BETA

40 Amendments of Stefan GEHROLD related to 2018/0216(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1

(1) The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions entitled ‘The Future of Food and Farming’ of 29 November 2017 sets out the challenges, objectives and orientations for the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2020. These objectives include, inter alia, the need for the CAP to be more result-driven, to boost modernisation and sustainability, including the economic, social, environmental and climate sustainability of the agricultural, forestry and rural areas, to contribute to enhancing global food security and to help reducing the Union legislation- related administrative burden for beneficiaries. The Communication also stresses the global dimension of the CAP and states the Union’s commitment to enhance Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD ).

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)

(1a) In order to address the global dimension and implications of the CAP, coherence and continuity with other Union’s external policies and instruments, in particular in the development cooperation and trade, should be ensured. The Union’s commitment to policy coherence for development requires taking account of development objectives and principles when designing agricultural policies, especially to ensure that they are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) Synergies between the EAFRD and Horizon Europe should encourage that the EAFRD makes the best use of research and innovation results, in particular those stemming from projects funded by Horizon Europe and the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) for ‘agricultural productivity and sustainability’, leading to innovations in the farming sector and rural areas. Where suitable, research and innovation results should be shared with developing countries in the framework of the Union’s development cooperation in order to promote sustainable development.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) In order to give substance to the objectives of the CAP as established by Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), as well as to ensure that the Union adequately addresses its most recent challenges, it is appropriate to provide for a set of general objectives reflecting the orientations given in the Communication on ‘The Future of Food and Farming’. A set of specific objectives should be further defined at Union level and applied by the Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans. While striking a balance across the dimensions of sustainable development, in line with the impact assessment, these specific objectives should translate the general objectives of the CAP into more concrete priorities and take into account relevant Union legislation, particularly with regard to climate, energy and environment. In line with the recommendations in the Communication on ‘The Future of Food and Farming’, the global dimension of the CAP shall be taken into account in conformity with Articles 3 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Article 208 of the TFEU. Ensuring Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) includes the respect of the European Consensus on Development and its commitment to achieve the objectives set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) A smarter, modernised and more sustainable CAP needs to embrace research and innovation, in order to serve the multi- functionality of Union agriculture, forestry and food systems, investing in technological development and digitalisation, as well as improving the access to impartial, sound, relevant and new knowledge. Where suitable, research and innovation results should be shared with developing countries in the framework of the EU development cooperation in order to promote sustainable development.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14) In order to foster a smart and resilient agricultural sector, direct payments keep on constituting an essential part to guarantee a fair income support to farmers. Likewise, investments into farm restructuring, modernisation, innovation, diversification and uptake of new technologies are necessary to improve farmers’ market reward. In consideration of developing instruments and investment strategies of the Union such as its External Investment Plan and the Africa – Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs farmers should also be encouraged to responsibly invest in developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17

(17) The CAP should keep ensuring food security, which should be understood as meaning access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food at all times. Moreover, it should help improving the response of Union agriculture to new societal demands on food and health, including sustainable agricultural production, healthier nutrition, food waste and animal welfare. The CAP should continue to promote production with specific and valuable characteristics, while at the same time helping farmers to proactively adjust their production according to market signals and consumers’ demands. Without prejudice to its character as an internal Union policy, the CAP’s factual integration in the world economy should be considered with regard to both, opportunities and responsibility that arise from it for the Union and its global partners. With regard to developing countries, Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) shall be the guideline for the Union and its Member States.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

(21) Building on the previous system of cross-compliance implemented until 2020, the system of new conditionality links full receipt of CAP support to the compliance by beneficiaries of basic standards concerning the environment, climate change, public health, animal health, plant health and animal welfare. The basic standards encompass in a streamlined form a list of statutory management requirements (SMRs) and standards of good agricultural and environmental conditions of land (GAECs). These basic standards should better take into account the environmental and climate challenges and the new environmental architecture of the CAP, thus delivering a higher level of environmental and climate ambition as the Commission announced in its Communications on the ‘Future of Food and Farming’ and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). PCD shall be taken into consideration when designing, implementing and assessing the aforementioned requirements and standards. Conditionality aims to contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture through better awareness on the part of beneficiaries of the need to respect those basic standards. It also aims to make the CAP more compatible with the expectations of society through improving consistency of the policy with the environment, public health, animal health, plant health and animal welfare objectives. Conditionality should form an integral part of the environmental architecture of the CAP, as part of the baseline for more ambitious environmental and climate commitments, and should be comprehensively applied across the Union. For those farmers who do not comply with those requirements, Member States should ensure that proportionate, effective and dissuasive penalties are applied in accordance with [the HZR Regulation].

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24

(24) Member States should set farm advisory services for the purpose of improving the sustainable management and overall performance of agricultural holdings and rural businesses, covering economic, environmental and social dimensions, and to identify the necessary improvements as regards all measures at farm level provided for in the CAP Strategic Plans. These farm advisory services should help farmers and other beneficiaries of CAP support to become more aware of the relationship between farm management and land management on the one hand, and certain standards, requirements and information, including environmental and climate ones, on the other hand. The list of the latter includes standards applying to or necessary for farmers and other CAP beneficiaries and set in the CAP Strategic Plan, as well as those stemming from the legislation on water, on the sustainable use of pesticides, as well as the initiatives to combat antimicrobial resistance and the management of risks. In order to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the advice, Member States should integrate advisors within the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), in order to be able to deliver up-to-date technological and scientific information developed by research and innovation. Advisors should also be trained to impart better understanding of the CAP’s global dimension.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32

(32) Member States should be allowed to use part of their financial ceiling available for direct payments for coupled income support in order to improve competitiveness, sustainability, and/or quality in certain sectors and productions that are particularly important for social, economic or environmental reasons and undergo certain difficulties. Furthermore, Member States should also be allowed to use an additional part of their financial ceiling available for direct payments to grant coupled income support specifically for the support of protein crop production in order to reduce the Union's deficit in this regardIf Member States decide to grant coupled income support the Member States shall ensure that this does not generate a distortion of competition within the Union’s internal market. The EU, in compliance with the Union’s commitment to PCD and together with the Member State granting the coupled support, shall prevent adverse effects on developing countries. Furthermore, Member States should also be allowed to use an additional part of their financial ceiling available for direct payments to grant coupled income support specifically for the support of protein crop production in order to reduce the Union's deficit in this regard. Payments granted for the support of protein crop production should be in consistency with the suggestions that the European Commission made in its Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the development of plant proteins in the European Union while respecting the Union’s commitment to encourage the integration of all countries, especially developing countries, into the world economy. Responsible import of plant proteins to the European Union should be promoted by the introduction of a comprehensive action plan that is based on voluntary partnership with third countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33

(33) Compliance of coupled income support with the Union's international commitments and the general provisions on its external action should be ensured. This includes in particular the requirements of the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Economic Community and the United States of America on oilseeds within the framework of the GATT,17 as applicable subsequent to changes to the EU separate base area for oilseeds following changes to the composition of the EU. The Commission should have the power to adopt implementing acts for this purpose of laying down detailed rules in this respect. _________________ 17 Memorandum of Understanding between the Economic Community and the United States of America on oil seeds under GATT (OJ L147, 18/06/1993).

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41

(41) The objectives of the CAP should also be pursued through support for investments, productive as well as non- productive, on farm as well as off-farm. Such investments may concern, inter alia, infrastructures related to the development, modernisation or adaptation to climate change of agriculture and forestry, including access to farm and forest land, land consolidation and improvement, agro- forestry practices and the supply and saving of energy and water. In order to better ensure the consistency of the CAP Strategic Plans with Union objectives, as well as a level playing field between Member States, a negative list of investment topics is included in this Regulation. In consideration of reports, strategies and mechanism of the Union such as its External Investment Plan and the Africa– Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs as well as the upcoming report of the Task Force Rural Africa farmers should also be encouraged to responsibly invest in developing countries. Investments should be acknowledged as outbalancing potential negative aspects when assessing whether CAP support is in compliance with PCD.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46

(46) The Communication on ‘The Future of Food and Farming’ mentions the exchange of knowledge and focus on innovation as a cross cutting objective for the new CAP. The CAP should continue to support the interactive innovation model, which enhances the collaboration between actors to make best use of complementary types of knowledge with a view to spreading practical solutions. Farm advisory services should be strengthened within the AKIS. The CAP Strategic Plan should provide information on how advisory services, research and rural networks will work together. The exchange with experts in the field of development cooperation should be provided for in order to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices to developing countries. Each Member State or region, as appropriate, can fund a number of actions aimed at knowledge exchange and innovation, using the types of interventions developed in this Regulation.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 51

(51) For the purpose of ensuring adequate financing for certain priorities, rules on minimum financial allocations for these priorities should be set for the support under EAFRD. For the sake of ensuring a level playing field between farmers, both inside and outside the Union, a maximum allocation should also be set for the coupled support under direct payments. Furthermore, Member States should also be allowed to use an additional part of their financial ceiling available for direct payments to grant coupled income support specifically for improving the competitiveness, sustainability, and/or quality of the protein crop production.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

(70) In accordance with the principle of shared management, the Commission is assisted by committees formed by Member States representatives in the implementation of the CAP. With a view to simplifying the system and streamlining the position of Member States, only one Monitoring Committee is established for the implementation of this Regulation, merging the ‘Rural Development’ Committee and the ‘Direct Payments’ Committee, which were established under the 2014-2020 programming period. The responsibility to assist Member States in the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plans is shared between the Managing Authority and this Monitoring Committee. The Commission should also be assisted by the ‘Common Agricultural Policy’ Committee, and shall report to the Committee on Development of the European Parliament in accordance with the provisions laid down by this Regulation.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 72

(72) In a context where Member States will have much more flexibility and subsidiarity on the design of interventions, networks are a key tool to drive and steer policy and to ensure sufficient attention and capacity in the Member States. A single network should ensure better coordination between networking activities at the Union and at the national and regional levels. The European and national CAP network replace the current European Network for Rural Development and EIP for ‘agricultural productivity and sustainability’ networks and the National Rural Networks, in the form of a platform providing for more exchange of knowledge in order to capture the results and added value of the policy at European level, particularly the Horizon Europe policy. In the same perspective of improvement of the exchange of knowledge and innovation, an EIP for ‘agricultural productivity and sustainability’ is set up, implementing the interactive innovation model in accordance with the methodology outlined in this Regulation. The exchange with experts in the field of development cooperation should be provided for in order raise awareness and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 74

(74) The result-orientation triggered by the delivery model requires a strong performance framework, particularly since CAP Strategic Plans would contribute to broad general objectives for other shared managed policies. A performance-based policy implies annual and multi-annual assessment on the basis of selected outputs, result and impact indicators, as defined in the performance monitoring and evaluation framework. To this end, a limited and targeted set of indicators should be selected in a way which reflects as closely as possible whether the supported intervention contributes to achieving the envisaged objectives. Result and output indicators relating to climate- and environment-related objectives may include interventions set out in national environmental and climate-planning instruments emanating from Union legislation. The assessment whether the objectives of the CAP are achieved should also be done on the basis of indicators relating to the impact of the CAP on the Unions development objectives and on developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 75 a (new)

(75a) In order to ensure that interventions are in compliance with the Unions commitment to PCD, an ongoing and comprehensive monitoring should be provided for. The Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts with rules defining adequate measures governing the monitoring. In this context, the Commission should expand the mandate of the EU market observatories to monitor the global dimension of the CAP, especially imports and exports to and from developing countries. The Commission should be empowered to initiate dialogues with developing country partners where monitoring indicates that the CAP support has adverse effects on developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 75 b (new)

(75b) The CAP Monitoring system should be complemented by an independent system within the Union for receiving complaints by persons or communities affected by the CAP. The important role of the Parliament’s Committee on Development and its standing Rapporteur on PCD should be recognised.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 85 a (new)

(85a) In order to assess on the basis of indicators relating to the impact of the CAP on the Unions development objectives and on developing countries whether the objectives of the CAP are achieved the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)

In pursuing these objectives, account shall be taken of policy coherence for development and the Union’s development objectives.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. When designing, monitoring and assessing the CAP support the Union shall comply with the principle of Policy Coherence for Development(PCD) and facilitate the CAP support’s coordination with the Union’s external policies, in particular development and trade policies. Member States shall complement and reinforce the Unions efforts to comply with PCD in the framework of the CAP.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. The achievement of the objectives set out in Article 6 (3) shall also be analysed, monitored and assessed on the basis of indicators relating to the impact of the CAP, the CAP Strategic Plans and the interventions supported on the Unions development objectives and on developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 138 supplementing this Regulation with rules defining adequate measures to analyse, monitor and assess the impact of the CAP, the CAP Strategic Plans and the interventions supported on the Unions development objectives and on developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. The assessments should take into account responsible investments and good practices that may outbalance negative impacts.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Member States shall ensure that interventions are in compliance with the Unions commitment to PCD.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2

2. The farm advisory services shall cover economic, environmental and social dimensions and deliver up to date technological and scientific information developed by research and innovation. They shall be integrated within the interrelated services of farm advisors, researchers, farmer organisations and other relevant stakeholders that form the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). Experts in the field of development cooperation shall be enabled to have an ongoing exchange with AKIS in order to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices to developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Advisors should be trained to impart better understanding of the CAP’s global dimension.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. When a Member State includes voluntary coupled income support in its proposal for a CAP Strategic Plan submitted in accordance with Art. 106, the Commission shall carry out an ex-ante evaluation of the conditions, the scope and the level of support for each sector proposed by the Member State, to ensure that: (a) there is sufficient evidence for the conditions stated in paragraph 2; (b) the coupled income support does not generate a distortion of competition within the Union’s internal market. The Commission shall be empowered to initiate dialogues with developing country partners where the coupled income support has adverse effects on developing countries. On the basis of its assessment of the conditions laid down in this article, the Commission may approve the Member State's proposal or adjust it as described in Articles 115 and 116 in coordination with the Member State.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. If coupled income support is granted to a Member State, the Commission shall monitor it in cooperation with the Member State and ensure that the conditions provided for in the present Article are met continuously. The Commission shall be empowered to stop or scale down the coupled income support in question when the conditions are no longer met. Where necessary, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 138, supplementing this Regulation with measures to be adopted by Member States when deploying coupled income support, so as to eliminate the adverse effects on developing countries.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 86 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1

The indicative financial allocations for the coupled income support interventions referred to in Subsection 1 of Section 2 of Chapter II of Title III, shall be limited to a maximum of 105% of the amounts set out in Annex VII.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 86 – paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Payments from first pillar, including coupled support, shall be limited per hectare and beneficiary to the equivalent of twice the average of EU direct payments per hectare.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

2a. The body of the Member State responsible for drawing up the CAP Strategic Plan shall ensure that the competent authorities for the development cooperation are effectively involved consulted in drawing up and monitoring the CAP Strategic Plan in order to streamline it with the development cooperation policy of the Member State and the Union.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 102 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii

(ii) a description of how advisory services as referred to in Article 13, research and CAP networks will work together within the framework of the AKIS, ~~and~~ how advice and innovation support services are provided and how experts in the field of development cooperation shall be enabled to have an ongoing exchange with AKIS;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 111 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

The Member State shall decide the composition of the Monitoring Committee and shall ensure a balanced representation of the relevant public authorities and intermediate bodies and of representatives of the partners referred to in Article 94(3). Articles 94 (2) and 94 (2a) should duly be taken into account.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 113 – paragraph 1

1. Each Member State shall establish a national Common Agricultural Policy Network (national CAP network) for the networking of organisations and administrations, advisors, researchers and other innovation actors in the field of agriculture and rural development at national level at the latest 12 months after the approval by the Commission of the CAP Strategic Plan. The exchange with experts in the field of development cooperation should be provided for in order raise awareness and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 119 a (new)

Article 119a Independent system for receiving complaints The CAP Monitoring system shall be complemented by an independent system within the Union for receiving complaints by persons or communities affected by the CAP. Complaints shall be received by the Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on PCD and a Hearing Officer of the Commissions Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development. Evidence be may presented by the complainant or third parties.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 138 – paragraph 2

2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles 4, 7, 12, 15, 23, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, 41, 50,78, 81, 104 and 141 shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of seven years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the seven-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 138 – paragraph 3

3. The delegation of powers referred to in Articles 4, 7, 12, 15, 23, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, 41, 50, 78, 81, 104 and 141 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the powers specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 138 – paragraph 6

6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 4, 7, 12, 15, 23, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, 41, 50, 78, 81, 104 and 141 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE