Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 on the common organization of the market in rice and Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71 on the common organization of the market in seeds'
9. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 73/47 Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 on the common organization of the market in rice and Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71 on the common organization of the market in seeds’ (98/C 73/12) On 30 September 1997 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal. The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 7 November 1997. The rapporteur was Mrs Santiago. At its 350th plenary session (meeting of 10 December 1997), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 113 votes with five abstentions. 1. Introduction 1. 1. Implementing the decision of the Council of Ministers, the Commission proposes the inclusion of rice seeds among products coming under the income aid arrangements of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95. 1. 2. The amendment is all the more crucial in that the fall in market prices for Community rice has been greater than was expected in the COM review, and has not been offset by the income aid calculated at that time. 1. 3. The lack of adequate compensation for the production of rice for sowing inevitably entails less use of certified seeds and a fall in the quality of the rice demanded by consumers. compensatory aid, and in the light of the quantity of seeds used per hectare. 2. 1. 2. to meet at least its own requirements. In this way, each country will have the capacity 2. 2. Article 3 2. 2. 1. The second paragraph of Article 3 stipulates that Article 1(1) and Article 2 shall apply from 1 July 1998. Consequently, 1998 sowing will not benefit, since the deadline for applications for income aid is set at 31 March. 2. 2. 2. so that the new rules apply to the 1998 sowing period. The proposed text must therefore be amended 2. Comments 2. 1. Article 1(2) (In Article 6) 3. Conclusions 2. 1. 1. The area of land given over to seed production must be established in proportion to the area receiving The Committee supports the Commission pro- 3. 1. posal provided the suggested modifications are made. Brussels, 10 December 1997. The President of the Economic and Social Committee Tom JENKINS