WRITTEN QUESTION E-2856/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Infringement proceedings against Greece concerning application of the COM in cotton.
Date: 2001-10-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, aid system, common organisation of markets, cotton, exchange of information, infringement procedure (EU), production aid, utilised agricultural area

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/177

The Community evaluation of vinclozolin is almost complete and although the Commission is currently
considering options for decision-making on the substance, it has not yet made a proposal on vinclozolin.
Pending a Community Decision on Annex I
listing, products containing vinclozolin are currently
authorised in 12 Member States.

(1) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.

(2002/C 115 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2856/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Infringement proceedings against Greece concerning application of the COM in cotton

In its answer to my Written Question E-4160/00 (1) concerning the administrative measures taken by
Greece to restrict areas for cotton growing,
the Commission states that ‘the Commission instituted
infringement proceedings against Greece under Article 226 of the EC Treaty’ for the 2000/2001 marketing
year and that ‘the Commission may decide to institute proceedings similar to those’ in respect of the 2001/
2002 marketing year.

Can the Commission provide details of the stage reached in the relevant proceedings for the 2000/2001
and the 2001/2002 marketing years?

(1) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 150.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 2001)

As regards the measures taken by the Greek authorities to restrict areas for cotton growing in the
2000/2001 marketing year, the Honourable Member was informed in the reply to his Written Question
E-4160/00 that the Commission had started infringement proceedings against Greece under Article 226
(ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty and that the Commission reserved the position in respect of the
institution of similar proceedings in relation to the 2001/2002 marketing year.

The Commission decided to keep in abeyance the infringement procedure concerning the measures for the
2000/2001 marketing year until the Greek legal texts providing for the detailed measures of application of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1051/2001 of 22 May 2001 on production aid for cotton (1) and of
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1591/2001 of 2 August 2001 laying down detailed rules for applying the
cotton aid scheme (2), had been adopted. The Greek rules in question have been very recently supplied to
the Commission. The Commission services are currently looking into them with a view to propose to the
Commission a proper course of action to be followed in respect of this case.

(1) OJ L 148, 1.6.2001.
(2) OJ L 210, 3.8.2001.

(2002/C 115 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2857/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Division of cotton growers’ production into eligible or ineligible for aid

By Decision 55645 of 24 September 2001 (Article 8(5)), the Greek Ministry of Agriculture is applying
‘individual quotas’ to cotton production and is allowing quantities of cotton for which aid will not be