WRITTEN QUESTION E-1369/02 by Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Proposal for a regulation concerning the vinification and processing of organically produced grapes.
Date: 2002-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: approximation of laws, consumer protection, organic farming, organic product, vinification, viticulture, wine

C 301 E/136

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.12.2002

in which it will, or may, experience severe pain which is likely to be prolonged, that
experiment
experiment must be specifically declared and justified to, or specifically authorised by, the authority. On
the basis of requests for authorisation and notifications received the authority in each Member State shall
collect, and as far as possible periodically make publicly available, the statistical information on the use of
animals in experiments in respect of
the number and kind of animals used in experiments (the
confidentiality of commercially sensitive information shall be protected). Whether a general mandatory
requirement to give advance notification to the authority for experiments involving the use of non-human
primates should be introduced will need to be examined carefully during the in-depth revision of the
Directive.

The Commission has no information regarding the number of experiments conducted at the BPRC in
2001, which involved non-human primates.

(1) COM(2002) 43 final.

(2002/C 301 E/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1369/02

by Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Proposal for a regulation concerning the vinification and processing of organically produced

grapes

In the absence of Community legislation properly regulating the processing of grapes produced by
holdings practising or in the process of converting to organic farming, there are a variety of rules issued by
the authorities in the Member States, which are often confusing for consumers.

Since the market needs to have the broadest possible guarantees regarding ‘organic wine’ regulated by
precise rules governing processing, can the Commission propose an appropriate Community regulation
with a view to standardising the systems for processing organically produced grapes and protecting
European consumers so that they can drink a healthy and typical wine of quality, produced without
damaging the environment, and ensure that the monitoring authorities in the Member States do not have
to ascertain compliance with rules they themselves have laid down?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2002)

The rules on organic grape production (and other organic crop production) are set by Council Regulation
(EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications
referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (1).

Council Regulation (EC) 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in
wine (2) sets general rules on authorised oenological practices and processes in the production of all types
of wine. These are particularly rigorous, precise and detailed and apply equally to vinification of
organically grown grapes.

The Commission is aware of the expansion of wine production from such grapes and has examined the
possibility of specific rules for their vinification that would also conform with the general rules.

The professional organisations that represent the wine sector have questioned the need for a further set of
rules additional to the table wine rules and the stricter rules set by the Member States for quality wines
produced in specific regions (QWPSR) and do not want regulatory definition of a specific production
process for wine from organic grapes. Their position is shared by a majority of the Member States. In fact
for the essential operations there is no substantial difference in practices and processes, particularly where
quality wines are concerned.

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/137

The Commission considers that the current presentation requirements for these wines are sufficiently
precise and uniform to ensure fair competition. It may reconsider the situation in future in the light of
production and market trends.

(1) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991.
(2) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999.

(2002/C 301 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1374/02

by Hans-Peter Martin (PSE) to the Commission

(6 May 2002)

Subject: Reforms entailed by enlargement

Numerous reforms are required as a result of the enlargement of the Union.

Are there already specific plans and posts for staff and officials in the Directorates-General geared to the
accession of three, five or even ten Member States?

Can the Commission provide details of the additional staff and financial resources required?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2002)

In order to identify the direct implications of the next enlargement for activities and human resources, the
Commission has carried out a thorough assessment of its likely needs in an enlarged European Union. As a
result of the conclusions of various European Councils, this assessment is based on the assumption that up
to ten countries will
languages will
consequently be in use.

join the Union as from 1 January 2004 and nine new official

The result of the analysis, the methodology, and a breakdown of the expected developments by main
policy groupings and by main job profiles are set out laid down in the Commission Communication on
‘Activities and Human Resources of the Commission in the Enlarged European Union’ (1).

As outlined in the Communication, the overall needs amount to 3 900 net additional full time equivalent
persons compared to 2002.

As the Honourable Member will recall, the inter-Institutional agreement (I.I.A.) envisaged a gradual increase
of the ceiling of Heading 5 (administrative expenditure) to EUR 450 million (at 1999 prices) two years
after accession for six countries. With accession now expected in 2004 (the I.I.A. originally foresaw
accession to take place in 2002), the corresponding level for Heading 5 would be reached in 2006.

Using the same approach to the possible accession of four additional Member States as that employed on
Agenda 2000 means an indicative ‘topping-up’ of EUR 612 million in 2006 set out in the Common
Financial Framework 2004-2006 (2). These additional appropriations for a Union of 25 Member States
would permit the financing of some 2300 additional establishment plan posts up to 2006 (part A of the
Budget) (3). That is compatible with the indicative phasing-in period of additional posts up to 2006 taking
account of departments’ needs, the phasing-in profile of new posts in previous enlargements, and the
Institution’s absorption capacity in terms of new recruits.

The underlying assumption is that phasing in of all the net 3 900 additional human resources, including
appropriations for outside personnel, will follow the same pattern of establishment plan posts in part A of
the budget.

However, the overall needs concerning Heading 5 will have to take into account the needs of the other
Institutions whose global estimates are not yet fully available as well as those of the Commission. The
ceiling of Heading 5 in 2006 will therefore have to be re-assessed in the light of actual needs to be phased
in and of the room of manoeuvre within the overall ceiling of the current financial perspectives