Brussels, 07/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Spanish Presidency would like the Agriculture Council to decide on guidelines for changes that should be made to the common market organisation (Cmo) for fruit and vegetables, so as to apply pressure on the European Commission to present new concrete proposals. In a document, the Presidency places special emphasis on the need to simplify this Cmo, enhance the role of producer organisations and ensure that the funds available under rural development programmes are more complementary to those provided for by the "operational funds". In January 2001, the Commission had presented an assessment report on the sector (which a Council working group, the Special Agricultural Committee and the Agriculture Council examined in 2001) which made no proposal aimed at correcting the weaknesses.
The Spanish Presidency suggests that the Council urge the Commission to simplify the 1996 Regulation defining this Cmo by relaxing the criteria for the establishment and use of the operational funds of producer organisations and conferring on the latter (rather than of farms themselves) most of the powers for controlling Community mechanisms (like aid to processing and withdrawal measures). To strengthen the role of producer organisations, the Presidency suggests that the Commission propose measures of encouragement: - mergers of producer organisations; - establishment of associations of producer organisations; - more extensive membership of producer organisations among farmers. Stressing the importance of product quality, the Presidency considers that it would be important to encourage production under the various types of supervision already found (certified, integrated and organic), the phased introduction of taste characteristics for clearly measurable parameters and for specific products, and continued application of environmental requirements under operational programmes and in fruit and vegetable growing in general. According to the document, the Commission should also examine certain specific problems, like wild berries, wild mushrooms and nuts, as well as the possible inclusion harvest-insurance among measures eligible for operational programmes.