WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3057/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Tobacco reform
C 117/142 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 4. 98 (98/C 117/190) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3057/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 October 1997) Subject: Tobacco reform The Commissionís report to the Council on the common organization of the market in raw tobacco (COM(96) 554 final) analyses two basic options for the future of the Community tobacco sector, before going on to conclude that aid for tobacco growing should not be abolished in the medium term but should be generally overhauled. The proposed reforms provide for a variable premium to encourage the production of better quality tobacco (with lower tar content) and the introduction of a scheme for buying back quotas which will enable tobacco growers to cease production, thereby reducing the size of the overall Community quota. While recognising the obvious contradiction between pursuing a Community policy to reduce tobacco consumption and at the same time supporting the production of raw tobacco, the report points out that the abolition of aid for tobacco growers would result in an end to raw tobacco production in the European Union with serious consequences for the 200 000 jobs in the production and processing sectors (170 000 and 30 000 jobs respectively). In addition, the Community finances 80% of the income of European tobacco growers, of whom there are 70 000 in Greece (52%) and almost 40 000 in Italy. Will the Commission ensure that any measures to end tobacco growing are accompanied by precise details of what other crops could be grown in tobacco- growing areas, or will it create the conditions necessary for non-agricultural activities to flourish as part of a balanced and gradual development of rural areas? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (21 October 1997) With regard to the Honourable Memberís question on the alternatives open to producers who give up growing tobacco, the Commission wishes to point out that it is only putting forward proposals for those who decide voluntarily to leave the sector because of the difficulties they encounter in following market trends. Hence, since it is not compulsory to leave the tobacco sector, it is not for the Commission to say exactly what choices individual producers should make. However, to support those who voluntarily decided to abandon tobacco growing the Commission put forward proposals for accompanying measures in its report. The accompanying measures should concentrate on the promotion of strategic plans for local development, directing producers to other activities. The plans should be drawn up at the closest possible level to the areas concerned. They should involve closely those directly concerned, in the first instance, the tobacco producer groups. The approach should be one of integrated development, as is currently the case under the development programmes financed by the Structural Funds for the benefit of Objective 1 and Objective 5(b) regions. (98/C 117/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3058/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 October 1997) Subject: COM in hops The Commission has submitted a proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 on the common organization of the market in hops (COM(97) 98 final › 97/0066 CNS) (1)