WRITTEN QUESTION P-1793/01 by Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PSE) to the Commission. Food situation in Niger.
Date: 2001-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Niger, development aid, food aid, food safety, technical cooperation

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/225

(2001/C 350 E/253)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/01

by Carlos Ripoll y Mart(cid:237)nez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Report on island regions

(19 June 2001)

In January 2001 it was announced that a wide-ranging study of all the European Union(cid:146)s island regions
was being drawn up for the purpose of establishing an objective diagnosis of the situation in those regions,
including a classification and an assessment of the problems stemming from the regions(cid:146) island nature and
their specific needs. It was hoped that the study would be completed during the course of the current year.

1. What stage has the report reached?

2. When is the report due to be completed and submitted to the European Parliament?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2001)

Following publication of a notice of invitation to tender for a study entitled (cid:145)Analysis of the island regions
of the European Union,(cid:146) (1) after an internal selection procedure and with the approval of the Advisory
Committee on Procurements and Contracts, the Commission has selected a tenderer. The budgetary
commitment procedure has just been completed and the contract will be signed in the coming weeks.

The study period has been prolonged from six months to twelve months from the date of signing of the
contract. The report will be submitted within six months, i.e. in early 2002, and will then be presented to
the Commission for approval. It is intended in the remaining six months to improve and add to the
database that has been compiled. The Commission will take steps to ensure that Parliament is kept
informed of the outcome of the study.

(1) OJ S 248, 28.12.2000.

(2001/C 350 E/254)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1793/01

by Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PSE) to the Commission

(12 June 2001)

Subject: Food situation in Niger

Over the last twenty years, Niger has spent more than 170 million euros on providing 17 000 water
supply points in rural areas.

Despite this major effort the food situation in Niger remains precarious and it has become particularly
worrying in recent years on account of a persistent drought.

The food shortage is alarming, particularly in the most vulnerable areas, and the rural exodus prompted by
the drought is gathering pace.

What emergency action (food aid) has been taken by the Commission in order to prevent a humanitarian
disaster?

What initiatives does the Commission intend to continue or implement in order to safeguard agricultural
production in Niger (such as support for the establishment of cereal banks and for the creation or
refurbishment of water supply points in livestock rearing areas, the performance of a feasibility and impact
study in connection with a micro-dam programme, etc.)?

C 350 E/226

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

After starting well the 2000/2001 farm year saw extended periods of drought in late August/early
September, which, accompanied by swarms of parasites, have led to much lower output than forecast. The
cereal balance has proved unreliable, varying as it does from one source to another. Monitoring cereal
prices has therefore been the preferred method for assessing food security. This indicator shows that the
year has been mediocre but not disastrous, which is why the Commission has no plans for emergency aid.
The situation in some areas is nevertheless worrying: non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and bilateral
or multilateral partners are focusing on those areas.

Operations are decided in Niger by a joint consultative commission, the CMC, which comprises the
government, official donors contributing to the CMC-run system and public institutions providing effective
and permanent food aid to Niger.

Its role is to determine the use of a number of hunger-relief and -prevention tools:

(cid:129) physical reserves in the form of a national security stock (SNS) used to distribute food free of charge

in areas where the situation is judged critical

(cid:129) financial reserves in the form of a food security fund (FSA) used to regulate prices on the cereal

market (the sale of cereals at moderate prices)

(cid:129) a common intervention fund financed by the donors (FI-FCD) for cash-for-work, food-for-work or self-

sufficiency programmes

(cid:129) bilaterally-managed food aid counterpart funds.

The CMC draws its information from the early-warning system (EWS) set up to monitor communities at
risk and analyse the data gathered and from the cereal and livestock market information systems (SIMs).

The Community has been using the budget heading for food security to support the government(cid:146)s famine
prevention and management system since 1996. So far 25 000 tonnes have been mobilised this season.
The Community has directly contributed by making available 1 000 tonnes of cereals.
It has also
contributed CFAF 3 430 000 000 towards the FSA and the FI-FCD for 2000-2001. Furthermore, about
€ 2 million has been set aside for financing NGO operations (Care DK and SOS-Sahel).

In addition to support from the budget heading, food security has been a focal sector for the Eighth
European Development Fund (EDF), accounting for commitments of about € 40 million over the period
1999-2001) and should remain a focal sector under the ninth EDF. The rural development projects
financed by the EDF build on successful experiments to improve the food security of rural communities:
irrigation schemes, support for better management of natural resources (soil
collective or individual
rehabilitation,
land management and reafforestation), development of microfinancing, establishment of
cereal and agricultural-input banks, financing of livestock-watering and drinking-water points, support for
farmers(cid:146) and women(cid:146)s organisations, market research studies, stock-farming activities and, in the future,
support for agricultural research in Niger.

(2001/C 350 E/255)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1794/01

by Karin Riis-Jłrgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 June 2001)

Subject: Incorrect implementation of Directive 92/46/EEC in Denmark

Further to my Question No H-0364/01 (1) concerning the incorrect implementation of Directive 92/46/
EEC (2) in Denmark, tabled for Question Time at Parliament(cid:146)s part-session in May 2001 in Strasbourg,
I would ask the following supplementary question.