2002/414/EC: Commission Decision of 31 May 2002 authorising Spain to introduce a temporary measure excluding from compensatory aid marketed produce of new banana plantations planted on or after 1 June 2002 (notified under document number C(2002) 2029)
Date: 2002-05-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, Spain, aid system, aid to agriculture, monetary compensatory amount, tropical fruit

L 148/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

6.6.2002

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 31 May 2002

authorising Spain to introduce a temporary measure excluding from compensatory aid marketed
produce of new banana plantations planted on or after 1 June 2002

(notified under document number C(2002) 2029)

(Only the Spanish text is authentic)

(2002/414/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 of 13
February 1993 on the common organisation of the market in
bananas (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2587/
2001 (2), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article
12(9) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Under Article 12(9) of Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 a
Member State may be authorised to introduce a
temporary measure whereby no compensatory aid is
paid for marketed produce of new banana plantations
when, in the Member State’s view, there is a risk to the
sustainable development of the production areas, with
particular reference to conservation of the environment,
and protection of the soil and the characteristic features
of the countryside.

On 25 April 2002 Spain submitted a request to the
Commission to authorise it not to grant compensatory
aid, over a period of three years, to new plantations
planted on or after 1 June 2002 in the Canary Islands.
This request was supplemented by the transmission of
the draft Regional decree on 14 May 2002. The develop-
ment of new plantations, often under plastic and outside
traditional production areas, has a negative impact on
environmental protection,
in particular as regards the
use of water resources and the conservation of the coun-
tryside. The development of new banana plantations also
jeopardises the maintenance of small plantations on
traditional terraces which are crucial to soil stability and
the socioeconomic balance. Under these circumstances,
granting the compensatory aid referred to in Article 12

of Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 to the produce of new
banana plantations in the Canary Islands poses a serious
a risk to the sustainable economic development of the
production areas.

(3)

(4)

Examination of the request presented by Spain shows
that it complies with the aim and the provisions of
Article 12(9) of Regulation (EEC) No 404/93. This
request should therefore be accepted.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor-
dance with the opinion of the Management Committee
for Bananas,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The request submitted by Spain to the Commission to authorise
a measure excluding the produce of new banana plantations
planted on or after 1 June 2002 from the compensatory aid
referred to in Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 over a
period of three years is hereby accepted.

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Spain.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 31 May 2002.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 47, 25.2.1993, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 13.