WRITTEN QUESTION P-0094/04 byAdriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Reform of the COM in tobacco.
Date: 2004-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: aid to agriculture, common organisation of markets, farmers' income, import policy, reform of the CAP, smoking, tobacco

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/531

(2004/C 84 E/0607)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0079/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject: Flight Times and Duty Limitations Proposal (cid:1) COM(2002) 0030.

Could the Commission outline the Council’s reaction to its current proposal (1)
to update Council
Regulation 3922/91/EEC (2)? When does it envisage agreement on this proposal within Council? Does it
intend revising its proposal and if so, how?

(1) COM(2002) 0030, OJ C 227 E, 24.9.2002, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 373, 31.12.1991, p. 4.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2004)

The Council has been unable to adopt the proposal, essentially because it is linked to a proposal for a
directive on the recognition of cabin crew qualifications. For that reason, and despite the Commission’s
efforts to overcome this position, which was expressed in December 2001, the dossier has remained
frozen. In a bid to resume work on the dossier, and taking account of the amendment Parliament adopted
in September 2002 on the limitation of flight time, which the Council did not wish to take into
consideration,
few days be putting forward a revised proposal
incorporating Parliament’s amendment.

the Commission will

in the next

(2004/C 84 E/0608)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0094/04

byAdriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(16 January 2004)

Subject: Reform of the COM in tobacco

On 18 November 2003 the Commission adopted a series of legislative proposals aimed at reforming the
COM in tobacco. The proposals entail dismantling the current COM and gradually eliminating any kind of
aid to tobacco production in Europe.

Since the elimination of aid will herald the end of tobacco production in Europe and thus the processing
industry will have no option but to obtain supplies from abroad, can the Commission say whether it
considers that:

(cid:1) the socio-economic problems caused in some areas of the European Union by the progressive
abandonment of this crop will be counterbalanced by tangible benefits in terms of combating
smoking;

(cid:1) it is illogical to eliminate tobacco production in Europe whilst failing to make provision for any form

of protection for imports of tobacco from abroad;

(cid:1) there is any point in eliminating tobacco production in Europe when the consumption of the product

continues to be lawful and there is strong demand on the market?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2004)

The proposal for a reform of the raw tobacco sector does not have as its aim to eliminate production of
tobacco in the Union as mentioned by the Honourable Member.

C 84 E/532

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The aim of the reform is to replace the product specific support to raw tobacco by an income support to
producers as was the case for all the products in the June 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.
The majority of the raw tobacco producers will continue to receive the same support as they received in
the reference period without being bound to produce tobacco, but it will still be legal to produce tobacco
if the producers want to do so.

The global budget for the tobacco sector will remain the same, and the part which is not paid to the
producers as coupled or decoupled payments will be transferred to a financial envelope which will be used
in the Member States where the funds contributing to the envelope are collected. The funds in the
through
envelope will be administered according to the rural development
contributing to improvements on the infrastructure in the tobacco producing regions and by supporting
producers who want to shift to other products or to other economic activities, tackle possible socio-
economic problems in the tobacco growing regions.

legislation and will,

As the Commission is not banning tobacco production, import of such products will still be legal and the
Commission is not taking any actions against such imports.

On the question of combating smoking, it can be said that, while the replacement of product related
subsidies may not directly influence the short term prevalence of smoking, as was the finding of the
Commission Extended Impact Assessment report,
it is clear that better coherence with public health
policies is essential to maintain the confidence and trust of EU citizens, and the Commission will continue
tobacco
its campaigns on improving the public awareness of
consumption.

the harmful effects of all

forms of

(2004/C 84 E/0609)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0099/04

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (NI), Marco Cappato (NI),
Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL),
Mario Borghezio (NI), Roberto Bigliardo (UEN),
Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL), Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE),
Giovanni Fava (PSE), Marco Pannella (NI),
Generoso Andria (PPE-DE), Vitaliano Gemelli (PPE-DE),
Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI), Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN),
Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE),
Giovanni Pittella (PSE), Mariotto Segni (UEN),
Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE), Walter Veltroni (PSE),
Giorgio Ruffolo (PSE), Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE),
Luigi Cesaro (PPE-DE), Paolo Pastorelli (PPE-DE),
Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN), Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE),
Giovanni Procacci (ELDR), Claudio Martelli (ELDR),
Mauro Nobilia (UEN), Antonio Mussa (UEN),
Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Burma

According to press reports, the ruling military junta in Burma (now called Myanmar), which is headed by
General Khin Nyunt, has sentenced to death Zaw Thet Htway, aged 37, the editor of the sports magazine
First Eleven.

Zaw Thet Htway is alleged to have conspired, along with colleagues, to assassinate the leaders who are
oppressing that country through their dictatorial regime. No official warrant was issued for the journalists’
arrest and their trial was conducted without the assistance of any lawyers not subject to pressure or
external influence and without international observers, who could have guaranteed if not a fair trial then at
least one that reflected the fundamental principles of justice. Zaw Thet Htway and the eight other
defendants were sentenced to death and confined to a special prison.