WRITTEN QUESTION E-0709/01 by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Commission. Entry into force of the new COM in bananas.
Date: 2001-03-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common organisation of markets, import, trade policy, tropical fruit

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/31

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2001)

The Commission proposals are covering the short term as well as the longer term and are including
measures in favour of a higher quality production.

The measures proposed for the suckler cow premium are focusing in particular on limiting production in
the future so as to contribute to market equilibrium. The application of these measures in the whole
Community is the condition for their full effectiveness.

Since beef and veal production depends largely on the number of cows, future meat production can be
reduced by cutting down the number of suckler cows. Nevertheless, the measures are formulated in such
a way that the impact on the farmer(cid:146)s income is small. The minimum number of heifers keeps the number
of premium paid to the farmer unchanged but reduces the number of calves born.

The number of dairy cows is determined by the total reference quantity of milk allocated to the producer.
Therefore, the premium for processing of calves would be a solution to achieve a reduction of the meat
quantities put on the market in the short term. Nevertheless, this solution appears to be a theoretical one.
The Commission recalls that such a premium was under severe attack from a lot of animal welfare
organisations and the Berlin European Council agreed that this kind of premium should only be kept as
a possible measure to be financed by national aids.

(2001/C 350 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0709/01

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Entry into force of the new COM in bananas

(8 March 2001)

On 19 December European Union Agriculture Ministers approved the COM in bananas, which was to
enter into force on 1 April or, if more time was needed to finalise the technical details, on 1 July.

The first date is now a month and a half away. In view of this, and given that the COM is a step forward
for Canary Islands banana producers in that it limits the quantities of bananas from non-European
producers allowed onto the Community market by means of a (cid:145)first come, first served(cid:146) quota system, when
does the Commission think that the necessary technical measures will be completed to enable these
arrangements to take effect?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2001)

The second paragraph of Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 216/2001 of 29 January 2001 amending
Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 on the common organisation of the market in bananas (1) provided for
application of the new importation arrangements to be deferred until 1 July 2001.

The Commission did indeed defer their application until 1 July 2001 by means of Commission Regulation
(EC) No 395/2001 of 27 February 2001 fixing certain indicative quantities and individual ceilings for the
issuing of Community import licences for bananas for the second quarter of 2001 under the tariff quotas
or as part of the quantity of traditional ACP bananas (2).

Following intensive discussion with the other trading partners the Commission has since reached
a common basis of understanding with the United States and Ecuador, thereby enabling the banana dispute
to be resolved.

C 350 E/32

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

The solution agreed is based on applying a transitional system of banana import tariff quotas until a tariff-
only system enters into force from 1 January 2006 at the latest as scheduled.

The three tariff quotas, comprising a total quantity of 3 410 000 tonnes, will be administered as follows:

(cid:129) for 83 % of the total, allocation will be based on the historical references of the traditional operators
who undertook primary importation during the period 1994-1996 and whose reference quantities
were recorded in 1998;

(cid:129) for 17 % of the total, import licences will be allocated to non-traditional operators by means of the

simultaneous examination method.

In addition, before the end of this year the Commission will propose to the Council that from 1 January
2002 onwards a quantity of 100 000 tonnes should be transferred from quota C to quota B and that
quota C should be reserved exclusively for the ACP supplier countries.

On 7 May 2001 the Commission adopted the Regulation containing detailed rules for applying the new
importation arrangements. The Regulation was published on 8 May and will apply from 1 July 2001.

(1) OJ L 31, 2.2.2001.
(2) OJ L 58, 28.2.2001.

(2001/C 350 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0736/01

by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2001)

Subject: Internet access for schools

The 2000 Lisbon European Council called on (cid:145)the Member States to ensure that all schools in the Union
have access to the Internet and multimedia resources by the end of 2001, and that all the teachers needed
are skilled in the use of the Internet and multimedia resources by the end of 2002.(cid:146)

Does the Commission believe that these targets will be met, and what evidence can it supply to support its
view?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2001)

The Commission is pleased to report that these ambitious targets will probably be met by most Member
States.

Data facilitated by Member States for the Report (cid:145)Realising the European Union potential: Consolidating
and extending the Lisbon Strategy(cid:146) (1), presented by the Commission to the Stockholm Summit, shows
great progress in the connection of schools to Internet. In fact, for secondary schools, several of the
Member States have already achieved a connection rate of 100 %, although the number of pupils per
computer varies between countries (see attached page 19 from the above mentioned report).

As for equipment in multimedia computers and training of a sufficient number of teachers, a recent
Eurobarometer survey of teachers and headteachers (soon to be published) gives reasons for optimism.
European teachers seem predominantly open towards new technology and its use in teaching. 55 % of
European teachers have already received training. About 7 out of 10 teachers have an Internet connection
at home.

(1) COM(2001) 79.