§ Sir Roger MoateTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement about the operation of minimum import prices for horticultural products, particularly blackcurrants, imported into the European Community.
§ Mr. JackThe Europe agreements between the Community and Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria provide for minimum import prices for fresh and frozen blackcurrants from these countries. They may come into force when
during each three-month period of the marketing year, the average unit value for each product imported into the Community is lower than the minimum import price for that product; andduring any period of two weeks, the average unit value for each product imported in the Community is lower than 90 per cent. of the minimum import price for that product, in so far as the quantities imported during this period are not less than 4 per cent. of the normal annual import.The Commission is responsible for implementing and monitoring the arrangements in the Europe agreements.