WRITTEN QUESTION E-1953/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Measures to address the problem of the overproduction of peaches in Greece.
Date: 2000-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Greece, export policy, export refund, over-production, stone fruit, third country

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/117

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

The Commission has been informed by the Greek authorities that schemes to adjust the citrus fruit sector
would be proposed as part of operational programmes for the regions. Negotiations on these programmes
have just started and one of the key issues in this connection is to ask the Greek authorities to clarify their
proposals for appropriate schemes and measures. As a result, the Commission does not at the present time
have precise data on the exact nature of such schemes, or their volumes and geographical locations.

(2001/C 81 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1952/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Cotton areas and quantities of cotton eligible and non-eligible for aid

According to the timetable published on the European Parliament(cid:146)s official Internet website, the debate on
the new cotton regulation seems likely to be held on 4 September 2000, which means that it will not be
possible to implement the new regulation during the 2000-2001 period.

Since the existing cotton regulation does not make any provision for restrictions on cotton-growing areas
or for individual cultivation rights and all areas, and quantities are eligible for aid, provided they are
declared and monitored:

1. What legal provisions form the basis of the decision by the Greek Ministry of Agriculture to determine
the maximum area which each cotton grower is entitled to cultivate and declare and for whose
produce alone he receives aid?

2. Will there be eligible and non-eligible cotton areas or volumes of production during the 2000-2001
period on the basis of the measures taken by Greece, even though no provision is made for such a
measure in the present regulation?

3. What procedures will be used to hand over, and receive aid for, the produce of areas which the Greek
Ministry of Agriculture considers non-eligible, invoking provisions of the new regulation which has
not yet been debated and adopted by the EU institutions, even though this produce is entitled to aid
under the existing regulation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

There is no provision in current Community legislation imposing restrictions on the area that may be put
under cotton.

(2001/C 81 E/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1953/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Measures to address the problem of the overproduction of peaches in Greece

The peach market in Greece is facing a major crisis this year, since it is expected that over 300 000 tonnes
of the total production of 1,1 million tonnes of peaches and nectarines will remain unsold, which will
have unforeseeable consequences for producers(cid:146) incomes.

C 81 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

1. What measures does the Commission intend to propose to address the imminent crisis in the peach
market? Does it intend to examine the possibility of increasing the quantity of subsidised peaches exports
to third countries and increasing Community aid for exports to third countries?

it examine the possibility of subsidising transport so as to facilitate exports, either by
2. Will
reintroducing provision of a former Community regulation implemented to address the problems caused
by the war in Bosnia (Regulation 3438/92 (1)) or through special aid measures?

(1) OJ L 350, 1.12.1992, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Current estimates of peach production indicate a level about 10 % lower than the initial harvest estimates,
and also one down on the harvest in 1999. Although producer prices were at comparable or even slightly
higher levels than in 1999 at the beginning of the marketing year, they have firmed up since. Additionally,
the very significant increase in exports to non-member countries in 1999 (in particular from Greece)
suggests good results on the export front in 2000.

With regard to peach and nectarine exports to non-member countries, Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1321/2000 of 22 June 2000 fixing export refunds in the fruit and vegetable sector (1) already provides
for an increase of about 15 000 tonnes in subsidisable volume at the beginning of marketing year
compared with what it is in normal times. In addition, the rate of refund for peaches and nectarines has
been kept at the same level as before while for other fruit and vegetables it has been cut by 10 %-20 % to
take account, in particular, of the strength of the US dollar.

As for possible transport aid, the Commission considers that an instrument of this type applied to Greek
consignments to other Member States is not an appropriate response to the problems of overproduction.

(1) OJ L 149, 23.6.2000.

(2001/C 81 E/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1960/00

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Infringement of Community law: construction of the Melonares reservoir on the River Viar (Seville,

Spain)

By means of a resolution dated 13 October 1997 the Spanish Environment Ministry(cid:146)s Directorate-General
for Environmental Quality and Assessment issued an environmental impact statement in respect of the
projected Melonares dam and reservoir on the River Viar (Seville, Spain). The resolution highlights the
harmful effects which the project would have, since it would flood a significant part of the Sierra Norte
Natural Park which is protected under the Andalusia Regional Government(cid:146)s Law 2/89 laying down an
inventory of Andalusia(cid:146)s natural and protected areas and which is included in the Nature 2000 Network.
Construction of the reservoir would affect areas awarded priority status under Directive 92/43/EEC (1) on
the conservation of natural habitats and would flood some of the area which has been set aside as ZEPA
(area of special protection for water birds) No 53.

It is stated in the above resolution that authorisation for the building of the reservoir will be subject to the
fulfilment of a number of prerequisites, including the provision of a (cid:145)compensatory area(cid:146) to mitigate the
effects of flooding part of the park, and that the compensatory area must have the backing of (cid:145)a technical
scientific report drawn up by an eminent scientist or scientists who, taking into account the remarks made
by the CSIC [Senior Scientific Research Council] (Doæana Environmental Station), endorse the potential