WRITTEN QUESTION E-3681/00 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Milk quotas and EU enlargement.
Date: 2000-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accession negotiations, agricultural quota

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/113

Export refunds for milk and milk products are an important instrument of the common organisation of
the milk and milk products market. The refund amounts for different dairy products are fixed on the basis
of the price difference between the Community and world markets and taking account of the Community(cid:146)s
World trade organisation (WTO) commitments on export subsidies.

Consequently, future developments on export subsidies and exported volumes of milk and milk products
will depend on the outcome of the new round of WTO trade negotiations, on the Community(cid:146)s relative
price level as well as on the Community(cid:146)s exportable surplus.

Finally, the Commission believes there is no ground for assuming that exports of skimmed milk powder
and butter to third countries may have distorted the dairy markets in southern Europe recently. To take
butter as an example, on a total quantity of 44 078 t of surplus butter purchased into public intervention
in the Community in the year 2000, 12 982 t were purchased in Spain, 3 762 t in Portugal and 2 350 t in
Italy. It seems, therefore, that market support measures are relevant for the Community as a whole.

(2001/C 174 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3681/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Milk quotas and EU enlargement

In view of the impact that enlargement of the EU will have on the CAP and the European dairy sector in
particular, can the Commission say what accession terms have been laid down, as far as milk is concerned,
for the various applicant countries?

How does it think that enlargement will affect the European dairy sector in its current form?

How does it think that enlargement will affect the existing European milk quota system?

How is it proposed to proceed as regards milk quotas for the different applicant countries?

How might those new quotas affect the present Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2001)

In the Common position of the Community on the agricultural chapter agreed in June 2000, the
Community underlined a number of key principles governing the negotiations with the candidate
countries. First, they must demonstrate, sufficiently ahead of accession, that they possess the administrative
capacity for effective implementation and enforcement of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) including the necessary mechanisms
in place needed for the management of the various common market organisations. Second, they should
achieve full compliance by the time of accession with regard to Community requirements for food safety
and consumer protection. Third, transitional measures must be exceptional, limited in time and scope, and
accompanied by a plan with clearly defined stages for the application of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146). Fourth, the acceptance
of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) entails the obligation to apply Community prices for agricultural products upon accession.

Recent medium term forecasts suggest that milk production levels in the candidate countries will increase
very slightly over the next seven years, but that exportable surpluses will remain broadly constant. In this
respect, enlargement may add slightly to existing market balance problems for the European dairy sector
but should not create new difficulties.

C 174 E/114

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

All the candidate countries have accepted the need to fully meet the acquis including the application of all
common market organisation (CMO) regulations. Candidate countries have been invited to provide a
detailed plan for the setting up of the official administration that will be responsible for the management
of the milk quota system, in particular the plans for addressing problems related to farm structure and
with regard to direct sales.

As regards setting quotas the reference quantity for milk must be determined taking account of historical
production figures during a reference period to be defined, and the need to avoid adding to Community
market surpluses, having regard also to World trade organisation (WTO) constraints. It is the Commission(cid:146)s
view that this period should be recent to reflect current production and consumption structures as well as
improved statistical reliability.

Given these safeguards built into the Community(cid:146)s negotiating position,
it is not expected that the
inclusion of the new member states in the CMO for milk and milk products will affect the current
Member States.

It should be recalled that, regardless of enlargement, Council Regulation (EC) No 1256/1999 of 17 May
in particular Article 3,
1999, establishing an additional
foresees a mid-term review, worded as follows: (cid:145)The Council undertakes to conduct a mid-term review in
2003, on the basis of a Commission report, with the aim of allowing the present quota arrangements to
run out after 2006.(cid:146)

levy in the milk and milk products sector (1),

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 174 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3695/00

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: By-catches of harbour porpoises (cid:129) plan of action

A (cid:145)harbour porpoise take reduction plan(cid:146) has been drawn up in the USA and was sent to the Commission
in relation to Case P/99/4288/DK.

Will the Commission please indicate what specific action has been taken in the USA as a result of this
plan, and whether similar measures might be relevant in the EU?

Will the Commission consider drawing up an EU plan of action to reduce by-catches of harbour porpoises
in European fisheries?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 January 2001)

The harbour porpoise take reduction plan, implemented in the United States under the Mar(cid:237)ne Mammals
Protection Act, foresees a set of integrated measures to enforce technical and behavioural modification in
the use of some fishing gears (mainly gill-nets) as well as to increase co-operation among fishermen,
environmental organisations, scientists and administration through the establishment of Take Reduction
Teams. As regards the implementation of observer schemes, the Honourable Member should be aware that
with some exceptions (Northwest Atlantic fisheries organisation (NAFO), Inter-American tropical tuna
commission (IATTC),
the
Commission has no legal basis,
in addition to Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1) Habitats Directive, for requiring that
observers should or might be placed on fishing vessels of Member States.

International Commission for the conservation of Atlantic tuna (ICCAT)),