WRITTEN QUESTION E-0357/02 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. European Year of Mountains.
Date: 2002-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, common agricultural policy, hill farming, less-favoured region, mountain region, public awareness campaign, rural development

C 229 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

(2002/C 229 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/02

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Circular traffic with export refunds

The Court of Auditors Special Report 7/2001 on export refunds notes that the Commission will verify the
products for which export refunds should not be paid if a preferential arrangement applies when the same
products are imported into the EU.

For which products traded between the EU and the candidate countries have export refunds been paid to
date, despite a preferential arrangement?

Which products in which non-member States are affected?

In Estonia, because of inadequate precautions with regard to export refunds and preferential arrangements,
a case of fraud involving butter has already been uncovered. Is the Commission aware of other cases of
what is known as circular traffic? If so, which products and which countries were involved?

What is the Commission’s estimate of the financial damage that has been caused in this way?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 April 2002)

The Community concluded in year 2000 with the candidate countries trade liberalisation agreements
under which so-called ‘double-zero-quotas’ were included, i.e. duty-free import quotas and removal of the
export refunds. The sectors included in the double-zero approach were pig meat, poultry meat, cheese
(except Slovenia), tomatoes and apples. Though not generally included, cereals and butter were also
partially liberalised in this way with Poland.

A second round of trade liberalisation negotiations was launched between the Union and the candidate
countries in December 2001. One of the main aims of the new round of liberalisation is to establish duty-
free tariff quotas and to remove the export refunds also in the sectors which were not generally negotiated
in the year 2000 (e.g. cereals, beef meat, sheep meat, eggs, dairy products, wine).

With regard to Estonia, the Commission has concluded on 31 January 2002 an agreement that 9 pending
approval by the Council 9 will enter into force on 1 July 2002 and on the basis of which export refunds
for this destination will be removed in basically most sectors.

As regards the Estonian butter case, recovery procedures are ongoing for an amount of € 3,1 million of
underpaid customs duties.

A possible abnormal movement of sugar from Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of
isoglucose from Bosnia-Herzegovina was recently detected, and a decision on the most appropriate course
of action will be taken shortly by the services concerned.

(2002/C 229 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0357/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(22 February 2002)

Subject: European Year of Mountains

The year 2002 is the ‘European Year of Mountains’ and should therefore be devoted to celebrating their
special beauty and also to highlighting problems in mountainous areas.

26.9.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/79

Can the Council say what specific agricultural and regional measures have been planned for this Year of
Mountains?

Can the Council also say whether there is a budget for these initiatives, and if so how large?

Reply

(27 June 2002)

For years, support for agriculture in mountainous regions has been a matter of constant interest and
concern for the Community. Already back in 1975 the Council adopted a Directive on mountain and hill
farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas which authorised the Member States to set up special
aid schemes, inter alia for mountain areas, to promote agricultural activities. Since then, mountain areas
have been an integral part of Community regulations on less-favoured areas.

More recently, in March 1999, the Berlin European Council set budgetary and policy guidelines for Agenda
2000, which created a second pillar for Common Agricultural Policy devoted to rural development. The
purpose of rural development policy is to set up a coherent and sustainable framework for the future of
rural areas. Second pillar principles are: multi-functionality, efficiency, decentralisation of responsibilities,
flexibility and a multi-sector approach.

Regulation No 1257/1999, adopted in May 1999, therefore replaced the existing regulations on rural
development. Chapter V focuses, inter alia, on less-favoured areas, including mountainous regions. Under
certain conditions, farmers in those areas are eligible for compensatory allowances, for example, for
applying good farming practices which are compatible with environmental protection.

It has been possible to include activities in mountain areas in the rural development programmes set up by
the Member States.

The Council has not received any proposals from the Commission for specific actions relating to the
International Year of Mountains.

Any initiative consisting of proposing activities or of organising seminars on mountain region economy is
obviously still possible and desirable, but it would not involve the Council as an institution.

(2002/C 229 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0358/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Introduction of a Europe-wide voluntary auxiliary service

Most Member States have abolished compulsory military service. It would therefore be sensible to consider
introducing Europe-wide auxiliary service for young men and women over 18, which would give them
basic training in first aid, social work, ecological work and handling weapons,
to give them an
understanding of how dangerous they are. This compulsory training could last two or three months and be
carried out in every EU country. Those taking part should also be able to help out in emergency situations
during this period.

Can the Council say whether it considers this proposal to be practicable and useful, and whether it intends
to introduce such a policy?