Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-15-Speech-4-249"
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"en.20000615.12.4-249"2
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"Mr President, in the absence of Mr Graefe zu Baringdorf, and on his request, I will speak on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture.
The majority of nut production in the European Union takes place in arid areas and on steep slopes in drought conditions. These crops offer protection against erosion and desertification and play the role of firebreaks. They are of fundamental importance as a source of supplementary income, which is essential to the maintenance of a large number of rural operations in the least-favoured areas. Furthermore, this production is the basis of a significant primary and secondary processing industry, the key to economic diversification in rural areas which suffer very difficult conditions.
The Community’s level of self-sufficiency in this area is between 50 and 60%. Community production must endure competition from third country producers whose costs are much lower and who are subject to greatly reduced tariff protection. For example, in the case of hazelnuts, the costs of production in the European Union are three times greater than those in Turkey as a result of the differences in labour costs.
In the case of almonds, the cost difference is a result of the fact that in the European Union they are produced in very difficult climate and soil conditions. Tariff protection is very low and is being progressively dismantled following the negotiations within the World Trade Organisation and other preferential agreements. The Commission clearly cannot ignore the fact that, when it holds commercial negotiations, its concessions have effects which sometimes turn out to be negative. For this reason, it must become customary to assess the consequences and automatically establish measures to lessen the negative effects of commercial concessions granted by the Commission.
Despite the fact that the measures laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 789/89 have had positive results, they have not managed to balance the cost of production with prices on a market dominated by the enormous pressure of imports at low prices. The problem is that the support which this production has relied on is coming to an end, while the severe production conditions have not changed, and the competition from third country production has become tougher. In fact, the tariffs applicable to almonds, for example, are going to be reduced further next month from 4.1 to 3.5% and there is a quota of 90 000 tonnes at 2%. Furthermore, American exports to certain third countries enjoy preferential agreements which the European Union does not have. In fact, over the last ten years the price has remained the same. The tariff for hazelnuts stands at 3.3%. Nevertheless, a lower rate of 3% is applied for products from Turkey.
The pressure of imports is such that there is less and less difference in prices between the select varieties and the common varieties, which has a devastating effect. The difficult growing conditions in the European Union prevent competition with third countries and it is not possible to improve competitivity unless we abandon the current production areas and move production to other regions. This would cause serious environmental damage, serious risks of depopulation and serious problems in terms of land management. For these reasons, Commissioner, the Committee on Agriculture presented the oral question which has led to this debate.
The diagnosis of the problems involved in the needs of Community nut production is well known. This is demonstrated by the fact that all the political groups in this House have agreed on the presentation of a resolution. The pressure of imports and the difficult climate and soil conditions demand, therefore, support for Community nut production.
The Committee on Agriculture, in the resolutions presented unanimously by the political groups, is responding to the conclusions of the recent appearance of the nut sector before the Committee on Agriculture and, to a certain extent, takes up the requests of the sector, which, as the Commissioner knows, is enormously worried and concerned. These concerns, demands and requests of the Committee on Agriculture and the political groups in Parliament are aimed at seeking a solution which involves the granting of direct aid to the income of producers which, by maintaining that cultivation, will lead to the prevention of environmental damage and depopulation and maintain certain primary and secondary processing industries in the least-favoured areas. However, on the other hand – and this is the aspect which has led to the anguish and concern in the sector today – given that the measures aimed at this sector are coming to an end, it is essential that they be extended until a new support system has been put in place."@en1
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