WRITTEN QUESTION E-0007/02 by Guido Sacconi (PSE), Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE-DE)and Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Incentives for young farmers in Tuscany.
Date: 2002-01-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF Guarantee Section, Tuscany, aid to agriculture, financing plan, rural development, young farmer

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/165

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(20 March 2002)

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that CIRCA is not,
strictly speaking, a database.
It is an application which was initially developed as part of the IDA
programme (exchange of data with Member States), allowing the exchange of electronic documents
between a group of identified users.

Access to CIRCA document directories is protected by a password so that the documents stored are
restricted to those for whom they are intended. Each department which uses CIRCA is responsible for
distribution of the documents it contains and can therefore make access subject to specific conditions.

The Honourable Member’s question mentions the need to sign an undertaking not to pass on the
documents without authorisation. A clause of this kind is an example of a specific condition that is linked
to the nature of the documents and is independent of the fact that they are distributed electronically.

It is therefore important to point out that the restriction applied to persons with access to the relevant
CIRCA directories would also apply if the documents had been made available to them by other means.

Users of CIRCA, other than Commission officials, belong to bodies or authorities in the Member States and
are given access because they represent the Member States in the institutions.

As regards ‘closed user groups’ of the CIRCA network in the Agriculture DG, access is strictly personal and
the confidential information on CIRCA is intended for personal use only and may not be divulged to
others or disseminated without prior written authorisation from the Commission.

This reserve clause, which exists because of the nature of the documents, should not pose any specific
problems of compatibility with national legislation in terms of confidentiality or access to information and
documents.

(2002/C 160 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0007/02

by Guido Sacconi (PSE), Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE-DE)
and Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 January 2002)

Subject: Incentives for young farmers in Tuscany

In the present situation an adequate rural development policy must include measures to reduce the average
age of farmers by helping young farmers to set up their own holdings. This is one of the priorities of EU
agricultural policy.

The Tuscany Region has taken consistent action to this end by implementing the 2000-2006 rural
development plan and was the first region in Italy to fund around 3 000 start-up projects for young
farmers, giving their applications priority.

The Directorate-General for Agriculture, placing form before substance, does not appear willing to accept
the revision of the funding plan proposed by the Tuscany Region to ensure that priority is given to young
farmers. Nor does it appear to be prepared to accept the new situation. Community cofinancing of
measures already taken therefore seems compromised and, as a result, both the Tuscany Region and the
national authority responsible for payments, which have already paid out the funds, are facing serious
difficulties.

C 160 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

Furthermore, the press was informed of DG Agriculture’s decision before the Member State and Region.
This is contrary to the spirit of cooperation and genuine partnership on which relations between the
institutions should be based.

In the light of the above, will the Commission provide assurances that it will duly respect the interests of
farmers and the action of the Tuscany Region, which is firmly resolved to implement the Community
priorities through a renewed policy in favour of agriculture and rural development?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2002)

The Tuscany Region’s Rural Development Plan for 2000-2006, approved by Commission Decision
C(2000)2510 of 7 September 2000, includes a support measure for establishment of young farmers that is
in line with Article 8 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural
development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and
repealing certain Regulations (1).

The financial schedule annexed to the approval decision specifies for that measure a contribution from the
EAGGF Guarantee Section of € 10 million for the whole programming period.

During the 2000 financial year, faced with demand for assistance under the measure very much in excess
of the overall projection in the plan, the Region and the national paying agency Agenzia per le erogazioni
in agricoltura paid out a sum in excess of the ceiling for the measure for the entire seven years.

These payments were made without
for
modification of the plan in line with the relevant rules. Under Article 35 of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1750/1999 of 23 July 1999 (2) such notification was needed before the financial allocation for the
for expenditure incurred and a date for
measure could be increased to give appropriate cover
commencement of eligibility of the expenditure specified.

the Commission’s receiving any notification or

request

While aware of the importance of the young farmer support measure in Tuscany and of the difficulties
met in the first year of applying the new regulatory provisions on rural development, the Commission as
responsible authority for monitoring rural development plans and for execution of the Union’s budget
must see that these provisions are rigorously respected. With that consideration in mind and after carefully
examining the situation it notified the Italian authorities, by a letter from the Commissioner responsible for
Agriculture and Fisheries dated 21 December 2001, of its inability to recognise the expenditure in question
incurred by Tuscany.

The Commission denies that the position it adopted was notified to the press by the Directorate-General
for Agriculture before notification was made to the national and regional authorities.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 214, 13.8.1999.

(2002/C 160 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0019/02

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(14 January 2002)

Subject: Respect for civil and political rights in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

On 15 February the European Parliament adopted and forwarded to the Commission an urgent
resolution (1) highlighting the case of Laotian prisoners of conscience, including the five leaders of the
movement of 26 October 1999, Keuakoun, Sisa-At, Phengphanh, Chanmanivong and Keochay, who were