WRITTEN QUESTION E-3006/01 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Milk quotas.
Date: 2001-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, agricultural levy, agricultural quota, equal treatment, fine, milk, over-production, regulation of agricultural production

C 115 E/212

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

(2002/C 115 E/224)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3006/01

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Subject: Milk quotas

Can the Commission say why is continuing to impose fines on Italy for surplus milk production? In the
2000-2001 marketing year many Italian farmers were fined a total of LIT 280 billion (approximately
EUR 142 million), whereas total fines imposed on all European farmers amounted to LIT 750 billion
(EUR 380 million). It has been decided that Italy cannot be granted higher quotas than those now in force
which are highly penalising: there is an imbalance compared to a number of States which the Commission
is continuing to afford preferential treatment (Germany, France, the Netherlands). The quotas are not in
proportion to the number of inhabitants, the number of livestock farmers, the areas farmed, or the number
of dairy cattle. Among Italian farmers there is growing distrust of the Commission, which is guilty of bias,
and of the European Union.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2001)

The milk quotas were introduced by the Council in 1984 to reduce the imbalance between supply and
demand for milk and milk products and to cope with the huge cost to the budget of the structural
surpluses that built up in the late 1970s.

National reference quantities were established without discrimination for all Member States, on the basis of
existing producers’ historical production figures.

The Commission does not discriminate for or against any Member State. It has always been mindful of
Italy’s problems, but it insists on the full and proper application of the scheme, which would be ineffective
otherwise. Italy has made efforts to apply the arrangements properly in recent years. Though progress has
been made, the biggest problem is still unsolved, i.e. the failure of producers to pay the substantial levy
amounts involved. To date the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) has been
credited with only 5,15 % of the levy payable for the 1995/96 to 1999/2000 milk years.

The Commission wishes to stress that all decisions concerning the level of the quotas and the scheme itself
are taken by the Council. To improve Italy’s structural situation,
increased the Italian
guaranteed national quantity by 900 000 tonnes from the 1993/94 quota year and by 600 000 tonnes in
two tranches (a further 384 000 tonnes from 2000/01 and another 216 000 tonnes from 2001/02) under
Agenda 2000.

the Council

The Commission also wishes to point out that, for the 2000/01 quota year, Italy exceeded its guaranteed
total quantity of 398 698 tonnes for the quota for deliveries (despite the additional 384 000 tonnes), which
is equivalent, under the Council Regulation (1) establishing the milk quota system, to a levy of € 142
million. The total levy for all Member States, including Italy, amounts to € 289 million for that period.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 of 28 December 1992 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk

products sector < OJ L 405, 31.12.1992.

(2002/C 115 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3017/01

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Commercial and sexual exploitation of children

(29 October 2001)

The Second World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children is to be held in
Yokohama, Japan, from 17 to 20 December 2001.