WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2029/97 by Graham MATHER to the Commission. Cross-border pension rules
C 45/144 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 98 With regard to imports, measures were taken on rice imports originating in the overseas countries and territories, on which the import duty is zero. The safeguard clause introduced in January for four months was confirmed until 30 September 1997. This measure was recently extended by the Council until 30 November 1997, keeping the quantity to be imported at 69 610 tonnes of husked rice equivalent. These measures caused an increase in the demand for Community rice and therefore slowed down sales to intervention, in particular in Spain where, at 30 May 1997, the quantities in intervention reached approximately 40 000 tonnes, most of it indica rice. (98/C 45/186) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2027/97 by Edouard des Places (I-EDN) to the Commission (5 June 1997) Subject: Drought and the grass premium In areas of extensive stock-rearing in France, many livestock farmers have signed five-year agreements, which expire this year, under the ágrass premiumí agro-environmental measure. Under these agreements, farmers are prohibited from reducing any acreage covered by them which is still under grass. Would it be possible, by way of exception, to authorize livestock farmers who are suffering from drought to withdraw some acreage from their agreements in 1997 so as to plant it with fodder crops to feed their livestock? Acreage thus withdrawn would not, of course, be eligible for 1997 premiums under agro-environmental measures. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 July 1997) Article 4(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside (1) specifies that farmers who sign agri-environmental contracts have to do so for at least five years. While Article 12 of its implementing Regulation (EC) No 746/96 (2) provides for the existence of cases of force majeure, it is up to the Member States to evaluate them and note the specific cases of force majeure. These cases of force majeure thus recognized by the Member States have to be communicated to the Commission. In the case of France, the drought situations referred to were not included in the communication to the Commission. It thus does not appear possible to exempt all the farmers in a region from the obligation to fulfil their obligations for the stipulated five-year period solely on the grounds of this weather phenomenon and without examination of the concrete circumstances of each recipient. It should be noted that an agri-environmental commitment of at least five years is an essential condition of this scheme, which can be derogated from only exceptionally and in duly justified cases. (1) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 102, 25. 4. 1996. (98/C 45/187) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2029/97 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (13 June 1997) Subject: Cross-border pension rules I recently handled a case on behalf of a constituent concerning a cross-border pension. There was one problem with this case, mainly that the pension authority in Belgium cut off the pension to the widower of the original