Brussels, 12/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The EU Council of Ministers should soon be able to adopt texts on production levies in the sugar sector relating to several marketing years (see EUROPE 10934).
At the meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) on Monday 11 November, the Lithuanian Presidency was hoping for a swift agreement on the text with a view to its early adoption by the Council. To achieve this, it suggested amendment of Article 2 of the proposal in order to allow implementation of the regulation until 30 September (the end of the next financial year).
Most delegations (including France, Poland and Belgium) agreed to the extension. Some member states (Italy, Austria, Finland and Denmark, for example) would even like an extension of the extension to 12 months. Some countries (France, Italy, Portugal and Austria in particular) took the view that there was a risk concerning the inconsistency between times imposed by Article 2 and national time limits which can be longer. The Commission and the Council's legal service believe the time set out in Article 2 relates to the notification by most beneficiaries of these levy “returns” but does not rule out different national times for later operations. The Presidency will include a clear reference to this in the basic act and will initiate tacit approval procedure with an end date fixed at midday 13 November.
Furthermore, an agreement should be approved on the text concerning the fixing by the Council of certain subsidies and refunds (Poland will vote against). The text complements CAP reform. (LC/transl.jl)