92003E0394

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0394/03

by Salvador Jové Peres (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(13 February 2003)

Subject: Possible violation of Council regulations on processed tomatoes

On 15 January 2002, the Fruit and Vegetable Management Committee approved the tomato figures reported by Member States, thus granting full subsidies to all the Member States since the Community threshold had not been exceeded. However, the Commission did not make this agreement official by issuing the appropriate regulation.

In the measures it put before the Fruit and Vegetable Management Committee meeting of 28 January 2002, the Commission admitted various requests for subsidy from Italy.

Does the Council believe that these requests for subsidy were subject to the controls demanded by Regulations (EC) No 2201/96(1) and (EC) No 449/2001(2)?

Does the Council believe that Article 23(2) of Regulation (EC) No 449/2001 (laying down 10 December as the deadline by which the Member States have to inform the Commission of the total quantity for which aid is being requested) was not infringed?

Does the Council know the date on which the 28 January 2002 meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Management Committee was convened, and what the purpose of this meeting was?

If there has been a violation of the regulations cited, what action does the Council intend to take?

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.

(2) OJ L 64, 6.3.2001, p. 16.

Reply

(13 May 2003)

Proceedings in the European Commission's Management Committee on Fruit and Vegetables are not within the Council's competence and, therefore, the Council is not competent to comment upon them.