WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3763/98 by Eva KJER HANSEN to the Council. Direct payments to farmers
28. 6. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 182/125 (1999/C 182/170) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3763/98 by Eva Kjer Hansen (ELDR) to the Council (4 December 1998) Subject: Direct payments to farmers Will the Council explain what the consequences are, in legal terms, of implementing the proposal for a regulation (COM(98) 158 % CNS 98/0113 (1)) concerning direct payments to farmers under support schemes forming part of the common agricultural policy, which are paid in full or in part from the EAGGF, Guarantee Section? Could the Council provide in its explanation an assessment of the legal position of the individual farmer, particularly in regard to administrative decisions, the reversal of the burden of proof and proportionality in laying down penalties? Could the Council also provide an assessment of the discrimination that may arise from countries being able to introduce different rules on compliance with national environmental provisions, including the enforcement of those rules? Will it also assess the problems associated with the overall control of agricultural expenditure and reconciliation of the accounts? (1) OJ C 170, 4. 6. 1998, p. 93. Reply (22 and 23 February 1999) The proposal for a Regulation establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy, to which the Honourable Member refers, is part of the Commission’s set of Agenda 2000 proposals. In that connection, the Council is currently examining this proposal from every angle (legal, economic, etc. ). The Council has not yet adopted a position and is therefore unable, at this stage, to answer the Honourable Member’s question. (1999/C 182/171) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3778/98 by María Sornosa Martínez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Measures to accompany the International Year of the Oceans (11 December 1998) The United Nations has declared 1998 the International Year of the Oceans, thereby providing the Commission with a suitable context in which to update its policies in this sphere and take forceful action as regards both legislation and the promotion of initiatives to improve the current precarious plight of the oceans. Pollution prevention policies require updating to give greater prominence to the protection of rivers for the (The Commission is reminded of serious situations benefit of inland seas such as the Mediterranean. highlighted recently, such as the state of the river Segura and its estuary on Spain’s eastern seaboard. ) Likewise, the need to maintain biodiversity demands a global policy which does not neglect the maritime environment, especially in the case of seas whose very nature gives rise to humid conditions dependent on the activities undertaken in coastal areas. The seas and oceans find themselves under attack from activities ranging from transport and the dumping of nuclear waste into the sea to insensitive building policy in coastal areas. Fishing methods, as well as the need to ensure compliance with existing directives and to draw up new directives which do not cause a conflict of interests between the various Member States, have an important role to play in the conservation of fishery resources. Bans should be imposed on practices such as the use of seiners to catch bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, which has been greatly detrimental to fishing operations off the Valencian coast