Exceptional measures to prevent disturbance on the market for citrus fruits

16.4.2014

Question for written answer E-005025-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Raül Romeva i Rueda (Verts/ALE)

The Spanish citrus fruit sector is in crisis (particularly the market for fresh oranges), and has seen profit margins shrink in the period between 2009 and 2013; farms producing oranges and mandarins have lost EUR 1 292.90 per hectare (a 64% decrease) and EUR 1 123.97 per hectare (-38%) respectively. Profits have shrunk by 96% in some cases, given the current prices for oranges on the Valencian market.

1. Does the Commission think that there has been a significant reduction in prices on the internal market in citrus fruits (which could remain low or fall still further), and, accordingly, that the exceptional measures against market disturbance provided for in Article 219 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products should be taken?

2. Does it think that there are urgent grounds for launching the procedure provided for in Article 228 of the regulation, given that immediate action would prevent such threats of market disturbance from continuing or turning into a more severe or prolonged disturbance?

OJ C 405, 14/11/2014