WRITTEN QUESTION E-3252/00 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Complaint in Spain by milk producers against industrialists.
Date: 2000-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, agricultural holding, complaint to the Commission, fixing of prices, industrial enterprise, milk, price reduction

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/67

(2001/C 163 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3252/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Complaint in Spain by milk producers against industrialists

(20 October 2000)

The Spanish Union of Small Farmers has lodged a complaint against Spain(cid:146)s industrialists on the grounds
that they have agreed to keep prices artificially low in order to maintain their levels below the intervention
prices, in other words, below the minimum price levels guaranteed to producers by the state.

The Union of Small Farmers believes that the price paid for milk by Spanish industrialists (ESP 40) is the
lowest in Europe.

Can the Commission state in what way it can intervene in support of the Spanish milk producers(cid:146)
complaint and what action it could take to meet their demands?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

So far, the Commission has received no information leading it to conclude that there is a price agreement
between industrialists in violation of Article 81 (formerly Article 85) of the EC Treaty. If the Spanish
Union of Small Farmers has such information, it could refer it either to the Commission or to the national
competition authorities, who are responsible for any application of national
law to the situation in
question.

With regard to the price paid to the milk producers, the data sent by the Member State to Eurostat for the
period from January 1999 to April 2000 (the most recent data available) show prices ranging from
ESP 44,12 to ESP 47,67 per kilo (€ 0,2652 to € 0,2865). It should also be noted that the rules lay down a
guide price which is not a minimum purchase price. The purchase price of milk at the dairy is determined
by supply and demand and the quality of the milk offered, in terms of its fat, protein and lactose contents
and the level of micro-organisms present.

(2001/C 163 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3261/00

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Council

(23 October 2000)

Subject: Presidential elections in former Yugoslavia

The Yugoslav Constitutional Court allegedly annulled the results of the presidential elections held on
Sunday, 1 October 2000.

Has the Council already considered and is it preparing to implement serious political measures in view of
the gravity of this action?

Reply

(12 February 2001)

The Presidency of the European Union reacted immediately with a declaration to the Constitutional Court(cid:146)s
decision of 5 October annulling the presidential elections of 1 October.

In that declaration, the Presidency expressed very firmly the same day the European Union(cid:146)s denunciation
of the Belgrade Court(cid:146)s decision, the sole purpose of which was to deny Mr Kostunica(cid:146)s victory in the poll
on 24 September. The Presidency also expressed the full support of the European Union for the wish
expressed by the Serb people in its vote.