WRITTEN QUESTION E-0486/04 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The new CAP and direct aid to the enlargement countries.
Date: 2004-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, EU financing, Latvia, accession to the European Union, agricultural expenditure, aid to agriculture, reform of the CAP, rural development, transitional period (EU)

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/603

The forthcoming report on the implementation of the EU Forestry Strategy, set up by Council Resolution
of 15 December 1998 (4), is intended to examine the achievements of the ongoing forest actions also in
relation to the forest fire problem and, if appropriate, draw conclusions about possible improvements.
At the present stage, this report is in preparation and finalisation is foreseen before October 2004.

(1) OJ L 324, 11.12.2003.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(3) OJ L 297, 15.11.2001.
(4) OJ C 56, 26.2.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0678)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0486/04

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: The new CAP and direct aid to the enlargement countries

The agricultural agreement on the accession of the eastern European countries to the European Union will
allow these countries to grant direct aid to farmers.

Given that the accession countries will be able to combine this direct aid with rural development funding
and national aid during the transitional period, does the Commission have full information on the overall
amounts of direct aid which farmers will receive in each of the new Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 April 2004)

Farmers in the new Member States acceding to the EU as from 1 May 2004 will be eligible for direct
payments. However, during a transitional period these direct payments are phased in; starting at a 25 %
level in 2004 to a 100 % level in 2013 (1). On top of the EU funded direct payments, the new Member
States may pay complementary national direct payments during a transitional period.

The complementary national direct payments are subject to several limitations. In any case, the EU direct
payments and the complementary national payments together may not be more than 100 % of the level of
the EU direct payments. Furthermore, the programmes for complementary national direct payments have
to be approved by the Commission before they may be implemented. In the years 2004 to 2006, the
the national complementary direct payments can be co-financed from the rural
expenditure for
development allocations of the new Member States. However, co-financing is only available up to 40 %
of the EU direct payments level and only 20 % of the rural development allocations may be used for that
purpose.

Apart from the direct payments and in accordance with the Act of Accession, Latvia and Cyprus may grant
nationally financed State aids to specific sectors during a transitional period. These State aids are limited by
precise, per sector maxima in the Act of Accession (Act of Accession, Annex II, Chapter 6 Agriculture,
Point 27 (f) (2)).

Measures under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (3), as adapted in particular by the Act of
Accession, are aimed at projects or activities that need to be supported in the context of the EU’s rural
development policy;
in holdings and food processing, undertakings to improve the
environment, farming in less favoured areas, semi-subsistence aid, etc.

investment

i.e.

C 84 E/604

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

At present, the Commission does not have information on the total level of EU direct payments and
national complementary direct payments that will be paid in the new Member States. No national
programme for complementary direct payments has been approved yet.

(1) See Article 1a of Council Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing common rules for direct
support schemes under the common agricultural policy, OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, as amended by the Act of Accession.

(2) OJ L 236, 23.9.2003.
(3) Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations, OJ L 160,
26.6.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0679)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0488/04

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: EU dairy sector: milk quotas and enlargement

Milk production subject to quotas will increase by 16 % in the EU following the accession of the eastern
European countries. However, many of the new Member States do not have effective control over their
production volumes.

How will the Commission guarantee that the accession of these countries will not lead to the appearance
of ‘black’ milk on the European market, with repercussions on internal prices?

Does the Commission have any estimates of the repercussions which accession will have on Community
milk prices in the short and medium term?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2004)

All new Member States will apply the EU ‘acquis’ including the full quota regime from 1 May 2004. Only
Poland and Slovenia have been granted a transitional period of one year, for the allocation of individual
quotas, based on the Act of Accession.

Milk quotas will increase by 16 % in the EU following the accession of the new Member States. However,
the internal market of the EU will expand by 20 % of new consumers. Due to continuous growth of family,
income in the new Member States prospects of milk consumption remain positive, with significant growth
for high value products like cheese and fresh products.

The present basic structure of the dairy industry in most new Member States is different from the one in
the EU-15. It is characterised by a large semi-subsistence sector along with a high share of on-farm
consumption and direct sales. New Member States will have full responsibility from the date of accession
to execute all provisions on control issues set up in the ‘acquis’ including controls carried out at farm level,
during transport of the milk and at dairy level. All milk that leaves the farm has to be registered either
under the direct sales or delivery quota.

The Commission is monitoring the progress made by the new Member States to implement the milk quota
system. Reports on Peer Review Missions carried out by the Commission in new Member States in 2002
and 2003 were quite positive, although it was stated that further work is still required. Therefore, certain
transitional problems cannot be excluded.