Görlach (PSE), in writing. – (DE) I voted in favour of the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, and thus against this Commission proposal, because the latter far exceeds the targets set for the Commission in July 2000 by the Agricultural Council.

Rather than presenting a simple and straightforward regulatory framework for the supervision of the EU alcohol market and of trade patterns, the actual Commission proposal provides for the creation of a new Common Organisation of the Market. This, among other things, includes the provision that, after its entry into force, tried and tested national regulatory arrangements on objectives of importance to agricultural and social policy, such as care for the cultural landscape and the maintenance of meadows of indigenous dehiscent fruit, but not supporting small agricultural distilleries, would have to be repealed on the grounds of incompatibility with the competition rules of the Treaty establishing the European Community, even though they have, to date, been declared by the ECJ to be compatible with the Treaty establishing the European Community and with current Internal Market rules.

The creation of a new COM is also to be rejected at a time when there is general discussion about reforming the common agricultural policy away from market regulation and in the direction of a multifunctional approach for the future, and Agenda 2000 is about to be reviewed. I therefore call on the Commission to withdraw its proposal for the creation of a COM in agricultural alcohol and submit a new proposal closely adhering to the Council mandate of July 2000.