WRITTEN QUESTION E-2274/00 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Construction of the high-speed Rome-Naples railway line and laying of a second Rome-Lunghezza FM2 track.
Date: 2000-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU competence, EU environmental policy, Latium, environmental impact, high-speed transport

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?

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/105

How does it intend to ensure compliance with the relevant EU directives?

What action will it take to protect these areas in terms of town planning?

just before work starts on the La Rustica-Rome
Finally, how does the Commission intend to ensure,
stretch, that there will be no discrepancies in the provision of assistance and no unequal treatment in
relation to the hundreds of citizens affected, who all live in comparable districts?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2000)

With reference to the project mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission would stress that it
does not have competence either for the protection of town areas in terms of town planning or for
to citizens living in
preventing discrepancies in the provision of assistance and unequal
comparable districts.

treatment

The Commission has the task of ensuring the correct application of Community law, in the light of the
powers conferred on it by the EC Treaty. As the guardian of the EC Treaty, it does not hesitate to take all
the
necessary measures,
EC Treaty, in order to ensure the observance of Community law.

including infringement proceedings under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of

In the specific case, Community directives on environmental impact assessment (Council Directive 85/337/
EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment (1) and Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, amending Directive 85/337/EEC (2)) constitute
the possibly relevant Community law. The Commission assesses the situation on this legal basis.

The issue concerning the correct application of directives on environmental impact assessment in relation
to the project mentioned by the Honourable Member has been already dealt with by the Commission in
1997/1998. Since the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question does not contain any new relevant element,
he is kindly requested to refer to the reply given by the Commission to Written Question E-578/98 by
Mrs Angelilli (3).

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(3) OJ C 386, 17.12.1998.

(2001/C 103 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2277/00

by Gianfranco Fini (UEN) and Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Measures to protect European hazelnut production

(7 July 2000)

World consumption of hazelnuts is around 600 000 tonnes, most of which comes from Turkey
(550 000 tonnes), while 90 % of the rest is produced by Italy and 10 % by Spain and France.

In view of the current privatisation of the sector in Turkey which, in addition to nullifying the agreement
with the EU stipulating the stockpiling of a third of its output, will enable Turkish hazelnut production to
invade the world market, and also in view of the forthcoming expiration of the Common Organisation of
the Market in nuts:

1. Could the Commission list the measures to be taken to protect European hazelnut production,
particularly the Italian product grown mainly around Viterbo, and to guarantee producers(cid:146) income?