51998AC1158

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey` () (98/C 407/39)

On 4 September 1998 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture and Fisheries, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 23 July 1998. The rapporteur was Mr Gottero.

At its 357th plenary session (meeting of 9 September 1998) the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion with 100 votes in favour and six abstentions.

1. The Committee welcomes the Commission's proposal to extend, until 31 January 1999, the deadline for expenditure in the first year of application of Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 on measures taken under the national programmes to improve the production and marketing of honey.

2. In the Committee's view, the reduction in the duration of these programmes in the first year would otherwise have been too great and would have jeopardized their success.

Brussels, 9 September 1998.

The President of the Economic and Social Committee

Tom JENKINS

() OJ C 222, 16.7.1998, p. 15.