Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-03-14-Speech-4-008"
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"en.20020314.1.4-008"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, I should first like to warmly congratulate Mr Carlos Bautista Ojeda, the rapporteur, on his excellent work. The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development should also be thanked for its almost unanimous support for this sector. The rapporteur has already described the importance of the fruit and vegetable sector for the countries of southern Europe, so there is no need for me to do so.
Almost two years ago, the Council requested the Commission to undertake a specific assessment of the situation of the nuts sector in the framework of the report on the operation of the COM in fruit and vegetables. This problem has yet to be finally resolved. We are still trying to provide a remedy in extending the improvement plans. What is actually required is a final and immediately applicable definition, along with the implementation of support mechanisms to replace the present improvement programmes as they expire.
The Commission is adamant on resolving the extensions through this draft Regulation. A reduction in Community cofinancing is involved, however. In addition, aid to hazelnuts is proposed, but only for farmers not eligible for the extension.
The European Commission’s proposal to extend the improvement plans for a second year is positive. Nonetheless, it does not allay all of the producers’ concerns. As I stated, the latter are calling for a permanent solution, so they can continue to resist the strong competition by almonds from the United States and hazelnuts from Turkey.
The report adopted by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development deals with the gaps in the Commission’s plan. The amendments adopted call for specific aid to hazelnuts for all organisations requesting it, not just for those participating in improvement plans, as the Commission suggests. The amendments also call for the retention of current cofinancing levels for these improvement plans, whereas the Commission wishes to increase the Member States’ cofinancing from 18 to 25%. The deletion of a reference to gradual transferral of financial responsibility to the producers in recital 2 is also requested. Finally, there is the call to introduce a permanent regime based on the award of aid per hectare, subject to the implementation of good agricultural and environmentally friendly practice.
Commissioner, these are the main requests from the Committee on Agriculture. The Committee also calls for this aid to be extended to chestnuts, a product not currently covered by the improvement plans.
The key factor is that the European Parliament is in favour of a permanent solution for this sector in the framework of the COM in fruit and vegetables. Parliament calls on the Commission to put forward a proposal for the implementation of a definitive support regime for the sector before 1 June 2002.
Efforts to find a solution to the situation of the nuts sector in the European Union within the framework of the COM in fruit and vegetables must therefore be intensified."@en1
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