9 Amendments of Michl EBNER related to 2008/0103(CNS)
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Furthermore, in order to avoid the abandonment of agricultural land and ensure that it is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition, Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 established a Community framework within which Member States adopt standards taking account of the specific characteristics of the areas concerned, including soil and climatic conditions and existing farming systems (land use, crop rotation, farming practices) and farm structures. The abolition of compulsory set aside within the single payment scheme may in certain cases have adverse effects for the environment, in particular as regards ordinary biodiversity and certain landscape features. It is therefore appropriate to reinforce the existing Community provisions aiming at protecting, where appropriate, biodiversity and specified landscape features.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Protection and management of water in the context of the agricultural activity has increasingly become a problem in certain areas. It is therefore appropriate to also reinforce the existing Community framework for good agricultural and environmental condition with the aim to protect water against pollution and run-off and to manage the use of water. Biodiversity is partially a result of agricultural practices. It should be viewed as an environmental concern of the CAP. The European Community’s commitment to stemming the loss of biodiversity by 2010 makes it necessary to implement the means of achieving that goal. It is therefore appropriate also to strengthen the existing Community framework as concerns good agricultural and environmental condition, in order to preserve biodiversity throughout Community territory.
Amendment 160 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The savings made through the modulation mechanism introduced by Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 are used to finance measures under the rural development policy. Since the adoption of that regulation the agricultural sector has been faced with a number of new and demanding challenges such as climate change, the increasing importance of bio- energy, as well as the need for a better water management and a more effective protection of biodiversity. The European Community, as party to the Kyoto Protocol, has been called to adapt its policies in the light of the climate change considerations. Furthermore, following serious problems related to water scarcity and droughts, water management issues should be further addressed. Protecting biodiversity remains a major challenge and while important progress has been made, the achievement of the European Community’s biodiversity target for 2010 will require additional efforts. The Community acknowledges the need to tackle these new challenges in the framework of its policies. In the area of agriculture, a minimum threshold of actions should be introduced throughout Community territory using the first pillar of the CAP, which the rural development programs adopted under Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2006 of 20 September 2005 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) are an appropriate tool to deal with themwill complement in the pursuit of better-targeted actions and efforts. To enable Member States to revise their rural development programmes accordingly without being required to reduce their current rural development activities in other areas, additional funding needs to be made available. However, the financial perspectives for the period 2007 to 2013 do not provide for the financial means to reinforce the Community’s rural development policy as necessary. Under these circumstances it is appropriate to mobilise a large part of the financial resources needed by providing for a gradual increase of the reduction of direct payments through modulation.
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to help farmers to meet the standards of modern, high-quality agriculture, it is necessary that Member States operate a comprehensive system offering advice to commercial farms. The farm advisory system should help farmers to become more aware of material flows and on-farm processes relating to the environment, biodiversity, food safety, animal health and welfare without in any way affecting their obligation and responsibility to respect those standards.
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) Compulsory set aside of arable land was introduced as a supply control mechanism. Market developments in the arable crops sector together with the introduction of decoupled aids no longer justify the need for maintaining this instrument, which therefore should be abolished. SA proportion of the set-aside entitlements established in accordance with Articles 53 and 63(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 shall therefore be activated on hectares subject to the same eligibility conditions that any other entitlement. Loss of the environmental benefits of set-aside should be compensated by the introduction of new mechanisms, not least concerning biodiversity. The remainder of the set-aside entitlements should be made over to an obligation to preserve a biodiversity area, through the introduction of a biodiversity single payment entitlement.
Amendment 264 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a Each Member State shall be free to introduce ‘bonus’ cross-compliance that awards farmers bonus points for actions fostering biodiversity and implemented in addition to the obligations arising from good agro-environmental cross-compliance. Each Member State shall define the actions for which those points can be awarded. The bonus points may be used to offset penalty points incurred in the area of the good agricultural and environmental condition described to in Article 6. The arrangements for that offsetting shall be laid down by the Member States.
Amendment 459 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 35 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – letter (a a) (new)
Article 35 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – letter (a a) (new)
(aa) any area of the holding considered to be an agro-ecological element fostering biodiversity. Each Member State shall decide on the procedures for establishing a list of those elements;
Amendment 460 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 38 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
In order to preserve biodiversity throughout the Community, each agricultural holding must contain a biodiversity area. That area shall be set proportionately to the utilised agricultural area of the holding at a rate fixed at a minimum threshold of 2 %, which each Member State shall be free to increase on a voluntary basis. The hectares making up that biodiversity area shall consist principally of the agro-ecological elements defined by each Member State. Those hectares shall qualify for biodiversity single payment entitlement.
Amendment 765 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – line 5 a (new)
Annex III – line 5 a (new)
Issue: Preserve biodiversity Standards: maintain a biodiversity area