WRITTEN QUESTION E-4097/00 by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) and Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Implementation of common organisation of the market in flax and hemp fibre.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural production policy, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, common organisation of markets, fallow, flax, hemp, land use, oil crop, utilised agricultural area

C 318 E/20

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

(2001/C 318 E/020)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4097/00

by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) and Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Implementation of common organisation of the market in flax and hemp fibre

Implementation of the new market organisation for flax and hemp grown for fibre (Regulation (EC)
No 1672/2000 (1)) is having a drastic effect on the original flax-growing regions in the Netherlands,
Belgium and northern France. In particular, compulsory set-aside is seriously affecting the output of flax-
growing arable farms.

Now that, as a result of the ban on meat-and-bone meal, the European Union is not growing enough
vegetable protein products, will the Commission offer flax-growers the chance of using set-aside land to
cultivate plant crops containing protein?

(1) OJ L 193, 29.7.2000, p. 16.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2001)

In accordance with the commitment it gave at the Council meeting on agriculture of 4 December 2000
concerning bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and at the explicit request of the Nice European
Council, the Commission is carrying out a thorough analysis of supply and demand for oleaginous and
protein plants. Suggestions from all parties concerned will be considered in the course of that analysis.

The problems mentioned by the Honourable Members cannot be seen in isolation from the whole question
of arable crops.

The Commission will apprise Parliament and the Council of its conclusions as soon as they have been
finalised. As the Council and the European Council requested, those conclusions will cover all hypothetical
cases, in compliance with the Berlin Agreements and the Community(cid:146)s international commitments.

(2001/C 318 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4106/00

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Subject: State of affairs of farming in Apulia

In demonstrations lasting several days during the first half of November, in the city of Barletta and in
villages in the Ofanto valley, farmers from Barletta mounted a strong protest against the steep increase in
fuel prices, the extremely high fines imposed for planting vines which are held to be illegal, and the 35 %
cut in aid for olive oil. The city and residents of Barletta suffered serious damage when the town hall was
occupied, the main internal roads in the city itself were blocked and a tilting train was forcibly held at the
city railway station; as a result of these protests three city guards who had intervened to curb the
demonstration were wounded.

Therefore, will the Commission say whether farmers within Objective 1 regions may benefit from:

(cid:129) the abolition of fines imposed for vines which are held to be illegal or, alternatively, the imposition of

a token fine, as is already the case in Spain;

(cid:129) non-implementation of the revised 35 % cut in aid to olive oil, or, if the revised cut is confirmed,

a reduction below 35 %;

(cid:129) a reduction in the cost of fuel used for agricultural purposes.