WRITTEN QUESTION P-0722/04 by María Herranz García (PPE-DE) to the Commission. COM in olive oil.
Date: 2004-03-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, aid to agriculture, common organisation of markets, eligibility criteria, geographical information system, market support, olive oil, olive-growing, private stock

C 84 E/664

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Of course, and taking account of the EU cereal deficit, the Commission intends to encourage additional
internal oats use in compound feed. In addition, the oats market is a particular one, where there is only
one buyer (United States), and world prices are fixed in this market. Consequently, the Commission’s
management of the oats export tender intends to support oats prices in Finland and Sweden, but
maximizing the competitive element in export tenders in order to have a minimal impact on world prices.
The Commission intends to pursue this policy until the end of the 2003/2004 campaign. The oats export
tender will be open until 24 June 2004.

(2004/C 84 E/0748)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0722/04

by María Herranz García (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 March 2004)

Subject: COM in olive oil

Quite apart from the fact that it does not take into account the realities of Spanish production, the
proposed reform of the common organisation of the market in olive oil has a number of other harmful
features
for private storage, even though those
arrangements have not made it possible for swift, flexible action to be taken in response to any disruption
in the market).

the current arrangements

(such as retention of

Would the Commission reconsider its proposal by bringing the arrangements for the private storage of
olive oil into line with the realities of the market and by incorporating an automatic opening and closing
price mechanism?

Furthermore, under the Commission proposal the number of olive trees in an olive grove may not differ
by more than 10 % from the number registered on 1 January 2005 in the olive-oil GIS. Is the Commission
not aware that, in restricting the increase in the number of olive trees to 10 % when an olive grove is
replanted, it is seriously damaging the interests of Spanish olive groves by preventing the replanting of
groves which cannot be adapted to modern cultivation techniques?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2004)

The private storage scheme is intended for the management of crisis. Therefore, its triggering shall not be
automatic but dependent on a decision by the Management Committee which, after assessing the market
situation, may decide on the appropriateness of opening the scheme. On the other hand, the Commission
proposes to maintain unchanged the reference prices. This is consistent with market trends over the last
years where, in spite of a mounting demand, olive oil prices have remained relatively stable thanks to the
very important increase of production.

In 1998, the Council decided that under the Common market organization (CMO) no aid may be paid to
additional olive trees or the relevant areas planted after 1 May 1998, with the exception of areas covered
by a programme approved by the Commission. This very principle is embodied in the current proposal for
both the decoupled payment and the aid for olive groves. From 1 May 1998 onwards, farmers planting
additional olive trees have to be able to operate in the market with no Community support.

Concerning the aid for olive groves, the Commission proposal requires that the number of trees does not
differ by more than 10 % from the number registered on 1 January 2005. This provision aims to ensure
that the structural features of the grove which made it eligible for support due to their environmental or
social characteristics are maintained in future.