WRITTEN QUESTION E-2273/00 by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Reform of the Common Organisation of the Market in rice.
Date: 2000-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common organisation of markets, rice

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/103

Could the Commission state its position on this subject in the near future in order to give producers

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in the sector more certainty?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

Yes, the Commission is aware that mozzarella may be produced in Italy only with liquid milk and

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not milk powder.

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To preserve the traditional character of agricultural products intended for human consumption the
Community has introduced protection for those products and foodstuffs whose characteristics link them to
their geographical origin, and also special arrangements for traditional specialities. Two regulations have
been in place to this end since 1992.

Under the first regulation, Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of the Council of 14 July 1992 on the
protection of geographical
indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and food-
stuffs (1), (cid:145)Mozzarella di Bufala Campana(cid:146) produced from buffalo milk, was granted protected designation of
origin (PDO) status within the 15 Member States by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 of 12 June
1996 on the registration of geographical indications and designations under the procedure laid down in
Article 17 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 (2). Under Article 13(1) of the second regulation,
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural
products and foodstuffs (1), mozzarella produced from cow(cid:146)s milk was also registered in the 15 Member
States as a (cid:145)traditional speciality guaranteed(cid:146)
(TSG) by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2527/98 of
25 November 1998 supplementing the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 2301/97 on the entry of certain
names in the (cid:145)Register of certificates of specific character(cid:146) provided for in Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2082/92 (3).

As regards future policy on the matter, the Commission believes that current legislation and the
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quality policy conducted under the above two regulations both adequately defend the status of mozzarella,
a cheese produced using traditional methods.

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 148, 21.6.1996.
(3) OJ L 317, 26.11.1998.

(2001/C 103 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2273/00

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Reform of the Common Organisation of the Market in rice

The proposed reform of the Common Organisation of the Market in rice will introduce important (cid:129)
and, in my opinion, dangerous (cid:129) changes in the law on Community aid in that sector.

The Commissioner responsible for agriculture and fisheries, Franz Fischler, has indicated some of the main
points of the proposed reform, including:

(cid:129) introduction of 10 % set aside,

(cid:129) abolition of the intervention price,

(cid:129) abolition of public stockpiling,

(cid:129) reduction of aid available under the CAP.

C 103 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

The above measures will result in a considerable reduction in the areas used to grow rice, as rice-growing
is highly specialised and does not lend itself to crop rotation because the special machinery required
cannot be used for other cereals and because of the lie of the land.

Obviously, therefore, the measures in question are damaging to European rice farmers and will encourage
imports from third countries.

Does the Commission agree that crops such as rice, which are a traditional component of the rural
economy in some areas, should be protected?

Does the Commission agree that, unless the position adopted by international organisations such as the
WTO is adequately resisted, it will lead to the decline or disappearance of traditional products?

What political signal does the Commission believe it is giving by ignoring or failing to protect Community
agricultural products?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 2000)

The European rice market is severely imbalanced, with intervention stocks amounting to almost 30 % of
domestic production and market prices constantly below the intervention price.

The resultant financial costs are considerable, since intervention rice can deteriorate after two or three
years(cid:146) storage.

Having carefully examined all the possible options, the Commission(cid:146)s conclusion is that integrating rice
into the arable crop system and abolishing the intervention price will make it possible to balance supply
and demand while still safeguarding rice growers(cid:146) income.

Far from stipulating any reduction in aid, the proposal provides for the current € 52,65/tonne to be
increased to € 63/tonne in line with the amount laid down for cereals from 2001/2002 onwards.

With regard to the rules governing imports, the Commission intends to act in accordance with the
international requirements which the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) stipulates.

The Commission considers that the proposal both complies with the requirements laid down in the GATT
agreement on agriculture and will enable the Community(cid:146)s rice growers to benefit from a balanced market.

(2001/C 103 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2274/00

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Construction of the high-speed Rome-Naples railway line and laying of a second Rome-Lunghezza

FM2 track

Is the Commission aware of the alarming and discriminatory situation to which the construction of the
high-speed Rome-Naples railway line and laying of a second Rome-Lunghezza FM2 track could give rise,
to the detriment of the people who will have to live right next to railway lines along which it is planned
that some 300 trains a day will travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h?

How does it intend to address the problems affecting the future quality of life in whole districts of Rome?