WRITTEN QUESTION E-2425/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Greek cotton.
Date: 2002-08-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU financing arrangements, Greece, aid to agriculture, common organisation of markets, cotton, farmers' income, marketing year, minimum price

C 52 E/164

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

(2003/C 52 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2425/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 August 2002)

Subject: Greek cotton

With the implementation of the new Regulation (EC) 1051/2001 (1) on production aid for cotton, the
income of Greek cotton-growers plummeted by some 30 % during the 2001-2002 marketing year despite
the fact that production subsidised pursuant to the Commission’s decision of 24 July 2002 was lower than
in the previous year (1 246 000 tonnes in 2002 compared with 1 272 000 tonnes in 2001). Furthermore,
140 00 tonnes of unginned cotton received no support and producers will collect only the market price
(GRD 70).

In view of the fact that a reduction in income of such a magnitude resulting merely from amending a
regulation (cid:1) an amendment which was published and gained legal force long after cotton-growers had
sown their fields (cid:1) has not affected any other agricultural product covered by a common organisation of
the market, will the Commission say:

1. what measures it will take in response to the large loss of income suffered by Greek cotton-growers
this year, which has left thousands of producers in dire financial straits and all the cotton-growing
areas in an economic and social crisis,

2. whether it will review the national guaranteed quantities and the coresponsibility coefficient laid down
by Regulation 1051/2001 to bring them into line with actual production and the economic and social
realities in cotton-producing countries, as requested by Parliament in its resolutions of 15 February
2001, and

3. whether it will set a limit on the increase in fines and the reduction in the minimum price so that in
years when production is high, producers are guaranteed a minimum income to enable them to meet
their financial obligations and avoid being forced to abandon farming?

(1) OJ L 148, 1.6.2001, p. 3.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2002)

Greek cotton producers suffered a fall in income in the 2001/02 marketing year mainly because part of
the harvest did not qualify for aid since the national measures taken did not comply with Article 17(3) of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1051/2001 of 22 May 2001 on production aid for cotton.

Reducing the minimum price of unginned cotton where the national guaranteed quantities are exceeded
has been a key element of the cotton aid scheme for many marketing years now.

Under the aid scheme established by Regulation (EC) No 1051/2001, the stabiliser mechanism and the
resulting penalties have been reinforced to discourage so much cotton being placed on the market that it
would have an adverse environmental effect. To maintain this deterrent effect, the progressive and gradual
percentage increase in the penalty as currently laid down in the Regulation must be kept.