Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2000)538 - Information provision and promotion for agricultural products on the internal market - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2000)538 - Information provision and promotion for agricultural products on the internal market. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2000)538  |
| date | 08-09-2000 |
At the moment the Commission operates twelve promotional schemes for products selected over the course of the years by the Council. Each scheme follows its own rules and falls into one of two categories: those run directly by the Commission (olive oil, flax, nuts, logos) and those run indirectly through the Member States or trade organisations (beef, milk products, apples and citrus fruit, grape juice, flowers, labelling).
It is desirable that this whole system inherited from the past, with its lack of uniformity, be harmonised and simplified to make it more effective and facilitate its management with the resources available.
Following the approach taken to promotion outside the EU, the Community should for its activity within the EU provide itself with a flexible promotional tool useable 'across the board'.
The aim therefore must be information provision and promotion of a generic character avoiding overlap with the promotional action of companies and national/regional authorities. Its role will be complementary to their classic marketing approach, and serve to create a favourable environment for them among consumers.
Promotion by the European institutions can be a valuable addition in that it takes up at European level topics that are neglected by the national authorities and branded advertising (quality, nutritional value, food safety, labelling, traceability, PDO/PGI system, organic production, integrated production etc.) and so upgrades the image of European products in the eyes of consumers, who are increasingly sensitive on these matters. Recent events (BSE, dioxin, listeria etc.) only serve to confirm this.
2. CHOICE OF THEMES AND PRODUCTS
It is proposed that the 'piecemeal' approach taken up to now be abandoned and the Commission periodically choose (using the management committee procedure) the themes and sectors that are to be the subject of information provision and promotion.
The main selection criteria will be:
-the wish to run campaigns, either thematic or with specific targets, drawing attention to high quality, nutritional values and safety levels, and also to the advantages of specific production methods,
-the existence of labelling and control/traceability systems,
-the need to boost sectors in short-term difficulty,
-the desire to provide information on the Community PDO/PGI and TSG schemes, organic products, the quality wine psr system etc.
3. TYPES OF PROMOTION MEASURE
In essence those at present financed, i.e. public relations, advertising, provision of scientific information to target groups (distributors, doctors, nutritionists and other opinion formers).
4. FINANCING
Action will be part-financed by the Community (50% on average) with the balance met by the trade and inter-trade organisations proposing programmes and Member States. This joint-financing approach is essential if commercial players and the Member States are to assume their responsibilities. For the Community schemes (PDO/PGI/TSG, organic production, labelling) financing restricted to Member States and the Community is appropriate for information provision.
5. MANAGEMENT, SURVEILLANCE, ASSESSMENT
Once precise Community guidelines have been laid down by sector (objectives, strategy, targets, action, resources etc.) using the management committee procedure, the initiative will pass to the trade and inter-trade organisations in the sectors concerned, which will respond to the calls for proposals from interested Member States.
Observing criteria set in the Community guidelines as supplemented by their national specification, Member States will select programmes that they have checked for suitability and value for money and refer them to the Commission, which will check their conformity with Community rules and the relevant specification and must make its comments known within a time limit to be set, on expiry of which Member States will definitively approve the programmes.
In view of the expertise required in several disciplines for drafting the guidelines and its lack of specialised staff, the Commission will be able to call on the services of technical assistants of a committee of independent communication experts.
Since programme management will be 'indirect' Member States will be responsible for surveillance and payment.
Programme results will be assessed by independent bodies chosen by the Commission, which will call for tenders.