WRITTEN QUESTION E-1923/00 by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR), Chris Davies (ELDR) and Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission. Tobacco subsidies.
Date: 2000-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: industrial conversion, production aid, redirection of production, structural policy, tobacco

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/109

in July 1998 due to the deteriorating
The Commission temporarily suspended assistance to Kabul
operational environment for humanitarian agencies brought about by Taliban directives. To address the
needs of the significant numbers of displaced people that came into Kabul following the offensives of July
and August 1999, the Commission resumed urgent relief aid to the city in the autumn of 1999. Although
the working conditions remain challenging, it has been estimated that sufficient humanitarian space exists
to gain access to and assist the target beneficiaries.

Following the failure of the Taliban regime to comply with the demands of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1267 by 14 November 1999, the Community adopted Common Position 1999/727/
CFSP (1) concerning the restrictive measures foreseen under the United Nations Resolution. This has been
followed up in February 2000 by the adoption of Council Regulation EC No 337/2000 of 14 February
2000 concerning a flight ban and a freeze on funds and other financial resources in respect of the Taliban
of Afghanistan (2). The sanctions are the strongest measures taken to date to bring about the Taliban(cid:146)s
compliance with the demands of the international community. They have been carefully framed so as to
bring pressure on the Taliban whilst permitting the continuation of humanitarian assistance to the people.

To date, the sanctions have not succeeded in bringing about a change in the Taliban position. Any
decision to implement further and more restrictive measures on the Taliban will have to be assessed
against the humanitarian consequences of such action at a time when Afghanistan is facing a major
nation-wide drought and the prospect of famine.

The Commission is committed to maintaining its programmes of humanitarian assistance for the people of
Afghanistan. It does not at this time foresee any new actions specifically in favour of Afghan women. It
does seek to deepen awareness of the gender issue in the design and implementation of its existing and
future humanitarian aid programmes particularly in pertinent sectors like education, health, hygiene,
sanitation and water. These are mainly focused on rural areas where the majority of the population live
and where social indicators (health, literacy) are of greatest concern.

(1) OJ L 294, 16.11.1999.
(2) OJ L 43, 16.2.2000.

(2001/C 81 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1923/00

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR), Chris Davies (ELDR)
and Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Tobacco subsidies

It is stated that socio-economic factors are major obstacles to the removal of subsidies to tobacco farmers
throughout the European Union. Tobacco farming is labour-intensive and is often undertaken in poor
quality soil unfit for other crops.

Can the Commission outline what steps it has taken or intends to take to encourage tobacco farmers to
move into other economic sectors, both agricultural and non-agricultural? What investigations have been
undertaken to establish the viability of growing other crops in tobacco-growing areas? If tobacco subsidies
were to be further reduced, could the same funds be used to finance structural measures in local
economies reliant on tobacco farming?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2000)

In the tobacco sector the support arrangements are based on quotas; unlike many other sectors which are
regulated by guarantee thresholds, there is no support for production beyond the total quota.

C 81 E/110

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

In order to reduce production, when a producer voluntarily surrenders his quota, a quota buy-back
programme exists which could reduce the quantity of tobacco produced (Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco (1), Commission
Regulation (EC) No 2848/98 of 22 December 1998 laying down detailed rules for the application of
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 as regards the premium scheme, production quotas and the specific
aid to be granted to producer groups in the raw tobacco sector (2)).

Within the framework of the Community structural policy for 2000-2006, the same regulation also
introduced the possibility to implement rural development programmes to allow tobacco-growing regions
in difficulty to convert to other activities. These programmes can benefit from Community financing
provided under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development
from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain
Regulations (3).

The conversions to other cultivation offering the same opportunities in terms of employment are
extremely limited since the labour intensity rate of tobacco cultivation is exceptionally high. There is
some experience of converting to the ornamental horticulture sector in some Italian regions. However,
major technical difficulties have so far limited the success of such initiatives.

Furthermore, the Community tobacco fund finances studies of the possibilities for producers of raw
tobacco to switch to other crops or activities. The Commission is currently updating Regulation (EEC)
No 2427/93 of 1 September 1993 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation
(EEC) No 2075/92 with regard to the Community Fund for tobacco research and information (4) following
the Council decision on the Commission(cid:146)s proposal to double the producer levy that underpins this fund.

The conversion of tobacco production towards other activities, whether agricultural or non-agricultural, is
an option to which the Commission continues to pay particular attention. Nevertheless, the main tobacco-
growing zones, notably in Italy and Greece, are concentrated in regions whose development is lagging
behind. Thus, the location of the tobacco-growing areas, which have very few viable economic alternative
solutions to tobacco production, also inhibits any significant move away from this sector.

The biggest obstacle to conversion is not resources, but finding alternatives that offer comparable socio-
economic benefits. Finally, it should be added that the budgetary disciplines agreed between the institutions
preclude the transfer of further funds from market support to structural programmes.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 358, 31.12.1998.
(3) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(4) OJ L 223, 2.9.1993.

(2001/C 81 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1926/00

by Carles-Alfred Gas(cid:242)liba i B(cid:246)hm (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Fishery resources

In recent years fishermen(cid:146)s associations in the Valencia region have been observing close seasons, which
have proved to be a satisfactory means of conserving fishery resources.

The close season observed by fishermen in the Valencia region ought to be extended to cover the
Mediterranean as a whole, and Spanish areas thereof in particular, so as to render it more effective and
replenish fishing grounds in that area of the Mediterranean.