Council Regulation (EEC) No 2997/87 of 22 September 1987 laying down, in respect of hops, the amount of aid to producers for the 1986 harvest and providing for special measures for certain regions of production

COUNCIL  REGULATION (EEC) No 2997/87
of 22 September 1987
laying down, in respect of hops, the amount of aid to producers for the 1986 harvest and providing for special measures for certain regions of production
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 42 and 43 thereof,
Having regard to the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 of 26 July 1971 on the common organization of the market in hops (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3800/85 (2), and in particular Article 12 (7) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (3),
Whereas Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 provides that aid may be granted to hop producers to enable them to achieve a fair income; whereas the amount of this aid is fixed per hectare and differs according to varieties, taking into account the average return on the areas in full production compared with the average returns for previous harvests, the current position of the market and trends in costs;
Whereas an examination of the results of the 1986 harvest shows the need to fix aid for certain groups of varieties of hops cultivated in the Community;
Whereas, pursuant to Articles 105 and 299 of the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, aid for hops cultivated in Spain and Portugal is granted as from the 1986 harvest;
Whereas the Community market in bitter varieties of hops is in disequilibrium because it is not these varieties that are in demand; whereas in certain regions production consists mainly of bitter varieties and is declining: whereas measures aimed at changing the production structures in these regions through conversion to more sought-after varieties should therefore be adopted; whereas the granting of aid to enable producers to carry out varietal conversion work seems an appropriate measure; whereas the aid should be granted to recognized producer groups in the regions concerned whose members undertake to carry out the measures in question; whereas these measures should be laid down for a specified period; whereas, for the sake of impartiality and so that the intended measure will be effective, the maximum expansion of the area which in each Member State concerned, must be converted, should be laid down; whereas, in order to achieve the desired results, it should be laid down that there may not be any expansion of the areas under hops cultivated by producer groups eligible under the intended measures;
Whereas Member States should be allowed to make a limited financial contribution to varietal conversion plans,