Agricultural prices 2000/2001: sugar price, standard quality of beet

PURPOSE: the setting of certain sugar prices and the standard quality of beet for the 2000/2001 marketing year. CONTENT: As a result of the decisions on Agenda 2000 in May 1999 and the reforms of the common market organisations (CMOs) since 1992, the yearly fixing of institutional prices and amounts now affects only a few sectors. This is the last marketing year of the current production quota regime and the Commission is proposing that the basic price for beet, the intervention price for white sugar and the manufacturing margin be frozen. The minimum prices for A beet and B beet therefore remain unchanged (they are derived for the basic price for beet by applying a levy of 2% and 30% respectively). However, tha actual minimum price for B beet will ultimately depend on the final rate of the levy on B beet to be fixed later by the Management Committee procedure (in accordance with Art. 33 of Regulation 2038/99/EC). The Commission is proposing that the amount of the monthly reimbursement of storage costs be kept at EUR 0.33 per 100 kg in view of the stable interest rates prevailing in the Community. The Commission notes that, in accordance with Art. 26 of the basic Regulation, it may have to reduce the production quotas for the 2000/2001 marketing year if the GATT constraints so require. The change in appropriation requirements compared to those on which the budget was based is +EUR 30 million. The increase of EUR 30 million results from a slight downward revision to the forecast world market price for sugar for 1999/2000 to $187/tonne and a consequent increase in the rate of export refund from EUR 525/tonne to EUR 535/tonne. The proposal also updates the committee procedures into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission.�