WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2459/98 by Honório NOVO to the Commission. Bad weather and damage to agriculture in Portugal
C 142/18 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 5. 1999 (1999/C 142/021) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2459/98 by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Bad weather and damage to agriculture in Portugal (30 July 1998) Recent weather conditions in Portugal (torrential rain, hail and wide fluctuations in temperature) have caused serious damage in some of the country’s main agricultural sectors. The collapse in production of pears (by around 70 to 80 % at national level), cherries (around 70 % in the Beira Interior and Trás-os-Montes regions), grapes (around 60 % in the Ribatejo, Douro-Minho and Trás- os-Montes regions) and olives (above all in the Alentejo and Trás-os-Montes regions) are some of the most serious examples. It is thus clear that there will be a sharp fall in income, especially for small farms and small family farms. Can the Commission provide information on the following: 1. Has the Portuguese Government already submitted to the Commission a detailed quantitative and qualitative assessment of the damage arising from the bad weather for the purpose of requesting EC administrative measures and exceptional financial support to tackle the adverse consequences? If so, is the Commission prepared to grant the request? 2. Does the Commission consider it appropriate to consider the possibility of contributing additional appropriations to mitigate the damage to agriculture arising from the bad weather in Portugal? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (28 September 1998) 1. The Portuguese Government did not submit any request to the Commission for financial aid to cover the losses of farm income mentioned by the Honourable Member, because the Commission does not have a legal basis making it possible to provide compensation for losses of agricultural production caused by bad weather. 2. Article 5(h) of Council Regulation (EEC) 4256/88 of 19 December 1988 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) 2052/88 as regards the EAGGF Guidance Section (1), as amended by Regulation (EEC) 2085/93 (2), provides that the EAGGF Guidance Section can take part financially in restoring agricultural and forestry production potential damaged by natural disasters, drawing upon the total appropriation for the structural measures in the Community support framework (CSF). With regard to the bad weather in November and December 1997, the Portuguese authorities asked for financial aid for restoring the production potential damaged on this occasion. The Commission complied with this request by granting an amount of ECU 20 million from the appropriations still available for Objective 5(a). Moreover, in July 1998 the Azores benefited from an extra ECU 26,38 million from the EAGGF Guidance Section and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), from the 1998 CSF deflator for Portugal, to cope with the damage caused by the earthquake of 9 July 1998. (1) OJ L 374, 31. 12. 1988. (2) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993. (1999/C 142/022) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2496/98 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission (30 July 1998) Subject: Article 169 Will the Commission publish its rules of procedure governing the handling of cases under Article 169 of the Treaties?