WRITTEN QUESTION P-3263/01 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Community Tobacco Fund.
Date: 2001-11-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: budget, common organisation of markets, fund (EU), information, research, tobacco

C 115 E/242

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

The Occitan language, the expression of one of the great European peoples, extends over the territories of
three European countries (cid:23) Italy (Padania), France and Spain (cid:23) and is the language spoken in the Occitan
Valleys which are to host the 2006 Winter Games.

What steps does the Commission intend to take, including action under the European Charter for Regional
or Minority Languages, to ensure that TOROC grants the Occitans’ valid request? Would the granting of
this request be of great symbolic value in relation to Europe’s recognition and practical protection of all
European linguistic minorities?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2001)

The Commission congratulates Piedmont on its hosting of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games and is
confident that it will exploit this unique opportunity to make the whole world aware of the cultural
attractions and special features of this area situated in the heart of Europe.

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages is a Council of Europe document that has been
put to the organisation’s member countries for ratification. Although Italy has not yet signed it, the
Charter has served as inspiration for Italian Law No 482/99 on the protection of historical
linguistic
minorities.

The European Union does not have the specific competence, either in this field or with regard to sport, to
take action in the direction suggested by the Honourable Member.

(2002/C 115 E/262)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3263/01

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 November 2001)

Subject: Community Tobacco Fund

Council Regulation (EC) No 1636/98 (1) of 20 July 1998 has amended Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No
2075/92 (2) as regards the provisions governing the Community Tobacco Fund. The deduction has been
increased to the equivalent of 2 % of the premium, and the scope of the action eligible to be financed by
the Fund has been widened.

What activities and projects were financed under the Fund from the entry into force of Regulation (EEC)
No 2075/92 until the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 1636/98? What sums were earmarked for
that purpose in the budget? Have the budget appropriations been used up? What amounts, if any, have not
been spent? Have studies been conducted to determine how raw tobacco producers might be enabled to
switch to other crops? What amounts were allocated to those studies, when were the studies carried out,
and have the findings been disseminated to the national authorities?

(1) OJ L 210, 28.7.1998, p. 23.
(2) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992, p. 70.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2001)

The Commission is able to provide the Honourable Member with the following details.

The Community’s Tobacco Fund was set up under Article 13 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of
30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (1). Between then and the entry
into force of Council Regulation (EC) No 1636/98 of 20 July 1998 amending Regulation (EEC) No
2075/92 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (2) the Commission launched two calls
for proposals in 1994 and 1996, each covering the two strands of the Fund, namely research and
information.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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The projects in the ‘research’ strand were:

First call for proposals

94/T/12

94/T/19-24

94/T/22

Optimum cultural practices for flue-cured varieties with early maturity and low
nicotine and tar potential

Production of burley tobaccos with reduced nitrogen, nitrates, nicotine and tar
yield

Cultural techniques compatible with the environment: reduced use of plant
health products and reduced residues in tobacco

(In euro)

Community
contribution

1 240 957

2 716 165

1 955 690

Total

5 912 812

Second call for proposals

96/T/18

96/T/24

96/T/35

96/T/55

96/T/66

96/T/67

Management of
compatible technologies

insect pests and viruses of

tobacco using ecologically

Soil seed bank identification to reduce herbicide application

Monitoring and minimising of heavy metal contents in tobacco

Effects of salinity on growth, physiology, yield and quality of tobacco

Reduction of pesticide residues in tobacco with the Float system

Reduction of undesirable compounds content in tobacco by using tools to
manage nitrogen fertilisation

(In euro)

Community
contribution

1 757 816

362 522

1 846 258

672 669

812 088

1 077 055

Total

6 528 408

The Fund financed 18 projects under the ‘information’ strand following both calls for proposals. These
projects were as follows:

First call for proposals

96/IT/13

96/IT/26

96/IT/28

96/IT/33

96/IT/36

96/IT/37

A comprehensive European Smoking Prevention Framework Approach (ESFA)
for 1995-2000

Didactic unit on tobacco (Secondary Education): Editing, Publishing and
Research in Brussels (Belgium) and the Basque Country (Spain)

Making our hospitals smoke-free: a special training course for nursing schools

Improvement of the knowledge of young people about the harmful effects of
tobacco by an overall approach to health through quarterly publications and
the booklet ‘Vacances santé’ of the ‘Première generation sans tabac’ Club

Children talking: why do they smoke

Study to examine the impact of a five-year multi-activity programme of
smoking information and health education for young people within four
matched communities in Birmingham, UK

(In euro)

Community
contribution

3 185 000

107 230

121 555

153 599

515 549

252 436

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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96/IT/40

96/IT/44

96/IT/55

96/IT/57

Transfer of a multimedia prevention campaign of smoking aimed at young
people from one Member State to the others based on two real cases: setting-
up, evaluation and guidelines

Non-smoking country

Women’s Magazines and Tobacco in Europe

Development and implementation of a multimedia-multisite strategy for the
prevention of smoking among South European youth

96/IT/73

Anti-smoking Intervention on Medical Students. A Comparative Study

Community
contribution

345 644

603 199

60 000

150 000

50 000

Total

5 544 212

Second call for proposals

Publishing and selective distribution of a smoking prevention newsletter in
France, Italy, Spain and Portugal

Health professions in public education against smoking

The world of tobacco: A comprehensive school-based smoking prevention and
cessation programme for pupils aged 13 to 18

Schools, Internet and non-smoking

Quit and win: International programme for smoking cessation

(In euro)

Community
contribution

1 031 536

20 000

856 300

434 415

327 100

Impact of providing a nurse specialist in smoking cessation in a hospital setting

127 551

Young people and tobacco: coordinated European media campaigns

5 101 177

Total

7 898 079

97/IT/2

97/IT/3

97/IT/5

97/IT/12

97/IT/33

97/IT/37

97/IT/53

from which money is drawn to finance the various items.

Regarding the amounts not spent, it should be noted that this is not a real fund with annual levies being
paid into an account
the
Commission launches activities which are then funded from an ‘ad hoc’
line called the Community
Tobacco Fund (B1-175). The appropriations on this line correspond to the estimated real costs to be met
in a given budget year. The Commission ensures that the appropriations/expenditure on this line do not
exceed the total of levies received.

In practice,

There have been no studies supported by the Fund into converting producers of raw tobacco towards
other crops. However, the results of the research projects will be disseminated in the relevant circles.

With regard to the new activities to be implemented following approval of the new implementing
Regulation (3), involving the ‘information’ strand, the Commission launched a call for tenders on 13 June
2001 concerning a communication campaign aimed at prevention of smoking among adolescents. The
Scientific and Technical Committee for the Community Tobacco Fund met on 9 November 2001 to assist
the Commission in choosing the best offer.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 210, 28.7.1998.
(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1648/2000 of 25 July 2000 laying down detailed rules for the application of
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 with regard to the Community Tobacco Fund and repealing Regulation (EEC)
No 2427/93 (cid:23) OJ L 189, 27.7.2000.