WRITTEN QUESTION E-0822/00 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN), Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Blood oranges ‐ a peripheral market.
C 26 E/112 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 The structure of the CAP and the current reform process reflect the interests of all Member States and those involved in agricultural policy. It should be noted that the Agenda 2000 reform was agreed unanimously by the Berlin European Council. Indeed, these reforms give Member States flexibility to tailor the implementation of the CAP to national situations to provide greater focus on rural development and environmental concerns. The Commission does therefore not share the view attributed to the British minister. (2001/C 26 E/139) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0815/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Recite II administration Can the Commission explain the reasons behind the current unacceptable delays in the processing of applications and in the payment of grants to beneficiaries under its Recite II programme? Does it consider it acceptable that requests for payments submitted by projects in mid-November 1999 have still not been processed? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (28 April 2000) The Commission received four applications in November l999 for payments in respect of projects under the programme of interregional cooperation (Recite II). Two of these applications were complete and the payments were made within 45 days. In the case of the other two, the beneficiaries sent in incomplete applications which were not in line with their contractual obligations. The Commission contacted both beneficiaries within five days to apprise them of the fact. After sending several reminders, the Commission finally received the extra information it needed in February 2000 and the payment procedure was launched at that time. (2001/C 26 E/140) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0822/00 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN), Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Blood oranges ü a peripheral market Sicily is in a peripheral geographical position as far as the marketing of its produce is concerned. The cultivation of citrus fruit is a tradition in Southern Italy, in particular Sicily, and the whole community in small towns there revolves around this type of farming. Blood oranges grow in Sicily, in particular in the áplain of Cataniaí area, and they have special organoleptic qualities which are recognised even by medical science. Can the Commission say whether it intends to devote resources and projects to developing this special product, which is unique in the world. Whether it intends to facilitate promotion and marketing by bringing the Sicilian market closer to the European market? 26. 1. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 26 E/113 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (12 April 2000) Current Community legislation in the fruit and vegetable sector already covers measures which can be in the framework of operational programmes run by producer applied to blood-orange production, organisations (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 (1)). The aims of these measures include improving the quality of products, developing their commercial exploitation, promoting products to consumers, creating organic product lines, promoting integrated production and other environment-friendly production methods, and reducing the volume of market withdrawals. In addition to these measures, schemes are also available in the context of rural development as covered by Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/99 (2). Finally, under Council Regulation (EEC) No 1201/90 (3) on measures to increase citrus-fruit consumption, the Associazione Siciliana Produttori Agrumicoli ed Ortofrutticolií is currently conducting a citrus-fruit promotion programme focusing particularly on blood oranges. (1) OJ L 297, 21. 11. 1996. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (3) OJ L 119, 11. 5. 1990. (2001/C 26 E/141) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0824/00 by Ieke van den Burg (PSE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Access to Social Insurance (Additional Categories of Persons) Decree 1999 (Royal Decree of 24 December 1998): Exceptional Medical Expenses Act Is the Commission aware that since 1 January 2000 the Netherlands Exceptional Medical Expenses 1. Act (AWBZ) has no longer applied to Dutch retired people who reside abroad and have private medical insurance? One consequence of this is that the AWBZ scheme no longer meets expenses, for example, of care in a residential care home or of home care or rehabilitation. People belonging to this category, who are now in effect excluded without any transition period, have contributed to the AWBZ scheme for decades. It is impossible to obtain private insurance to cover the risks hitherto covered by the AWBZ, particularly in the case of those who are medically at risk. People insured with health insurance funds, on the other hand, are still covered by the AWBZ. Does not this treatment of people with private insurance violate the principle of free movement of 2. persons within the European Union, freedom of residence for citizens and patients (cf. the judgment of the Court of Justice of 28 April 1998 in case C-158/96) in other Member States and Article 10(1) of Regulation No 1408/71 (1)? 3. Will the Commission take any measures against this step by the Netherlands Government, and if so, what? (1) OJ L 149, 5. 7. 1971, p. 2. Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (29 May 2000) According to the information at is true that since 1 January 2000 beneficiaries of long-term Netherlands social security benefits (Wet op de arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzeker- ing ü Act on Insurance against Incapacity to Work and Algemene Ouderdomswet ü General Old Age Insurance Act) residing on the territory of another Member State who are not members of the compulsory the Commissionís disposal, it