3. Criticises at the same time the fact that – within the EU – the incomes of the majority of farmers are rapidly decreasing, as market prices do not cover their production costs, while a small number of processing industries and retailers accumulate a growing share of public funds; insists therefore that modulation of payments to farmers following social criteria and the principle of cross-compliance needs to be taken into account in the negotiation package; stresses in this context that a partially decoupled aid scheme is workable only in conjunction with a special form of qualified external protection and limited regulation of inter ...[+++]nal markets;

The sources of revenue are limited in number, some are on the wane and additional expenditure can only ever be financed if expenditure elsewhere is cut to pay for this.

The average use rose rapidly from 23000 tkm (2nd half 1990) to 47500 tkm (1993) but then declined steadily to 26100 tkm (1997) with an apparent sharp further fall to 18200 tkm (1st half 1998). Again the decline in average use is thought to be partially due to under-reporting (see again § 3.7 - 3.9).