Leaf tobacco: premiums and guarantee thresholds for 1999, 2000 and 2001 harvests (amend. regul. 2075/92/EEC)

PURPOSE : the adoption of a Council Regulation to reform the common market organisation for tobacco, by seeking to better align supply with demand. CONTENT : As a follow-on from the 22 June 1998 Farm Council, this proposal seeks to amend Regulation 2075/92/EEC fixing the premiums and guarantee thresholds for leaf tobacco by variety group for the 1999, 2000, and 2001 harvests. The following are the main points of the proposal : - the amount of the premium is to be increased by 10% compared with 1998; - the supplementary amounts for the northern countries are increased to 65% of the difference between the premium granted in 1998 and the premium applicable to the 1992 harvest; - the guarantee thresholds are reduced for group II (light air-cured) by 375 tonnes for Germany, 9 tonnes for Belgium, 24 tonnes for Austria and for group III (dark air-cured) by 842 tonnes for France and 38 tonnes for Belgium; - in the case of Italy, a transfer of 3,400 tonnes from group V (sun-cured) is to be carried out over two years to group I (flue-cured) - 500 tonnes, group II (light air-cured) - 500 tonnes, group IV (fire-cured) - 65 tonnes and to group VII (Katerini) which has just been introduced into that country; - in the case of Greece, a transfer of 14,800 tonnes from group V (sun-cured) is to be carried out over three years to group I (flue-cured) - 3,300 tonnes, group VI (Basmas) - 600 tonnes, group VII (Katerini) - 6,150 tonnes and to group VIII (Kaba Koulak classic) - 570 tonnes.�