WRITTEN QUESTION E-3643/03 by Salvador Jové Peres (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Reform of the common organisation of the market in olive oil.
Date: 2003-12-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural production, agricultural statistics, agricultural surplus, common organisation of markets, olive oil, statistics

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/75

With regard to links between Spain and France, the Commission can inform the Honourable Member that
the Figueras-Perpignan section, which forms part of priority project No 3 ‘High-speed railway lines of
south-west Europe’, is also included in the quick start programme.

Furthermore, in addition to the projects included in the growth initiative, the Commission has already
been able to ensure the Honourable Member on several occasions that all the TEN projects concerning
Galicia are covered by the Community guidelines it proposed on 1 October 2003, which are currently
being examined by Parliament and the Council.

Community financing will be guided by current budgetary regulations and allocations. Accordingly, the
Commission’s proposals of 1 October 2003 included a proposal to amend the trans-European transport
network (TEN-T) Financial Regulation by raising the maximum rate of contributions from the TEN budget
from 10 % to 30 % of the cost of work on cross-border projects. The Council of Finance Ministers on
25 November 2003 reached political agreement on increasing it
the same time
broadening the scope of the maximum 20 % contribution to include projects crossing natural barriers.
These provisions will be applicable as soon as they are finally adopted.

to 20 %, while at

In addition, the European growth initiative is being supported by innovative financing methods. For
instance, the Commission is preparing a new guarantee mechanism to cover the specific commercial risks
of TEN projects in their post-construction phase.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), too, is playing an active role in the growth initiative through its TEN
investment mechanism. Furthermore, it has now taken the necessary decisions for reinforcing its structured
financing mechanism, through which it finances project risks which would otherwise not be covered by its
conventional loan instruments. The EIB is also increasing the risk capital assistance it provides, and is
proposing new and innovative instruments such as ‘securitisation structures’.

(2004/C 84 E/0080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3643/03

by Salvador Jové Peres (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject: Reform of the common organisation of the market in olive oil

In 1998 the Council set national guaranteed quantities for olive oil, using figures which the Commission
itself acknowledged as being questionable and on which the Court of Auditors also cast doubt in its special
report 2/98. One of the objectives of the 1998 reform of the COM was to obtain reliable information on
the true production situation. Exceeding the national guaranteed quantities entailed penalties which
determined the amount of aid received during the period from 2000 to 2002. In its current proposal, the
Commission suggests using this period as a basis for calculating future aid.

Does the Commission not consider that using information which it has acknowledged as unreliable will
create distortion in future aid distribution? What efforts has the Commission made to verify the
information used to determine the guaranteed national quantities in 1998? What was the outcome?

At the IOOC meeting in November 1996, slight changes were introduced consisting in the case of Greece
of average reductions in production of 8 % and in surface areas of 63 %, in the case of Italy a reduction in
surface areas of 54 % and an increase in production of 3 % and in the case of Spain, a slight reduction in
production. This would suggest that olive oil production in Italy and Greece is higher than had been
recorded. How does the Commission explain the adjustments made at the IOOC meeting in November
1996? Could there be other more likely explanations based on the unreliability of the figures used to
determine the guaranteed national quantities?

C 84 E/76

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2004)

The NGQ distribution decided on by the Council in 1998 took a number of factors into account. Among
them was production during the previous five-year period with extreme production years ruled out. Others
included the circumstances of the sector in the various Member States.

The data yielded by the independent Olistat and Oliarea surveys has confirmed that the NGQ distribution
corresponded to the production structure existing in 1998.

As was the case for the sectors dealt with in the first reform package, we are proposing that the national
ceilings be calculated using the average of the payments received by growers during the reference period.
For olive oil this is the 2000/2001 to 2002/2003 marketing years. This reference period is a key element
of the reform. Its use guarantees consistency of financial treatment of the various CAP sectors.

At our request, the International Olive Oil Council re-examined its statistical series for the Member States
in order to improve consistency between data sets, in particular for market prices.

This analysis of the statistical compilation methods in use showed that in some Member States olive oil
utilisation covered human consumption alone whereas it should also have covered industrial uses and
losses. It was also found that in some Member States marketing structures were such that many figures
could not be known with better than 12 % accuracy.

(2004/C 84 E/0081)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3653/03

by Jean-Louis Bernié (EDD) to the Commission

(2 December 2003)

Subject: Interpretative guide to the Birds Directive

In the answer given by Mrs Wallström on 22 May 2003 to Written Question P-1495/03 (1),
Commission undertook to send me the French version of the interpretative guide to the Birds Directive.

the

When will that guide be sent to me?

When will the guide be submitted to the Committee on the Environment, the European Parliament and the
European Parliament’s Intergroup on hunting, fishing and the environment?

When and how will the guide be applicable, having regard to the most recent judgment of the European
Court of Justice on derogations relating to hunting?

(1) OJ C 58 E, 6.3.2004, p. 73.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(6 January 2004)

The Commission is fully aware of the commitment made in relation to providing the guidance document
to the Parliament as soon as it has been finalised. It has been delayed in this task by the need to
incorporate the judgement of the Court of Justice in Case C-182/02 (preliminary ruling concerning the
interpretation of Article 9(1)(c) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of
wild birds (1), referred to it by the French Conseil d’Etat).