Agricultural statistics: production potential of plantations of fruit trees (repeal. Directive 76/625/EEC)

The Council common position welcomes the substance of the Commission's proposal. In order to optimise the effectiveness of the proposed Directive. However, the Council has decided to incorporate a number of changes to the original text. Firstly, the Council has broadened the objectives of the Directive to include the presentation of data relating to production not intended for the Community market. Secondly, the Council has decided that the Directive should not include surveys on the production of nuts. Those Member States who have high levels of nut production however have agreed to make efforts to collect data on their volumes. Thirdly, small-fruited citruses will not be included under the scope of the present Directive. Fourthly, in order to clarify that professional selling is intended the Council has opted to replace the words "for sale" with the words "for the market". Fifthly, the Council deleted all reference to double grafting allowing for more reliable results. Sixth, the Council has deleted the word "net" in relation to the "area planted". Lastly, the Council did not adopt the European Parliament's wishes that rootstocks be included in future surveys, pointing out that the Directive should stick to its original intention of covering certain species of fruit trees in the Community only.�