WRITTEN QUESTION E-3490/00 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Cuts in durum wheat production in Sicily.
Date: 2000-11-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, Sicily, accession to the European Union, agricultural production, durum wheat, less-favoured region, organic farming, production quota

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/137

Why was this commissioned from an outside expert? Are the Commission services incapable of carrying
out this task themselves?

How was the consultancy chosen?

What fees were paid, and who paid them?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Law 54/1997 of 27 November 1997 on the electricity sector identified the cost of
transition to
competition in the Spanish electricity sector in relation to the loss of revenue anticipated as a result of
the changeover from a non-liberalised to a partially liberalised electricity market. To give a clearer view of
the Spanish system, the Spanish authorities then presented some (cid:145)stranded costs(cid:146) based on the methodol-
ogy for the analysis of State aid relating to stranded costs. It was then necessary to check that the
assumptions on which the calculations of
internationally
recognised standards. In view of the extremely technical nature of this task, the Commission deemed it
appropriate to use the services of an outside expert.

the Spanish authorities were based met

The Commission(cid:146)s criteria were that the firm chosen must be universally recognised as an expert in the
field concerned and must be demonstrably independent. Another criterion was the ability to work in
Spanish. These requirements led the Commission to award the contract directly to OXERA.

The total fee was € 10 000, which was defrayed in full by the Commission, from budget line A-352
((cid:145)Operations relating to competition, including merger control(cid:146)).

(2001/C 163 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3490/00

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(10 November 2000)

Subject: Cuts in durum wheat production in Sicily

The Commission has decided to transfer durum wheat production quotas from Sicily to France, which will
cost the Sicilian economy around ITL 1 400 billion.

The decision is supposed to be the result of the short and medium term objective to allocate 5 % of
agricultural resources to facilitating the entry of the Eastern European countries.

In view of the fact that Sicily cannot be penalised because it is an underdeveloped region eligible under
Objective 1 of the structural funds,

can the Commission say:

1. what considerations (cid:129) apart from the indirect aid to the countries of Eastern Europe (cid:129) induced the

Commission to decide on the above transfer of funds;

2. whether, before taking this decision, it assessed the seriousness of the damage it will cause to the

Sicilian economy;

3. whether it envisages (cid:129) as an alternative to producing less durum wheat (cid:129) encouraging other types of

farming, such as organic farming?

C 163 E/138

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

The Commission has never taken a decision to transfer durum wheat production quotas from one
producing Member State to another.

For the record, Council Regulation (EC) No 2309/97 of 17 November 1997 amending Regulation (EEC)
No 1765/92 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops (1) changed the specific
rules on durum wheat production by introducing a guaranteed maximum area divided among the various
producing Member States.

As part of a final compromise and in order to ensure budgetary neutrality vis-(cid:224)-vis the Commission
proposal, the Council reduced aid per hectare by 4 % and increased the overall maximum area (divided
among the Member States) to correspond as closely as possible to the current position of durum wheat
production.

There was no connection between that decision and the problems of enlarging the Community to include
Eastern European countries.

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products
and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (2) established a legal framework
for organic farming in response to the sector(cid:146)s difficulties and to consumer interest in its products. Organic
production methods soon also became the subject of agri-environmental measures under Council Regula-
tion (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992 on agricultural production methods compatible with the
requirements of the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside (3), which has
since been replaced by 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 (4). The measures are aimed at providing support for agricultural production
methods designed to protect the environment and preserve natural areas. Support is granted to farmers
who enter into agri-environmental commitments for a minimum period of five years. Aid is allocated
annually and calculated with reference to loss of income (particularly during the changeover to organic
farming), the additional costs resulting from the commitments, and the need to provide a financial
incentive.

As during the previous programming period, Sicily(cid:146)s agri-environmental measures provide for an initiative
to introduce and sustain organic farming. The crops eligible include cereals and hence durum wheat.

(1) OJ L 321, 22.11.1997.
(2) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991.
(3) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(4) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 163 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3491/00

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(10 November 2000)

Subject: Threat of extinction for the Sicilian Black pig

The Sicilian Black, a pig species threatened with extinction, lives in the Nebrodi mountains in Italy. In
addition to the loss of genetic resources, this pig(cid:146)s disappearance would have biological, environmental,
cultural and social repercussions, since over the centuries cultural and social traditions have grown up
around pig-breeding in the Nebrodi mountains and these would die out.

Does the Commission envisage measures to safeguard endangered animal species in the EU? Does it
consider that the structural funds could intervene to support projects aimed at protecting the Sicilian
Black?