65 Amendments of Agnes SCHIERHUBER
Amendment 116 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. States that greater transparency intoregarding cost structure can be achieved through the creation of a European -wide data base, easily accessible to citizens, with reference prices of products and inputs, together with the costs of energy, pay, rents, duties and taxes from all across Europe; calls upon the Commission to draw up plans for such an electronic system, based on existing national models, such as the French "'observatoires des prix"'; further considers it is also necessary to create, in cooperation with the FAO, an international observatory ofor agricultural product, input and food prices in order to better monitor this data at thebetter at international level;
Amendment 122 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on Member State authorities and the European Commission to provide detailed research into and analysis intof price transmission and the margins applying between the farm gate and the final consumer price; calls for the instate, together with an analysis of the location and number of supermarkets, their turnover, and also their specific costs in terms of logistics and energy expenditure; calls for the establishment of a Commission task force on the food supply chain, working together with national competition authorities;
Amendment 133 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls for crisis reserves and storage to be set up at EU level for certain basic foodstuffs, along the same lines as for oil products;
Amendment 142 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for measures in support of cooperation between small agricultural producers so that they are able to compete with large producers, processors and retailers; considers that Member States and the European Union need to ensure the existence of various forms of commerce and avoid a total liberalisation of the food market, thatwhich would lead to further concentration; calls on the European Commission to launch a Green Paper on the issue of the market power of large retailers;
Amendment 143 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to monitor food imports more closely for compliance with European hygiene and environmental standards, in particular, so that imported products do not expose EU consumers to higher risks;
Amendment 145 #
2008/2175(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 20 #
2008/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the establishmenta clear demarcation between the scope of the EAFRD and othe separation ofr non- agricultural funding from the scope of cohesion policy and a broader regional development perspective may result insuch as funding under cohesion policy is needed to reduce the risk of some objectives (e.g. environmental protection and education) being either duplicated or omitted altogether,
Amendment 26 #
2008/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas, in view of budgetary constraints, there is a risk that funding available under the ERDF will be used to a large extent to boost economic competitiveness in larger urban centres or the most dynamic regions, while EAFRD financing will be focused on improving agricultural competitiveness, and that spending on support forthe diversification of non-agricultural activities and the development of SMEs in rural areas will fall in between both funds and not be covered by either,
Amendment 67 #
2008/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that rural development policy has a huge influencplays an important role oin territorial cohesion and that due consideration should be given to whether it is justifiablrural areas by targeting and addressing specific concerns in these areas and hence tohe separateion between rural development measures fromand cohesion and regional development policy is justified;
Amendment 82 #
2008/2100(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that including rural development policy withinand cohesion and regional development policy is only possible on the condition that rural development receives adequate funding, that this funding is used in line withmust be kept separate, as doing otherwise could lead to inadequate funding of the priorities set out for rural areas, and that rural development measures do not draand to a massive drop in resources intended for direct payments to farmers,
Amendment 18 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. welcomes the Green Paper on territorial cohesion as a method of dealing with the different areas of the European Union and calls in this connection for a common agricultural policy with a first and second pillar so that in the European Union, with regard to the international challenges, the economic environment can be effectively influenced accordingly with a view to making multifunctional mountain and hill farming viable, for which production- linked instruments, including as regards milk transport, are also necessary;
Amendment 23 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. emphasises the need for a European definition ofimportance of demarcating mountain areas based on scientific criteria, that can also be used in re-assessing 'Less Favoured Areas' and in reforming the CAP; 1 a prerequisite for targeted measures, such as, in particular, for mountain and hill farming, and the need for those areas to be properly classified by degree of natural disadvantage, which should be monitored to a greater extent by Member States on the basis of the current eligible-area map; Or. de 'ZukunftsraumTirol' initiative of the state of Tyrol in Austria.
Amendment 29 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. emphasises the role played by hill and mountain farming in production andwith an entrepreneurial production function for the cross-sectoral maintenance and utilisation of landscapes, and as a multifunctional basis for other sectors of the economy and characteristic feature of traditional cultural landscapes and social fabrics;
Amendment 38 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. pays tribute to the work carried out by mountain farmers; notes that the framework conditions for mountain farming (particularly as regards supplementary jobs or combined wage models) should not be complicated by red tape, but should be improved through the fusion of sectoral policies;
Amendment 39 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. emphasises that the compensatory payments inallowance for mountain areas are also justified in the longer term due to the lack of alternative production and that full decoupling would lead to a systematic reduction in activity affecting all sectornd other less favoured areas should continue in future to be geared exclusively towards offsetting permanent natural disadvantages; stresses further that, with regard to implementation, Member States have latitude so that they can take account of regional requirements;
Amendment 46 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. calls for more assistance for young farmers and equal opportunities for women and women (particularly through family- friendly measures and rules on part-time working) as vital factors;
Amendment 50 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. emphasises that producer associations and farming cooperatives make an important contribution to the stability and securityincome positioning of agricultural production on markets and should be given greater support accordingly;
Amendment 54 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. calls for special financial assistance for the dairy sector which plays a key role in mountain areas given the lack of alternative production; calls for a "soft landing" strategy to be adopted for mountain areas, during the milk quota reform, and for additional mto secure this livelihood-securing production area sures to redstainably, in particular accompanying instruments suceh any negative impacts, for instance, a dairy cow premium;
Amendment 66 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 68 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16.calls for guaranteed financial assistance for mountain regions and other less favoured areas,, in accordance with Article 69 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, and specific access to this assistance with minimum red tape, and for the upper limit for resources under Article 69 to be raised to 20%;
Amendment 94 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. recognises the successes achieved in mountain areas in the fields ofCites the importance of mountain areas for nature protection, biodiversity and habitat preservation, by the designation ofut points in particular to the need to maintain farming and forestry in "Natura 2000" areas and nature reserves;
Amendment 113 #
2008/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. calls for responsibility for mountain areas to be assigned to one single Member ofcoordination arrangements for mountain areas and less favoured areas to be functionally linked with the Ccommission when future Commissions are formedon agricultural policy and the second pillar (rural development);
Amendment 6 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. Wwhereas the Community Social Charter of 1989 recognisesmakes possible a workers’ right to ‘an equitable wage’; whereas in 1993 Parliament and the Commission addressed the need for coordinated policies on minimum wages in order to implement this right of workers to a wage ‘sufficient to enable them to have a decent standard of living’,
Amendment 53 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that there are still Member States in the EU-27 which do not have schemes providing for minimum wages as a defaulta minimum wage in place;
Amendment 60 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. CTherefore calls on the Council to agree on an EU target for minimum income schemes and contributory replacement income schemes of providing income support of at least 60 % of national median equalised income and on a timetable as to when this target shall be achieved by all Member Statesdevelop for the Member States a minimum security scheme that will enable people to have a dignified life;
Amendment 62 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that poverty in employment must be properly addressed; recalls that remuneration in general and especially minimum wages – regardless whether they areit is of a statutory nature or collectively agreed – mustshould prevent income poverty in any event;
Amendment 67 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 72 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that schemes providing for minimum wagessocial security must be complemented by supportive measures for social inclusion, e.g. on housing, education, training, re- training and lifelong learning and income support schemes, to cover the costs to individuals and households;
Amendment 110 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the Member States to preducevent child poverty by 50 % by 2012 as a first commitment towards the eradication of child poverty in the EUin their own countries;
Amendment 147 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Member States to phase out ‘activation policies’ that are based on too restrictive eligibility and conditionality rules for benefit recipients, force people into low-quality jobs that do not payrovide for a decent living standard;
Amendment 165 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. UrgeRequests the Member States to provide foconsider how far social default tariffs for vulnerable groups (e.g. in the fields of energy and public transport) can be introduced in order to promote active inclusion;
Amendment 171 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Council to agree an EU- wide commitment to end street homelessness by 2015 and the provision by Member States of integrated policies to ensure decent housing for all; uUrges Member States to devise ‘winter emergency plans’ as part of a wider homelessness strategy;
Amendment 197 #
2008/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 12 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) In the context of the assessment of the implementation of the common agricultural policy (CAP) reform of 2003, climate change, renewable energies, water management and, biodiversity and discontinuation of milk quotas were identified as crucial new challenges for European agriculture.
Amendment 15 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Given the importance of these Community priorities, the obligation for the Member States toshould provide in rural development programmes for a greater proportion of operations related to the new challenges should be set out, but only if, to date, Member States have not yet attached sufficient importance to those Community priorities.
Amendment 16 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 provides that, with a view to taking account of major changes in the Community priorities in particular, the Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) adopted by Council Decision 2006/144/EC may be subject to review. Therefore, a general obligatioencouragement should be given for the Member States to revise the national strategy plans following the review of the Community strategic guidelines should be set out in order to arrange the context for the programmes to be modified.
Amendment 19 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In view of the new obligations, the requirements on the content of the rural development programmes should be adapted. A non-exhaustive list which can subsequently be extended, depending on Member States' requirements, of types of operations should be provided in order to help the Member States to identify the relevant operations related to the new challenges in the context of the legal framework for rural development.
Amendment 22 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In accordance with Article 9(4) and Article 10(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No XXXX/XXXX of XX/XX/2008 [establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers] financial resources raised by way of the additional modulation are to be used for rural development support. It is appropriate to ensure that an amount equal toppropriate amount of those financial resources should be used to support operations related to the new challenges.
Amendment 27 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Given the additional, and specific and binding use of these amounts equal to those financial resources, the established balance between objectives of the support for rural development should not be affected.
Amendment 41 #
2008/0105(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005
Article 16 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (da)(new)
Article 16 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (da)(new)
(da) discontinuation of milk quotas
Amendment 152 #
2008/0103(CNS)
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 #
2008/0103(CNS)
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 #
2008/0103(CNS)
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 264 #
2008/0103(CNS)
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 #
2008/0103(CNS)
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 765 #
2008/0103(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – line 5 a (new)
Annex III – line 5 a (new)
Issue: Preserve biodiversity Standards: maintain a biodiversity area
Amendment 113 #
2008/0050(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 17 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) if the percentages of weight for the feed materials incorporated in compound feed for food producing animals are not indicated on the label, the manufacturer shall make available to the purchaser on request information on the quantitative composition data in a range of +/- 15% of the value according to the feed formulation, unless he considers this information to be commercially sensitive and that the disclosure could infringe his intellectual property rights;
Amendment 134 #
2008/0050(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 - introductory section
Article 22 – paragraph 2 - introductory section
2. The additional voluntary labelling may onlyin particular include the following particulars:
Amendment 3 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas animals are living, sentient beings and theirefore cannot be treated as commodities; whereas the protection and humanecorrect treatment of animals is a cultural and civilisational challenge for 21st- Century Europe,
Amendment 15 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the development of a strategic approach to EU animal health policy as well as the proposals for risk- based objectives and better regulation, and supports the overall aims, objectives and principles set out in the communicationnd supports the overall aims, objectives and principles set out in the communication, which will enable the EU to reinforce its protection mechanisms and preparedness in the face of the onset of new epizootic diseases;
Amendment 19 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that farmers, breeders and owners have an essential role to play in monitoring the health of animals and in the prevention and detection of diseases;
Amendment 43 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Points out that the proposed strategy can produce positive results if clear and transparent arrangements are laid down for the funding of the individual measures, something that the Commission communication fails to do; considers which, as in the case of strengthening surveillance systems and biosafety measures, will require greater funding; criticises the Commission for the fact that the communication makes no mention of the funding requirements for this policy; considers, moreover, that the strategy should clearly indicate by whom, and in what amount, individual measures – such as ensuring biological security on farms, vaccination programmes, scientific research or higher animal welfare standards – are to be funded;
Amendment 48 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Voices its dissatisfaction at the indications that individual measures will be financed from ‘existing’ funds, since those funds may prove inadequate and calls on the Commission to advocate enhancing the possibilities of the current veterinary fund, preparing its arguments for the budget discussions that will begin in 2009;
Amendment 96 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the need for a revision of the current cofinancing instrument and stresses that cofinancing arrangements should cover, among other things, risk categorisation, on the basis of the principle that the greater the risk, the greater the responsibility of anyone contributing to that riskwhich makes it possible to ensure that all the players assume their responsibilities and play a part in detecting and eradicating diseases;
Amendment 146 #
2007/2260(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Takes the view that veterinary and customs controls at EU borders should be particularly rigorous with a view to preventing the illegal import of or trafficking in animals, given the major risk of spreading disease that they entail; draws attention, in this connection, to the need for organisational, training and financial assistance to be provided to veterinary services at the EU's external borders, including its maritime borders, in particular in the new Member States;
Amendment 117 #
2007/0288(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – point (a)
Article 6 – point (a)
Amendment 168 #
2007/0288(CNS)
Proposal for a directive
Article 16 – paragraph 5
Article 16 – paragraph 5
5. By way of derogation from Article 14(2) of Directive 2003/86/EC and in respect of access to the labour market, Member States shall not apply theno time limit of 12 months.
Amendment 35 #
2007/0094(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – point c
Article 8 – point c
(c) recovery of public benefits, aid, or subsidies, including EU funding managed by Member States, granted to the employer during the 12 months preceding the detectime of illegal employment; where the actual duration of the illegal employment cannot be determined, an employment relationship of at least three months’ duration shall be assumed;
Amendment 114 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses the decisive importance of protecting human health and the environment in the approval process and underlines the use of objective scientific criteria, including long-term studies, in this respect;
Amendment 119 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 124 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the Commission's recent report on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming and urges better harmonisation of rules and conditions, including liability rules valid throughout the Community, within the EU; emphasises the importance of the right of farmers to choose between traditional, organic and genetically modified organism production and, therefore, the need to establish clear, uniform and transparent coexistence measures, including liability rules valid throughout the Community, that enable farmers to coexist with neighbours using different farming methods;
Amendment 136 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that there is a need for common labelling rules and better consumer information in accordance with WTO rules, taking account of consumers' preference for non-GM foodstuffs;
Amendment 138 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Asks for clarification concerning liability for damages incurred in the growing and using of biotechnological products with regard to: who is liable, what can be claimed and under what circumstances a claim can be made, bearing in mind who gains advantages and the greatest benefit from the use of biotechnology products;
Amendment 146 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the European Commission, when it makes its decision, to take greater account of the studies concerning biotechnology submitted by the Member States and not to go against the views of the Member States and public attitudes towards biotechnology;
Amendment 151 #
2006/2059(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that the existence of publicly funded independent research must be guaranteed and R&D activity in small biotechnology undertakings and plant- technology centres must be supported in order to maintain maximum competitiveness at the various levels of the food production chain;