Processed agricultural products as goods: trade arrangements, Uruguay round follow-up (amend. Regulation (EC) No 3448/93)

The European Parliament adopted the report drafted by Mr Dominique F.C. SOUCHET (UEN, F) on a set of new, compromise amendments to the Commission's proposals to slash export refunds to the EU's processed food and drink industry and offset the cuts with duty-free imports of ingredients bought at world market prices. The compromise amendments ensure that Parliament's concerns will be taken into account as the Commission has undertaken to monitor closely the impact of the new trade arrangements on each common market regime, especially in the milk and sugar sectors, in an interim report to the Parliament at the end of the first year of the new system. In addition, the Parliament has specified that the Commission pay special attention to the situation of small and medium-sized companies in the processing sector, taking due account of the impact of target measures relating to savings on export funds. The amount below which small exporters may be exempted from presentation of certificates under the export refund arrangements shall be set at EUR 50 000 per year. This ceiling may well be adjusted.�