WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2831/98 by John McCARTIN Pig meat sector
C 289/8 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 11. 10. 1999 While the task is not an easy one, the Commission is making a massive effort to simplify the common agricultural policy (CAP) by cutting out as much red tape as possible and making agricultural legislation clearer, more transparent and more accessible. In recent years, simplification has been the Commission’s watchword in reforming the CAP. A good illustration of this is the agricultural part of the proposals under Agenda 2000 (1), presented in March 1998 (2), in which much attention has been paid to simplification, in particular as regards arable crops and rural development. The Commission proposals for reforming the market organisations for olive oil and wine contain significant simplification measures. The Commission is not the only actor on the stage. Different and sometimes contradictory interests of Member States come into play and are often one of the causes of the complexity of the various implementing regulations. (1) COM(97) 2000 final. (2) OJ C 170, 4. 6. 1998. (1999/C 289/010) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2831/98 by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission (28 September 1998) Subject: Pig meat sector Can the Commission state what amount of money was paid in compensation for losses to European pig farmers resulting from swine fever and does it consider such payments have resulted in increased production which has led to the market collapse for pig meat product? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (16 October 1998) From the outbreak of the epidemic of classical swine fever in early 1997 until September 1998 a total sum of ECU 1 297 million has been paid to European pig farmers as compensation for veterinary killings and as market support measures. The cost of veterinary killings was ECU 470 million of which Member States have paid 50 %, and the cost of the exceptional market support measures so far has been ECU 827 million of which the share of the Member States is 30 %. Therefore the total cost for the Community until September 1998 has been ECU 814 million. The statistics showing a high production increase in 1998 may give a misleading picture, since the actual production increased considerably already in 1997. This is not seen in production statistics, because a large number of pigs were removed from the market in 1997 due to classical swine fever. The removal of pigs from the market in swine fever areas had to be done in order to eradicate the disease and to avoid serious disturbance of the market. This may have encouraged farmers in other areas to increase their production further, since the demand for pigmeat was good. Every investment on a farm is naturally an individual decision by the farmer. It can not be concluded that compensation for the losses of some farmers has increased the production of pigmeat in Europe. It should also be born in mind that the pig census data shows a long-term expansion in European pig herds. The expansion of pig herds during last 10 years has been most rapid in Ireland (+79 %), France (+30 %), Denmark (+27 %) and in Belgium (+26 %). There are also other reasons for the present poor market price. The economical turmoil in Far East and Russia has created difficulties for European exports, as has the increased competition from USA and Canada