CELEX: 51995PC0405
Language: fi
Date: 1995-07-19
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) determining the standard quality of rice

EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO
                                Bryssel, 19.07.1995
                                KOM(95) 405 lopull.
                    Ehdotus
    NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEKSI (EY)
      riisin vakiolaadun vahvistamisesta
              (komission esittämä)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                 Explanatory Memorandum
1.       Introduction
The Community market in rice is structured around two main types of rice, japonica and
indica, corresponding to two separate consumption traditions.
The outlook for the development of rice-growing depended to a large extent on this dual
structure.
Present market equilibria are satisfactory on the whole. The moderate increase in area in
certain Member. States has been offset by a decline in output due to increasingly frequent
drought.
The structural surplus in japonica rice either finds outlets in the traditional neighbouring
markets around the Mediterranean, or is used to meet the Community's food aid
commitments. Community production of indica rice has enabled the processing industry
to take advantage of having different supply sources for raw materials.
The obligations resulting from the GATT Agreement imply, first of all, changing from
a system of floor prices based on the threshold price to a system of ceiling prices
 superimposed on the system of customs duties resulting from tarification of the former
 system of variable levies. Moreover, these duties will be gradually cut by 36% from 1995
 to 2000.
 The GATT Agreement raises a new challenge for Europeanrice-growing,brought directly
 face to face with competition and the uncertainties of the world market, both at the level
 of agricultural production and at that of the industrial processing of paddy rice into milled
 rice.
 The Commission believes that, in view of the further need to avoid any distortion of
 competition as a result of the new system for cereals introduced in 1992, the response to
 this new situation should be sought mainly through a substantial drop in producer prices,
 which should be accompanied by measures to restore competitiveness, in terms of quality,
 in relation to the imported product. Moreover, the Community market will have to face
 wider cyclical variations in price; consequently, the intervention mechanism, in its present
 form, is no longer compatible with the probable new scenarios. It should be reformed to
 provide more flexible management tools and ensure increased market fluidity.
 2.       Fall in producer prices
 The outlook for new market equilibria, in terms of prices, gives rise to a multitude of
 possible scenarios, which make it impossible to evaluate the extent of the price reduction
  needed to meet competition from the imported product as duties are cut pursuant to the
  GATT Agreement. The Commission estimates that prices will have to fall by between
  15% (ECU 53/t) and 34% (ECU 119/t). At this stage, it is pointless and unnecessary to
  determine a priori the level of the eventual price cut. Consequently, the best approach
  is to choose to keep to a minimum target of 15%, subject to market developments and
  trends, especially in terms of prices and sales into intervention if any.
                                         I
 ---pagebreak--- 3.        Compensatory aid
The reduction in producer prices will alter the profitability of the crop. Arrangements
should therefore be introduced for compensatory production aid with a view to
maintaining present income levels. The amount of aid is fixed on the basis of agricultural
yields observed in the various Member States and the size of the price reduction.
For the establishment of basic yields, it is proposed that reference should be made to the
three-year period 1992-94, except in the cases of Spain and Portugal for which the more
representative period of the last three years preceding the drought (1989-91 for Portugal
and 1990-92 for Spain) should be used.
Average yields in tonnes/ha:
       Italy       Portugal         Spain          Greece        France        French
                                                                               Guiana
       5.82          4.74            6.35           7.48          5.29          7.41
 4.       Maximum guaranteed area
In view of the introduction of this area-linked compensatory aid scheme, a maximum
 guaranteed area should be fixed to maintain production targets compatible with the needs
 of the market and to comply with the commitments undertaken in the framework of the
 GATT Agreement regarding trade exports.
 It is proposed to set the maximum area on the basis of the three-year period 1992-94,
 except in the cases of Spain and Portugal for which the more representative period of the
 last three years preceding the drought (1989-91 for Portugal and 1990-92 for Spain)
 should be used.
 Average area in ha:
       EU         Italy      Portugal        Spain       Greece      France      French
                                                                                 Guiana
    396 607      298 034      32 884        89 711       18 731      23 500       3 747
 Compliance with the maximum area should be ensured by reducing the aid sharply
 enough to obtain a disincentive effect upon producers. If the Community maximum
 guaranteed area (CMGA) is exceeded by up to 5% in a given crop year, the amount of
 compensatory aid for the current crop year will be cut by 6 points for each percentage
 point of overshooting.
                                          3
 ---pagebreak--- If the area given over to rice exceeds 105% of the CMGA, aid will be cut further in
the Member States responsible for exceeding their national maximum guaranteed area
(NMGA) by more than 5%.
5.       Quality policy
The market mechanisms devised when the common organization of the market in rice was
set up have not been substantially modified since their adoption.
Innovations in the arrangements for trade with third countries introduced pursuant to the
GATT Agreement have led the Commission to give serious consideration to the
compatibility of certain market management measures, in particular intervention, with
trade arrangements that are no longer based on a system of levies, but on a fixed customs
duty, which by its nature cannot absorb changes in world prices or fluctuations in
currency exchange rates as the levy could.
Account must also be taken of the need to reform the common organization of the
market on the basis of stricter quality criteria. In other words, the Commission takes the
view that Community rice growing must adopt a strategy for a gradual improvement in
the quality of output. As demand is moving towards products with a very high level of
quality and an advanced technology content, and as imported products compete primarily
at the top of the range, the competitiveness of the Community product needs to be
 restored. The entire rice production sector, from the farmer to the processor, is concerned
 by this challenge.
 From this point of view, the Commission feels that it is necessary to make proposals that
 can result in production of paddy rice of a quality matching the supply needs of a
 processing industry which now has direct access to third country products.
 The parameters for defining the standard intervention quality should be reinforced to align
 them on the production standards of the third countries that export to the Community
 market.
 Premiums and penalties applied to the intervention price when the product is taken over
 should play a greater role in market regulation, reflecting and even accentuating the price
 differentials for different qualities and varieties of rice.
 Demand for rice on the Community market is structured by variety. However, mainly
 because there is no differentiated support for different varieties, Community production
 has concentrated on the most productive varieties rather than the varieties for which
 market demand is strongest. The Commission believes that certain varieties should be
 encouraged; to this end, it proposes correction factors based on the yield of the various
 varieties compared with the most productive variety.
 The Commission also feels that the compensatory aid scheme should be used as an
 incentive to the production of certain varieties, in a manner consistent with a quality
 strategy more closely tailored to market demand.
                                           H
 ---pagebreak--- 6.      Precautionary intervention
Since the common organization of the market was introduced, intervention has been used
only in exceptional cases and for small quantities, in 1990, 1991 and 1992. Intervention
should remain an exceptional event, what has been called a "safety net." In the rice
sector, it is very expensive to take over intervention stocks and, as the product is liable
to rapid deterioration, storage may be difficult.
As already pointed out, the market will be exposed to the uncertainties of the world
market; it is to be expected that massive intervention will be needed, in view of the
volatility not only of the world market, but also, and especially, of the Community
market.
The Commission does not think that the intervention mechanism as at present designed
is compatible with the new arrangements for trade with third countries', short-term
developments on the world market could have repercussions on the internal market that
would lead to the buying in of a considerable volume of rice.
 To avoid having to take large quantities into intervention in this type of situation, the
 Commission proposes the introduction of a precautionary intervention scheme, under
 which the producer stores the product for four months, at his own expense, subject to an
 advance payment equal to 60% of the price. During this period the producer may seek
 a more advantageous outlet on the market, and sell the product after informing the
 intervention agency. During the same period, the Commission may, for its part, offer the
 product in precautionary intervention for sale, according to the rules already laid down
 for sale under an intervention scheme. Actual removal to the warehouses of the
 intervention agency, taking over and, obviously, payment of the balance, would be
 possible only where the rice had already been in precautionary intervention.
 This scheme would make for compatibility between the intervention arrangements and the
 cyclical and short-term development of the world market.
 7.      Changes to intervention arrangements
 The Commission reserves the right to propose other measures, pursuant to the so-called
 management committee procedure, with a view to restoring intervention as a safety net
 and an exceptional occurrence. These measures intended as disincentives to intervention
 would also aim at improving the fluidity of the market.
 It would be proposed:
         that where products were brought under precautionary intervention arrangements
          or removed to the warehouses of the intervention agency a period of four months
          should be allowed for payment;
          that the intervention period should be limited to four months (May to August).
                                          r
 ---pagebreak--- When reforming the common organization of the market in rice, it is appropriate
to adjust the Community rules and remove certain obsolete arrangements that in
some cases have never been applied.
                               £
 ---pagebreak---                 Ehdotus
NEUVOSTON ASETUKSEESI (PV)
riisin vakiolaadun vahvistamisesta
EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN NEUVOSTO, joka
ottaa huomioon Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen,
ottaa huomioon riisin yhteisestä markkinajärjestelystä ... annetun neuvoston asetuksen
(ETY) N:o ... ja erityisesti sen 3 artiklan 1 kohdan,
ottaa huomioon komission ehdotuksen,
sekä katsoo, että
paddy- eli raakariisin interventiohinnan on vastattava määrättyä vakiolaatua; tämä laatu
on määritelty riisin ja rikkoutuneiden riisinjyvien vakiolaadun vahvistamisesta 21 päivänä
kesäkuuta 1976 annetussa neuvoston asetuksessa (ETY) N:o 1423/761, ja
yhteisön markkinoilla tapahtuneen riisin kysynnän kehityksen ja yhteistä
markkinajärjestelyä       uudistettaessa seurattujen suuntaviivojen perusteella on
tarkoituksenmukaista määrittää vakiolaatu ottaen samalla huomioon yhteisön tuotannon
laatuominaisuudet sekä edustavimmat tuontilaadut; nämä perusteet sekä muut yhteisen
markkinajärjestelyn uudistamiseen liittyvät perusteet vahvistavat vaatimustenmukaisuutta
ja niiden vuoksi on korvattava edellä mainitussa asetuksessa säädetty järjestelmä,
ON ANTANUT TÄMÄN ASETUKSEN:
                                           1 artikla
 Paddy- eli raakariisin vakiolaatu, jolle interventiohinta vahvistetaan, määritellään
 seuraavasti:
         a)     laadultaan virheetön, kunnollinen, myyntikelpoinen ja hajuton riisi
         b)     kosteuspitoisuus : 13,00 prosenttia;
         c)     hiotun riisin jalostustuotos vahvistetaan seuraavasti:
                         72 painoprosenttia kokonaistuotoksesta
         EYVL N:o L 166, 25.6.1976, s. 20
                                                 TL
 ---pagebreak---                        63 painoprosenttia kokonaisina jyvinä (leikattujen jyvien sallittu
                       määrä 3 prosenttia), josta hiotun riisin jyvien, jotka eivät ole
                       moitteetonta laatua, painoprosentti on:
                       liitumaiset jyvät:             1,50 prosenttia,
                       punajuovaiset jyvät:           1,00 prosenttia,
                       täplikkäät jyvät:              0,50 prosenttia,
                       laikukkaat jyvät:              0,25 prosenttia,
                       keltaiset jyvät:               0,02 prosenttia,
                       kellanruskeat jyvät:           0,05 prosenttia.
                                          2 artikla
Tämän asetuksen soveltamiseksi jyvät, jotka eivät ole moitteetonta laatua, määritellään
liitteessä.
                                          3 artikla
Kumotaan asetus (ETY) N:o 1423/76. Viittaukset asetukseen (ETY) N:o 1423/76
katsotaan viittauksiksi tähän asetukseen.
                                          4 artikla
Tämä asetus tulee voimaan 1 päivänä syyskuuta 1996.
Tämä asetus on kaikilta osiltaan velvoittava, ja sitä sovelletaan sellaisenaan kaikissa
jäsenvaltioissa.
                                                    S
 ---pagebreak---                                            LIITE
              Niiden jyvien ja rikkoutuneiden riisinjyvien määritelmä,
                           jotka eivät ole moitteetonta laatua
A. Kokonaiset jyvät:
      Jyvät, joiden kärjestä on poistettu ainoastaan osa, lukuun ottamatta kullekin
      jalostusasteelle tyypillisiä ominaisuuksia.
B. Leikatut jyvät:
      Jyvät, joiden koko kärki on poistettu.
C. Rikkoutuneet jyvät tai rikkoutuneet riisinjyvät:
       Jyvät, joista on poistettu kärkeä suurempi osa; rikkoutuneet riisinjyvät koostuvat:
               suurista rikkoutuneista riisinjyvistä (jyvien palaset, joiden pituus on
               vähintään puolet jyvän pituudesta mutta jotka eivät muodosta kokonaista
               jyvää),
               keskikokoisista rikkoutuneista riisinjyvistä (jyvien palaset, joiden pituus on
               vähintään neljännes jyvän pituudesta mutta jotka eivät saavuta "suurten
               rikkoutuneiden riisinjyvien" vähimmäiskokoa),
                hienoista rikkoutuneista riisinjyvistä (jyvien palaset, joiden pituus on alle
                neljänneksen jyvän pituudesta mutta jotka eivät läpäise seulaa, jonka
                silmäkoko on 1,4 millimetriä),
                palasista (jyvän pienet palaset tai hiukkaset, joiden on läpäistävä seula,
               jonka silmäkoko on 1,4 millimetriä); palasiin sisältyvät myös haljenneet
               jyvät (jyvien palaset, jotka ovat syntyneet jyvän haljettua pitkittäin).
D. Vihreät jyvät:
       Jyvä4 jotka eivät ole täysin kypsyneitä.
E. Jyvät, joissa on luonnollisia epämuodostumia:
       Luonnollisina epämuodostumina pidetään periytyviä tai periytymättömiä
       epämuodostumia, verrattuina lajikkeelle tyypillisiin morfologisiin ominaisuuksiin.
F. Liitumaiset jyvät:
                                                      ?
 ---pagebreak---        Jyvät, joiden pinnasta vähintään kolme neljäsosaa näyttää himmeältä ja jauhomai-
       selta.
G. Punaj uovaiset j yvät :
       Jyvät, joissa on voimakkuudeltaan ja sävyltään erilaisia punaisia pitkittäisiä juovia,
       jotka aiheutuvat siemenkalvon jäänteistä.
H. Täplikkäät jyvät:
       Jyvät, joissa on tumma, tarkkarajainen, melko säännöllisen muotoinen pieni
       ympyrä; täplikkäinä jyvinä pidetään lisäksi jyviä, joiden pinnassa on ohuita mustia
       juovia; juovilla ja täplillä ei saa olla keltaista tai tummaa kehää.
I. Laikukkaat jyvät:
       Jyvät, joiden pinnan luonnollinen väri on selvästi muuttunut pienellä alueella;
       laikut voivat olla eri värisiä (mustahkoja, punertavia, ruskeita jne.); laikkuina
       pidetään myös syviä mustia juovia. Jos laikkujen väri (musta, vaaleanpunainen,
       punaruskea) on voimakkuudeltaan sellainen, että se näkyy heti, ja jos laikku
       peittää vähintään puolet jyvästä, jyviä on pidettävä keltaisina jyvinä.
J. Keltaiset jyvät:
        Jyvät, joiden luonnollinen väri on muuttunut kokonaan tai osittain sitruunankeltai-
        sen tai oranssinkeltaisen eri sävyiksi muulla tavalla kuin kuivaamalla.
K. Kellanruskeat jyvät:
        Jyvät, joiden koko pinnan väri on tasaisesti hieman muuttunut muulla tavalla kuin
        kuivaamalla; jyvien väri on muuttunut vaaleaksi kellanruskeaksi.
                                                  45
 ---pagebreak---                                                                ISSN 1024-4492
                                                     KOM(95) 405 lopullinen
                                                ASIAKIRJAT
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                                         Luettelonumero : CB-CO-95-444-FI-C
                                                          ISBN 92-77-92842-5
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