WRITTEN QUESTION P-3397/02 by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Decrease in the land area under vines in Italy.
Date: 2002-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, production capacity, statistics, table wine, utilised agricultural area, vineyard, wine of superior quality

C 222 E/66

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

(2003/C 222 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3390/02

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(28 November 2002)

Subject: Chestnut growing in difficulties

Chestnut production plays a marginal role in the dried fruit sector, and unlike other crops in the sector,
receives no direct CAP aid. Chestnuts undeniably play a very major economic, social and environmental
role in producer regions. Chestnut trees are of great environmental value, but drought, diseases affecting
the trees and the low levels of income provided by the crop, when taken in conjunction with town
planning pressures and speculation involving other crops which do receive Community aid, are
endangering the future of chestnut growing.

The sector is currently in crisis, with major slumps in production. In Huelva, a province of the Andalucian
Autonomous Community, the 5 000 hectares of chestnut woodland have produced a mere 700 000
kilograms as against the normal ca 6 million kilograms.

Is the Commission aware of the difficult situation and the problems facing chestnut growers? If so, is it
planning specific action to save this high-value product? If not, why not?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

The Commission is aware of problems facing the chestnut sector, which appear to pose difficulties of an
economic, environmental and social nature to producers of Huelva.

The Community provides a number of tools to address this type of situation.

Although chestnuts are not covered by the specific measures for nuts foreseen in Title IIa of Regulation
(EEC) No 1035/72 of the Council of 18 May 1972 on the common organisation of the market in fruit and
vegetables (1), financial assistance towards improving production and marketing is available through the
operational fund schemes provided through Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October 1996 on
the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables (2).

In addition, financial assistance to support the important environmental and social role of chestnut
production can be obtained through the Rural Development measures.

(1) OJ L 118, 20.5.1972, amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1363/95, of 15 June 1995 (cid:1) OJ L 132,

16.6.1995.

(2) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 911/2002, of 30 May 2002 (cid:1) OJ L 142,

31.5.2002.

(2003/C 222 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3397/02

by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 November 2002)

Subject: Decrease in the land area under vines in Italy

According to recent press reports, the area under vines in Italy has shrunk by more than 20 % virtually
‘overnight’. According to new Italian statistical surveys, the total area under vines is now no more than
it was 862 400 ha. This drastic reduction in the area under vines in Italy is
675 000 ha;
prompting speculation and suspicions in a variety of directions.

in 1990,

Can the Commission therefore say what figures it has for the annual decrease in land area under vines in
Italy between 1990 and 2000, what form the decrease actually took, and in which regions and for which
vine varieties there were changes in land area under vines during that period?

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Official Journal of the European Union

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What subsidies were paid to Italian vineyards each year between 1990 and 2000 on the basis of which
areas under vine, and what was the position with regard to distillation of Italian wines in that 10-year
period?

Whether it sees a link with increased sales of Italian wines and cultivation on non-legalised land, and what
action it proposes to take to eliminate any such improper practices?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 2002)

The Commission cannot confirm the figures that the Honourable Member advances.

Under the common market organisation arrangements for wine, as set out in Council Regulation (EEC)
No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 (1), Member States were directed to provide the Commission with an
inventory of their production potential.

For Italy the figures showed an area under vines of 792 440 ha at the beginning of the 1999/00 wine
production year: 263 817 ha for production of ‘quality wines produced in specified regions’ (QWPSR) and
526 623 ha for production of ‘table wines’.

The corresponding figures for 1990/91 were 936 457 ha: 228 525 ha for QWPSR and 707 932 ha for
table wines.

A fall of 16 % (26 % for table wines) is therefore indicated over the last ten years.

If the Honourable Member’s figures are confirmed the Commission will not fail to question Italy about the
discrepancies.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999.

(2003/C 222 E/075)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3410/02

by Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: European Union action plan to promote organic food and farming

(25 November 2002)

In June 2001 the Göteborg European summit and the Agriculture Council instructed the Commission to
draw up a European Union action plan to promote organic food and farming.

What stage has the Commission reached in its work on the European Union action plan to promote
organic food and farming?

How will the European Parliament be involved in drafting the action plan?

In what form will the Commission present the action plan to the European Council?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2002)

In June 2001 the Göteborg European Council agreed that ‘the common agricultural policy and its future
development should, among its objectives, contribute to achieving sustainable development by increasing
its emphasis on encouraging healthy, high quality products, environmentally sustainable production
methods, including organic production …’.