WRITTEN QUESTION E-0485/00 by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) and Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission. Continuation of the ornamental flowers promotional fund.
20. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 53 E/5 (2001/C 53 E/007) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0485/00 by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) and Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission Subject: Continuation of the ornamental flowers promotional fund (24 February 2000) 1. During the budget negotiations for 2000 Parliament adopted an amendment saying that the existing rules needed to be evaluated in the near future (before the end off 1999) and that the promotional fund should then be continued but on a new legal basis. The Council also adopted a decision on these lines at second reading. A sum of € 3 million was budgeted for this. The deadline has now passed without the Commission having responded to the amendment. In what way, and when, does the Commission intend to respond to the express wish of the budgetary authority to take the measures necessary to continue the scheme? 2. Concessions have been made by the Union in respect of ornamental flowers in agreements with Egypt, South Africa and Mexico. For example, in a communication of 18 January 2000 on the free-trade agreement with Mexico, the Commission states: The EC will obtain full and rapid access for a number of its key export priorities such as wines, spirits and olive oil In exchange for these concessions the package includes partial liberalisation for certain products of interest to Mexico such as concentrated orange juice, avocados, and cut-flowersí, In order to remain competitive in this open and extremely liberal context, continuation of the promotional fund is essential (bearing in mind that the EUís commercial policy prompted the setting up of the scheme). Does the Commission share this view? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (11 April 2000) The Commission is aware that additional funds have been allocated for Chapter 38, item 3800 of the 1. Community budget. Furthermore, it would remind the Honourable Members that Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2275/96 of 22 November 1996 introducing specific measures for live plants and floricultural products (1) stipulates that áthe measures referred to in Article 1 may be granted Community funding for a period of no more than three years. An evaluation study shall be carried out in the final yearí. The results of this study will be available in the second half of 2000. The Commission will not be in a position to decide whether to continue the promotional scheme in the ornamental flowers sector until it has received these results. The Commission considers that the promotional fund may help to guarantee a balanced market in 2. this sector. (1) OJ L 308, 29. 11. 1996. (2001/C 53 E/008) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0513/00 by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission (17 February 2000) Subject: Removal of dead animals there are substantial variations between Member States and even between regions It appears that concerning the policy on removal of dead animals. In Flanders, dead animals have to be collected by an organisation for a fixed fee ranging from BEF 5000 to BEF 20 000 a year, depending on the size of the farm. In other areas removal is completely free of charge. On the other hand, Flemish farmers have noted that dead animals in the United Kingdom are collected by local hunts, which use them to feed their hounds