduction in the national aid allowed under Article 53 of that basic Regulation, which
stipulates that the aid will apply to southern Italy for the last time during the 2000/01 marketing year. It
should be noted, however, that this national aid (cid:129) referred to as (cid:145)provisional(cid:146) and approved initially for the
period 1968/1969 to 1974/1975 (cid:129) will ultimately have lasted for 32 years. That is why the Council,
judging that an exemption of such long duration must be easily sufficient for the sector to restructure as
necessary in order to face up to the genuine common market, gave a clear signal to the interested parties
in December 1997 by expressly deciding (through Regulation (EC) No 2613/97) to end all national aid in
the sugar sector. If the beet and sugar sector in southern Italy has not restructured as necessary during
those 32 years, then that can only be regretted.

In the light of
in a position to respond favourably to the
Honourable Member(cid:146)s questions regarding inter alia additional measures to provide support or to maintain
the current price level for southern Italy.

the Commission is not

the above,