WRITTEN QUESTION E-0683/02 by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. EU-Algeria trade.
Date: 2002-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Algeria, Mediterranean agriculture, agricultural trade, association agreement, common commercial policy, common tariff policy, economic and social cohesion, liberalisation of trade

C 205 E/192

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

alongside the adoption of more restrictive measures on the conditions for the importation of woodland
mushrooms (4), have meant that very few cases of EU limits being exceeded have been notified in the last
two years via the Commission’s rapid alert system. One case of game meat exceeding the values (venison
originating in Poland) was notified in 2000, and no cases in 2001.

The above EU measures and, chiefly, the obligation under Council Regulation (EEC) No 737/90 for
Member States to inspect imports of a range of products,
including game meat, guarantee that such
products do not exceed the maximum radioactive caesium content of 600 Bq/kg.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 737/90 of 22 March 1990 on the conditions governing imports of agricultural
products originating in third countries following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station (OJ L 82,
29.3.1990), as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 616/2000 of 20 March 2000 (OJ L 75, 24.3.2000).

(2) Atlas of caesium deposition on Europe after the Chernobyl accident, 1998, ISBN 92-828-3140-X.
(3) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.
(4) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1661/1999 of 27 July 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of

Council Regulation (EEC) No 737/90 (OJ L 197, 29.7.1999).

(2002/C 205 E/204)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0683/02

by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 March 2002)

Subject: EU-Algeria trade

On 19 December 2001 the EU and Algeria signed an association agreement.

This agreement provides, in particular, for a trade regime for agricultural products, relating to the EU’s
exports to Algeria of cereals, sugar and oilseeds and its imports from Algeria of vegetables, olive oil, fruit
juice and wine.

Algeria further undertakes to phase out its tariff barriers to enable the entry of industrial exports from the
EU.

Although the establishment of these relations is to be welcomed and it is to be hoped that they will
contribute to the restoration of peace and respect for human rights in Algeria, it has nonetheless to be
stressed that the resultant trade flow will, once again, create competition for the products of southern
Europe, which are already in circumstances of crisis, while redounding to the benefit of well-off farmers
and industrialists in northern Europe.

Does the Commission agree with this analysis?

If so, what compensatory measures does it intend to take in support of southern European producers?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2002)

The association agreement between the Union and Algeria was initialled on 19 December 2001. Its
agriculture section provides for gradually increasing liberalisation of trade between the Union and Algeria
in preparation for establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area indicated in the Barcelona
Declaration signed in 1995 by the fifteen Union countries and our Mediterranean partners.

It was on that basis that
the two parties negotiated reciprocal concessions on a large number of
agricultural products. Provision for further liberalisation is made by a review clause whereby the parties
may exchange further concessions from the fifth year after the agreement enters into force.

29.8.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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The preferences in the agreement were negotiated in line with the principles of the Barcelona Declaration,
which provides for trade in agricultural products between the Commmunity and the Mediterranean
countries to be gradually liberalised by means of preferential reciprocal access agreed on the basis of the
traditional trade flows. This means that the concessions are negotiated with reference to existing trade
patterns. Algeria accordingly granted import preferences for products of which it is in shortfall, notably
milk products, cereals, meat, sugar and oils. The Community did the same for the products traditionally
imported, notably fruits and vegetables. It should also be stressed however that Algeria has granted import
concessions on certain fruits and vegetables.

A general point to be borne in mind is the modest level of Community imports of agricultural products
originating in Algeria.

The liberalisation covered by the agreement is therefore applied on both sides and both parties draw
advantages from it.

As the Honourable Member himself indicates, the association agreement has also to be seen in the context
of support for Algerian development and the democratic process. If it is to have the effect intended its
economic (agricultural etc.) provisions must not be unbalanced but reflect the export possibilities actually
open to Algeria and its import requirements.

(2002/C 205 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0693/02

by Roberto Bigliardo (UEN) to the Commission

(5 March 2002)

Subject: Telecom Italia subscriber fee

Telecommunications operators in Italy are no longer functioning in monopoly conditions, and Telecom
Italia should therefore logically have abolished its user subscriber fee in 2001. Does the Commission have
an opinion on the real reasons why Italian users are still being burdened with this fee?

Reply given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 2002)

The rental fee (‘canone’) covers maintenance costs for the copper pair between the telephone exchange and
the subscriber. It is intended to pay for a service provided by Telecom Italia and is just as justified in a
competitive situation as in the era of monopolies.

To this end, Article 17(2) of the European Parliament and Council Directive 98/10/EC of 26 February
1998 on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for
telecommunications in a competitive environment (1) provides that tariffs for use of the fixed public
telephone network and fixed public telephone services must follow the basic principles of cost orientation.
National regulatory authorities must ensure that organisations providing voice telephony services which
have significant market power act in accordance with this principle. The relevant regulatory authority in
Italy is the authority for the guarantee of telecommunications (AGCOM).

Furthermore, Article 4c of Commission Directive 90/388/EEC of 28 June 1990 on competition in the
markets for telecommunications services (2), as amended, requires that Member States to allow these
organisations to align telephone tariffs on real costs. The purpose of this is to stop prices being held below
costs in some markets. The existence of retail prices that are lower than access charges to the unbundled
local loop stifles the demand for new entrants and hinders the emergence of real competition at the local
level.