Leaf tobacco: premiums and guarantee thresholds for the 2002, 2003 and 2004 harvests (amend. Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Arlindo CUNHA (EPP/ED, Portugal) on leaf tobacco. (Please refer to the document dated 26/02/02). The deduction used to finance the Fund is set at 2% in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Parliament added that the Fund could be used, inter alia, to organise a study into whether restricting Community tobacco production without changing the import regime will have an impact on the consumption of tobacco by EU citizens, as well as stepping up agronomic research with a view to promoting the gearing of tobacco production towards varieties and cultivation and drying methods less harmful for human health, better adapted to market conditions and more environment-friendly, and the development of alternative uses for raw tobacco. Expenditure under the Fund for each of the areas mentioned in the proposal may amount to 50% of the total amount of the Fund. In the event of underutilisation of the amounts made available for one of these areas, the Commission will redistribute the amounts to the others, provided that there are projects eligible for subsidy in this area.�