Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops"
Date: 2001-04-25
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: aid per hectare, cereals, oleaginous plant, producer organisation, regional aid, seed flax

C 193/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.7.2001

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council
Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 establishing a support system for producers
of certain arable crops’

(2001/C 193/11)

On 26 February 2001 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under
Articles 36 and 37 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned
proposal.

On 27 February 2001 the ESC Bureau instructed the Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the
Environment to prepare the Committee’s work on the subject.

At its 381st plenary session, held on 25 and 26 April 2001 (meeting of 25 April 2001), the Economic
and Social Committee decided, in view of the urgency of the matter, to appoint Mr Sabin rapporteur-
general and adopted the following opinion by a large majority, with no votes against and three
abstentions.

1.

Introduction

1.1.
The Commission initially implemented a number of
measures aimed at removing any exposure of consumers to
the risks of transmission of the BSE prion. One of them seeks
to prohibit the use of meat meal in animal feed, which would
also aggravate the EU’s deficit in plant proteins. Following the
loss of consumer confidence in beef and veal the Commission
submitted market adjustment measures on 13 February 2001
in line with the room for manoeuvre authorised by the Berlin
agreement and a measure to help fodder legumes produced in
accordance with organic principles. This opinion analyses the
proposal aimed at encouraging the cultivation of
fodder
legumes and makes recommendations.

2. Contents of the Commission’s proposal

Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 provides that pro-
2.1.
ducers must set aside a predetermined percentage of their land
to qualify for area payments and the areas set aside may also
be used for non-food purposes.

2.2.
In addition, the Commission proposed a regulation,
adopted by the Council on 24 June 1991, which lays down
special rules for the development of organic farming (1).

2.2.1.
Annex I of this regulation specifies that the principles
of organic production must have been applied on plots for a
conversion period of at least two years before sowing for
products to be designated ‘organic’.

(1) OJ L 198 of 22.7.1991, page 1. Last amended by Commission
Regulation (EC) No 2020/2000 (OJ L 241, 26.9.2000, p. 39).

2.3.
The European Commission proposes to encourage the
organic cultivation of fodder legumes used to make animal
feed by permitting the production of fodder legumes on set-
aside land, irrespective of whether such set-aside is compulsory
or voluntary.

2.3.1.
The holdings concerned will have to be entirely
converted to organic principles. This authorisation would
apply from the 2000/2001 marketing year and have a neutral
budget impact.

3. General comments

3.1.
The ESC takes full note of the Commission proposal
aiming to develop the organic production of fodder legumes
on compulsory or voluntary set-aside land. It would point out
that these crops are of interest from both an animal feed and
from a agronomic point of view.

3.2.
However, this measure has no direct link with the
management of the beef and veal market. It raises the much
more general question of animal feed and the EU’s protein
supply.

4.

The proposal concerning the support system for
producers of certain arable crops

The Commission’s proposal results from the con-
4.1.
clusions of
the Nice Summit of 7, 8 and 9 December
2000. The European Council ‘took note of the Commission’s
intention to analyse oil and protein plant supply and demand
in greater detail, in strict compliance with financial estimates’.
The ESC considers that this proposal is positive but it is grossly
inadequate and deals only partially with the problem.

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4.2.

The Commission proposal raises several questions:

The proposal only covers fodder legumes. The ESC
4.2.1.
stresses that seed legumes and protein crops are of great
interest from both an animal feed and from a agronomic point
of view because of their positive role in maintaining the
structure of the soil.

4.2.2.
Although this Commission proposal is positive, the
ESC questions the need to restrict this measure to holdings
that apply the principles of organic production, since none of
the legumes or protein crops are demanding as regards
fertilisers or pesticides (no nitrogenous fertiliser).

4.3.
As farmers should be encouraged to adopt good soil
management practices, the ESC considers that the use of crop
rotation systems which include soil-improving crops (legumes
and protein crops) would make it possible to achieve a dual
objective:

— increasing the production of quality plant proteins, and

— encouraging good agricultural practices.

In this way the positive environmental effect sought by
the Commission would be strengthened, and without any
additional cost.

4.4.
In conclusion, the ESC asks that the amendment of
Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999 concerning a support system
for producers of certain arable crops should not be reserved
for organic production alone, so that all farmers can develop

environmentally friendly practices, and suggests that
the
proposal be extended to seed legumes and protein crops not
covered by the Blair House agreements.

5.

The issue of vegetable proteins

The temporary ban on the use of meat meal in animal
5.1.
feed heightens the need to analyse in depth the EU’s situation
of dependence in the field of vegetable proteins and seek
sustainable and suitable solutions, especially as the Com-
mission is in the process of reviewing the broader issue of the
balance of the EU’s sources of supply of plant protein. The ESC
wishes to be consulted on this subject, which is of concern
both to farmers and consumers. It has noted the Communi-
cation from the Commission to the Council and the European
Parliament on options for promoting the cultivation of plant
proteins in the European Union (1) and reserves the right to
comment on it.

Although this is not

the problem posed by the
5.2.
Commission proposal, the present opinion does explore some
paths for reflection which should lead to an opinion dealing
more specifically with the issue of the EU’s supply of plant
proteins.

5.3.
The table which follows requires no comment. The EU
produces a third of its needs and this situation will worsen still
further. This degree of dependence is disturbing for the security
of livestock farming in the EU and requires a new strategy.

(1) COM(2001) 148 final, p. 2.

EU protein account (in millions of tonnes) during the 1999/2000 marketing year

Oilseeds,

of which

soya

protein crops

Vegetable proteins

Animal proteins

Total

Production

Exports

Imports

Consumption

7,8

1,2

4,7

17,7

3,2

20,9

0,7

0,7

1,1

0,7

1,8

34,3

26,3

0,7

35,1

0,7

41,2

26,8

5,4

51,7

3,2

35,8

54,9

Source: EU Commission economic and statistical information for 1999.

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10.7.2001

The ESC would like to take this opportunity to state

5.4.
the reasons why this question is of special importance:

— European production covers less than 30% of the EU’s

needs;

— the current ban on meat meal in animal feed makes this

deficit worse;

— world consumption of plant proteins is showing annual
growth of 4 to 5 % and supplies may become more
scarce;

— the USA has a very firm policy for these products, which

for them are strategic;

— Agenda 2000 set aid for oilseeds at the same level as
that for other major crops, which discourages oilseeds
production. Even if this decision has the merit of freeing
the EU from the constraints of Blair House, it has three
disadvantages: it encourages monoculture, it does not
fulfil the domestic need for security of quantity and
quality (are there any GMOs in imported raw materials?)
and aggravates the situation of the EU within the WTO,
since it is easier to produce for one’s own market than to
produce goods for export;

— as part of the enlargement process it would be wise to
offer the countries of central and eastern Europe real
opportunities for developing the production of goods for
which the EU constitutes a genuine market,

— the development of oilseeds production for non-food
purposes for processing into the fuel (methyl ester) would
make it possible both to produce plant proteins and to
fulfil
the EU’s commitments to reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases (Kyoto agreement).

Finally at the time of the Berlin agreement, a meeting clause
was decided for a mid-term review,
the
Common Agricultural Policy in order to correct agricultural
policy in the field of plant proteins.

if necessary, of

5.5.
In conclusion, all the elements are present for preparing
a plan to develop the production of plant proteins in the EU
and the applicant countries. For this reason the ESC has to
tackle this question as soon as possible in order to make
proposals to the Commission with an eye on the mid-term
review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Brussels, 25 April 2001.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke FRERICHS