PURPOSE : to extend the quotas on potato starch.
COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 962/2002/EC amending Regulation 1868/1994/EC establishing a quota system in relation to the production of potato starch.
CONTENT : The Council adopted a Regulation on potato starch, set out in 8791/02, by a qualified majority, with the Finnish delegation abstaining.
The Regulation makes or involves the following chief provisions:
- renewal of the eight potato starch producer Member States' existing quotas for the 2002/2003, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 marketing years, i.e. a total of 1 762 148 tonnes allocated as follows:
Denmark 168 215 tonnes
Germany 656 298 tonnes
Spain 1 943 tonnes
France 265 354 tonnes
Netherlands 507 403 tonnes
Austria 47 691 tonnes
Finland 53 178 tonnes
Sweden 62 066 tonnes
Total 1 762 148 tonnes
- potato growers are to be paid a compensatory payment of 110,54 EUR/tonne per tonne of starch contained in potatoes delivered to potato starch manufacturers, while potato starch manufacturers are to be paid a starch premium of 22,25 EUR/tonne, provided that they pay producers a minimum price for potatoes intended for starch production;
- a budget of EUR 234 million has been earmarked to cover expenditure over the next three marketing years, from 2002/2003 to 2004/2005.
A statement by the Finnish delegation will be annexed to the minutes; it will express the hope that its request for an increase in its national potato starch quota to meet the growing needs of the papermaking industry will be taken into account in the Council's next decision on quotas.
The Austrian delegation supported that request for an increase in the national quota to be taken into account when that decision was taken.
The Commission is to submit a report to the Council on the allocation of quota within the Community, together with appropriate proposals, by 30 September 2004, and at three-yearly intervals thereafter; the report will take account of any changes in payments to potato producers and developments on the potato starch and cereal starch markets. On the basis of the report, the Council will allocate the three-year quota between the Member States by 31 December 2004 at the latest.
The minimum price and the payment to potato producers will have to be adjusted if there is agreement on the final reduction in the intervention price for cereals in the mid-term review of Agenda 2000. The 2002/2003 marketing year will begin on 1 July 2002.
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 14/06/02.
DATE OF APPLICATION : 01/07/02.�