91997E2951

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2951/97 by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission (17 September 1997)

Subject: The cultivation and use of hemp in Finland

The EU grants financial aid for the traditional cultivation of industrial hemp. Unfortunately, there are no arrangements for making use of the harvested hemp and, at least in Finland's case, there are no processing firms requiring hemp as a raw material and no export markets.

Is the Commission aware that hemp is being grown in Finland without there being any market for it? What steps will it take to remedy this problem?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (20 October 1997)

Under Council Regulation (EEC) No 1308/70 of 29 June 1970 on the common organisation of the market in flax and hemp ((OJ L 146, 4.7.1970. )), aid per hectare is granted in the Community for hemp grown from seed of varieties with an intoxicating substance (tetrahydrocannabinol) content of no more than 0.3%. The area must have been fully sown and harvested and normal cultivation work carried out. There are no requirements as to storage, processing or exportation of the harvested hemp.

The area sown to hemp in Finland although increasing is very low: 2 hectares in 1996 and 74 (provisional figure) in 1997. The quantities yielded by such small areas are obviously an inadequate incentive to investment in processing facilities in Finland. Undertakings in the rest of the Community already have adequate raw material supplies and export outlets are very limited.

On 20 January 1997 the Commission undertook to the Council to propose suitable measures for hemp as soon as possible. When the agricultural prices for 1997/98 were set the Council accepted the Commission's proposal that the aid be reduced by 7.5% in order to diminish the effect it has had of increasing areas grown.

The Commission continues to reflect on what would be the most appropriate measures for the sector.