WRITTEN QUESTION No. 171/99 by Jaime VALDIVIELSO DE CUÉ Agriculture
12. 11. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 325/79 (1999/C 325/100) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0171/99 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE) to the Commission (11 February 1999) Subject: Agriculture On Tuesday, 5 January 1999 the Commission Vice-President Sir Leon Brittan announced at the 53rd Oxford Conference on Agriculture that direct aid to European farmers needed to be cut so that the Union could approach the negotiating round for the sector within the World Trade Organisation, scheduled for December 1999, from a credible position. Can the Commission say, if such steps are in fact taken, what measures will be adopted to compensate the sector, which is of great economic, social and ecological importance for the European Union as a whole and for Spain in particular? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (22 March 1999) In his speech at the 53th Oxford farming conference, the Vice-President of the Commission responsible for commercial policy emphasised the importance of reaching an agreement on the Agenda 2000 proposals in agriculture before the start of the next World trade organisation (WTO) negotiations because this would allow the Community not only to enter the next WTO negotiations with a credible position but also to take initiatives. More specifically, he referred to the Agenda 2000 reform proposals for cereals, beef and dairy, which foresee a reduction of the intervention price combined with a system of direct payments to compensate farmers for the loss of income caused by lower prices. He also mentioned that a key issue for the Community in the next WTO negotiations will be the maintenance of the ‘blue box’, i. e. to maintain support measures under production-limiting programmes outside the reduction commitment because these payments are a central element of the Agenda 2000 reform proposals. He also touched upon the question of degressivity of direct aids in the context of the debate on the future financial framework (2000-2006) of the Community. This was in response to calls from several finance ministers, in the run-up to the Vienna European Council, to freeze the common agricultural policy (CAP) budget from the year 2000 at its 1999 level. It will be recalled that the Commission’s reform proposals foresee an increase of the costs in the first years after 2000 in order to make CAP reform possible and a decline in expenditure in real terms towards the end of the period. (1999/C 325/101) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0172/99 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (11 February 1999) Subject: Building work in Piazza Cavallotti in Livorno Work on the refurbishment of Piazza Felice Cavallotti in Livorno has caused considerable inconvenience to residents and shopkeepers, resulting in street traders’ stalls being moved. The citizens of Livorno were only given notice of the planned building work on 10 January 1999. The building work has caused serious inconvenience and a substantial decline in the turnover of the shopkeepers in the area. The building work is planned to last one year. Can the Commission say: whether, in its view, the building work referred to above can be regarded as 1. contravening the principle of free competition as regards the shopkeepers in the city of Livorno; whether any economic aid and/or projects exist that may help the shopkeepers who have been adversely 2. affected by what has happened; 3. whether it is able to give its overall view of the matter?