92000E1370

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1370/00

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 April 2000)

Subject: Tobacco Community Fund for Research and Information

1. Can the Commission confirm that, each year, 2 % of the amount earmarked for tobacco premiums (Chapter B1-17 of the budget), i.e. some 20 million, is placed in the Community Fund for Research and Information relating to tobacco (B1-175), as announced by the Council?

2. Have any projects been announced since 1997 which are to be paid for by this Fund?

3. On what tobacco research and information projects was this money spent in 1997-1999, and how much was spent on them?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-1369/00 and P-1370/00 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

1. The Community Tobacco Fund (Research and Information) was set up under Article 13 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco(1). This Article was amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1636/98 of 20 July 1998(2), which widened the purposes of the Fund and raised the deduction to 2 % of the premium paid to growers for each crop. At the moment this corresponds to about 19 million.

In practice the Commission launches projects financed from the ad hoc heading Community fund for research and information (B1-185). The appropriations for this correspond to the estimate of actual costs incurred for the financial year in question. The Commission ensures that appropriations/expenditure under this heading do not exceed the product of the deduction.

2. The Fund has not financed any new projects since 1997 but the appropriations available have permitted financing of the projects in progress selected following two calls for proposals, in 1994 and in 1996. These multiannual projects are in effect financed in annual instalments.

The Commission plans to launch new projects in the coming months.

3. The projects in progress and the appropriations allotted to them for 1997-1999 are:

Research:

- 1997: 2 747 666, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67.

- 1998: 2 690 916, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/24, 96/T/35, 96/T/55, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67.

- 1999: 2 385 727, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/24, 96/T/35, 96/T/55, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67.

Information:

- 1997: 610 719,16, for projects 96/I.T./13, 96/I.T./26, 96/I.T./28, 96/I.T./33, 96/I.T./37, 96/I.T./57 and 96/I.T./73.

- 1998: 1 311 027,30, for projects 96/I.T./13, 96/I.T./26, 96/I.T./33, 96/I.T./36, 96/I.T./44, 96/I.T./55, 96/I.T./57, 97/I.T./12 and 97/I.T./33.

- 1999: 210 748,61, for projects 96/I.T./28, 96/I.T./37, 97/I.T./3 and 97/I.T./33.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2) OJ L 210, 28.7.1998.