WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3424/97 by José POMÉS RUIZ to the Commission. Meat quotas
25. 5. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 158/107 Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (12 December 1997) The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that, according to data provided by the Greek authorities, around 20% of the total budget of measure 4 Romanies (Gypsies) and Pomacksí of subprogramme 3 Other excluded groupsí of the operational programme Combating exclusion from the labour marketí (1994-1999 Community support framework for Greece) was absorbed by July 1997. A total of around 1 560 people benefited from the relevant measures. An amount of 948. 000 ECU (European social fund contribution) was approved during the operational programme monitoring committee meeting in July 1997 for 1997 action. Implemented projects included actions aiming to combat the socio-economic exclusion of the afore-mentioned target groups such as, pre-training, (including literacy) training, promotion of employment and accompanying/ support services. There have been delays in the specific operational programme implementation due to the difficulties in applying its innovative approach, the lack of appropriate structures for action implementation as well as the difficulties during the 1995-1996 period in particular to establish and apply systems and procedures that would guarantee more effective implementation. Taking into consideration the experience acquired during the first implementation period, the Greek authorities are currently elaborating an in-depth modification of the operational programme aiming at developing policies and actions to address more effectively the specific needs of the target groups in question. (98/C 158/140) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3424/97 by Jose· Pome·s Ruiz (PPE) to the Commission (31 October 1997) Subject: Meat quotas Can the Commission explain how the quotas are decided for imports of sirloin of beef from Argentina and Brazil and what conditions are required of enterprises importing meat of this kind? Can the Commission also provide information on the most recent distribution of meat quotas for beef from the above-named countries? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (26 November 1997) The country-specific import quotas for high quality beef such as striploin ( Solomilloí) are based on the undertakings of the Community in the framework of the agreement on agriculture concluded under the Uruguay Round. The detailed rules of application for the quota year 1997/1998 are laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 936/97 of 27 May 1997 opening and providing for the administration of tariff quotas for high-quality fresh, chilled and frozen beef and for frozen buffalo meat (1). The Community criteria for importers of high quality beef are fixed by Article 4(a) which reads áthe licence applicants must be natural or legal persons who, at the time their applications are submitted, have been engaged for at least 12 months in trade in beef and veal between Member States or with third countries and who are registered in a Member State for VAT purposesí. The 1997/1998 high quality beef quotas for Argentina and Brazil are 28 000 tonnes and 5 000 tonnes respectively. (1) OJ L 137, 28. 5. 1997