Commission staff working document accompanying the Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the flax and hemp sector {COM(2008) 307 final}
Date: 2008-05-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural holding, agricultural production, agricultural statistics, area of holding, flax, hemp, production aid, textile fibre

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 20.5.2008 
SEC(2008) 1905 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

accompanying the  

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

on the flax and hemp sector 

{COM(2008) 307 final} 

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FIGURE 1 – FLAX AREA AND NUMBER OF FARMS IN THE MAIN PRODUCING MEMBER STATES 

Member State 

France 

Belgium 

Netherlands 

Czech Republic 

Poland 

Flax area  
(ha, 2006) 

Number of 
farms (2005) 

76 278 

15 919 

4 366 

2 736 

2 586 

6 320 

2 290 

610 

110 

3 320 

Source: DG AGRI, Eurostat and AND International 

FIGURE 2 – HEMP AREA AND NUMBER OF FARMS IN THE MAIN PRODUCING MEMBER STATES 

Member State 

Hemp area 
(ha, 2006) 

Number of 
farms (2005) 

France 

UK 

Romania 

Germany 

Czech Republic 

Poland 

8 083 

1 671 

1 450 

1 233 

1 086 

762 

840 

140 

110 

265 

10 

80 

Source: DG AGRI, Eurostat and AND International 

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FIGURE 3 – EVOLUTION OF FLAX AREAS 1970 – 2006 (source: AND International) 

EU15 

EU 25 

EU 10

250000 

200000 

area (ha) 
150000 

100000 

50000 

0

1970  1973  1976  1979  1982

1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

2000  2003  2006 

FIGURE 4 – EVOLUTION OF HEMP AREAS 1970 – 2006 (source: AND International) 

EU15 

EU 25 

EU 10 

35000 

30000 

25000 
area (ha) 
20000 

15000 

10000 

5000 

0 

1970  1973  1976  1979  1982  1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

2000

2003  2006 

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FIGURE 

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–  EVOLUTION  OF 
(source: AND International) 

PRODUCTION  OF 

FLAX 

STRAW 

1970 – 2006  

E U 15   

EU  25

EU 10 

900 000   

800 000   

700 000   

600 000   
in tonnes   
500 000   

400 000   

300 000   

200 000   

100 000   

0   
1970    1973    1976    1979    1982  1985  1988  1991  1994  1997  2000    2003    2006   

FIGURE  6  –  EVOLUTION  OF 

PRODUCTION  OF  HEMP 

STRAW  1970 – 2006  

(source: AND International) 

E U   15   

EU 25 

EU  10  

120000   

100000   

80000   
in tonnes 
60000   

40000   

20000   

0   
1970    1973    1976    1979    1982  1985  1988  1991  1994  1997  2000    2003    2006   

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FIGURE 7 – EVOLUTION OF PRICES 1995 – 2005 (source: AND International) 

Basic index 100 in 1995

160 

140 

120 

100 

80 

60 

40 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003 

2004 

2005

long flax fibre (€)  
short flax fibre (€)  

long flax fibre (USD)
short flax fibre (USD)

EUR/USD

FIGURE  8  –  VALUE  OF  ONE  HECTARE  OF  FLAX  BASE  ON  ESTIMATED  PRICES  

(source: AND International on the basis of French data) 

1 hectare of flax

6 tonnes 
of straw

or 

910€

3 tonnes 
of shives

or

 36€

1,1 tonnes 
of flax

or

1540€

0,55 tonnes 
of linen

0,4 tonnes 
of seeds

or

112€

0,6 tonnes 
of short fibres

or

150€

1 shirt = 250 g
of linen

FIGURE  9  –  VALUE  OF  ONE  HECTARE  OF  HEMP  BASED  ON  ESTIMATED  PRICES  

(source: AND International and Nova Institute on the basis of German data) 

1  hectare  of 
hemp 

tonnes  of 

5,8 
straw 

3,2 t  of stalk of peeled hemp 
or   560  €

1,6 t  of fibre (including  
1,2 t.  of technical 
fibres) 

or value   
between    560 et 800   €    
depending on fibre    

     or 812 €      

0,64 t  of dustin g    

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0,36 t of losses (water, wood, stones)

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FIGURE 10 – ASSESSMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF PROCESSING AID FOR FLAX AND HEMP FIBRES 

List of measures entailing administrative costs 

Information to be notified or tasks to be fulfilled 

Producers  Processors 

Member 
States 

Commission  Timing / Frequency 

compulsory / 
optional 

establishment of a sale/purchase contract 

X 

application for the authorisation as a primary processor 

authorisation of primary processors 

authorised processors apply for aid to MS competent authorities 
listing sale/purchase contracts and areas covered 

authorised processors keep a detailed register of stocks of straw 
and produced fibre 

periodic declarations: quantities eligible for aid, quantities of straw 
transformed, impurity levels stocks, monthly sales and prices 

information by processors on the use of fibres 

contracts covering cleaning of short fibres  

control of impurity level 

payment of advances 

payment of aid 

apportionment of quota of 5000 t of short flax and hemp fibres 
between DK, EL, IE, IT and LU 

transfer between NGQ for long and short flax and hemp fibres 

imports of hemp subject to import licences 

conditions regarding imports of hemp 

authorisation of hemp varieties with a THC content below 0,2% 

THC controls covering at least 30% of hemp area 

calculation of quantities eligible for aid 

calculation of unit quantities 

on-the-spot controls and reports to the Commission 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

once 

before 31 July 

once 

before 
20 September 

continuous 

at the end of 
each period* 

once a year 

once a year 

continuous 

three times a year 

once a year 

once a year 

once a year 

continuous 

continuous 

continuous 

once a year 

before 31 January 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

* 

marketing year of 22 months is composed of five periods: period I = 01/07-31/12; II = 01/01-30/04; III = 01/05-31/08; IV = 01/09-31/12; V = 01/01-30/04. 

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