50 Amendments of Åsa WESTLUND related to 2009/2236(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – a (new)
Citation 4 – a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 12 March 2009 on ‘the challenge of deterioration of agricultural land in the EU and in particular in southern Europe: the response through EU agricultural policy instruments’
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – b (new)
Citation 4 – b (new)
- having regard to European Council Conclusions of 26 March 2010 on the EU post 2010 vision and target for halting biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation by 2020
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – c (new)
Citation 4 – c (new)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – d (new)
Citation 4 – d (new)
- having regard to the study ‘Funding for Farmland Biodiversity in the EU: Gaining Evidence or the EU Budget Review (2008) by the Institute of European Environmental Policy
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – e (new)
Citation 4 – e (new)
- having regard to the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology (IAASTD) report drawn up by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Bank and signed by 58 countries
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 – f (new)
Citation 4 – f (new)
- having regard to the Commission Communication ‘An EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges’
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, to date, the Common Agricultural Policy has met its original goals with regard to achieving better productivity in the food chain, contributing to a fair standard of living for the agricultural community, market stabilisation and the provision of food supplies to EU consumers at reasonable prices, whilst acknowledging that this has been accompanied by unacceptable environmental effects which must be addressed;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas agriculture remains an important sector of the economy and at the same time, if appropriately managed, provides essential environmental public goods by maintaining natural resources and cultural landscapes, a precondition for all human activities in rural areas,
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the economic crisis has had a serious negative effect on agriculture, with farm income decreasing by 12.2% on average between 2008 and 2009 and unemployment in rural areas increasing in the last year; whereas as a direct effect of the economic crisis, consumption in Europe decreased on average by 10.55% between 2008 and 2009, and in some Member States this reduction exceeded 20%; whereas other effects of the economic crisis have been a lack of access to credit for farmers and a strain on the public finances of the Member States, weakening their ability to provide co- financing. However co-financing should not be excluded as a possibility to provide funds. But it is important to find a common framework for co-financing,
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas price volatility in agricultural markets has increased dramatically and is expected to increase furtherbeen a recent fact and might increase in the future, leading to extreme booms and busts in agricultural commodity prices on European markets; whereas between 2006 and 2008, the prices of several commodities rose considerably, some by as much as 180%, as was the case for grains; whereas dairy prices collapsed in 2009, falling on average by 40%; whereas extreme fluctuations in prices have had detrimental consequences for producers and have not benefited consumers,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas agri-environmental indicators show an important potential for the agricultural sector in the effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly with regard to carbon sequestration and the production of renewable energy; whereas, direct reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions and the production of renewable energy which secure genuine emission savings; whereas appropriate agricultural activity is often essential for the preservation and promotion of biodiversity, water management and combating soil erosion and can be a key factor in addressing climate change, whereas appropriate actions by the agricultural sector is essential to enable biodiversity to better adapt to the effects of climate change.
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas agriculture is both a source and sink for greenhouse gas emissions; whereas greenhouse gas emissions caused by agricultural activity (including rearing of livestock) decreased by 20% between 1990 and 2007 in the 27 Member States; whereas the proportion of these emissions produced by agriculture dropped from 11% in 1990 to 9.3% in 2007, inter alia as a result of more effective use of fertilisers and liquid manure, the recent structural reforms of the CAP and the gradual implementation of agricultural and environmental initiatives, and a significant decline in livestock numbers, due to the recent structural reforms of the CAP
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas climate change poses one of the most serious threats not only to the environment, but to every sector of the economy, with agriculture one of the most vulnerable;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas the share of CAP expenditure in the EU budget has steadily decreased from nearly 75% in 1985 to a projected 39.3% in 2013; whereas this represents less than 0.45% of the EU's GDP; whereas the decline in budgetary expenditure on market measures is even more significant – from 74% of all CAP expenditure in 1992 to less than 10% at present; whereas CAP expenditure has constantly moved away from market support and export subsidies to decoupled payments and rural development,
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the EU must continue to ensure food security for its citizens as well as help feed the world's poor; whereas the number of hungry people now exceeds 1 billion and in the European Union today there are over 40 million poor people who do not have enough to eatnumber of hungry people in the world now exceeds 1 billion and in the European Union today there are over 40 million poor people who do not have enough to eat; whereas the EU must ensure food security for its citizens through a combination of social, environmental, economic and agricultural policies, whereas the EU must contribute to global food supplies and help developing countries to develop their agricultural sectors in a sustainable and appropriate way,
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomeRecalls the recognition of the multi- functional role of farmers in delivering public goods such as preserving our environment, high-quality food production, good animal husbandry, shaping and improving the diversity and quality of valued landscapes in the EU, and the move to more sustainable farming practices by not only meeting the basic requirements for maintenance of the land in a Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) but also achieving even higher standards through agri- environmental schemes, precision farming and organic productionomoting integrated production and organic production; whilst recognising the need for political will and concerted action to integrate the concept of sustainability further in European farming;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls that the CAP is the most integrated of all EU policies and therefore logically accounts for the largest share of the EU budget; recognises that its share of the budget has steadily decreased from about 75% of the total EU budget in 1985 to 39.3% by 20135 , representing less than 0.45% of total EU GDP6 , whilst at the same time support is more thinly spread today with 12 new Member States joining the EU, and recognises that the budget will have to be reviewed in order for the EU to deliver its future priorities in line with the Europe 2020 strategy;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is of the opinion, therefore, that the CAP has evolved, becoming greener and more market-orientated, and has dramatically reduced its impact on developing countries, whilst at the same time offering support to farmers to produce high-quality food for European consumers; is of the opinion that the CAP should continue this trajectory through full integration of sustainable development principles,
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out that food security remains the central challenge for EU agriculturemany developing countries as poverty prevents many people from accessing affordable food, and as the world population is predicted to grow from 6 to 9 billion by 2050 and demand for food will double by 2050 according to the FAO (especially in emerging economies such as China or India);
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. In respect of food security, insists that appropriate account of the Policy Coherence for Development agenda is taken to ensure that CAP reform is consistent with other EU initiatives with regard to its impact on Developing Countries.
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Affirms that Europe will have to make a substantialmust continue to contribute to global food supplies to make a contribution to meeting that need against a background of less land, less water and reduced energy inputs due to the impact of climate change, which will act as a serious constraint on European capacity to increase supply;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that agriculture is well placed to make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change by continuing to reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and increasing carbon sequestration;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises the importance of reinforcing the progress already made to preserve biodiversity and protect the environment through recent CAP reforms whilst recognising the continuing challenges of biodiversity loss and natural resource degradation and the need for political will and concerted action to tackle these issues;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes that the CAP must provide immediatfarmers should ensure they are presponses topared for the effects of the economic crisies on farming businesses such as the lack of access to credit for farmers, constraints on farm incomes7 , and increasing rural unemployment;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that the CAP must continue to provide solutions to the threat of land abandonment, rural depopulation and the ageing of the rural population in the EU to ensure the long-term sustainability of rural communities in the EU, therefore it is furthermore necessary to continue a target-oriented rural development in the CAP;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is of the opinion that a strong European Common Agricultural Policy is needed to ensure that EU farmers remain competitive on the world market against well subsidised trading partners; believes that the EU cannot afford to rely on other parts of the world to provide for European food security in the context of climate change, political instability in certain regionproduce food in a sustainable way, avoiding contamination of soil and water, halt biodiversity loss, and help to reduce climate change, keeping EU farmers ofn the world and potential outbreaks of diseases or other events potentially detrimental to production capacityland, and maintaining European food production into the future;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recalls, as Article 39 of the Lisbon Treaty rightly suggests, that agriculture is a specific sector which suffers from a long- term production cycle and several types of market failureeconomic challenges such as high market volatility, great exposure to natural disasters, a high level of risk, lack of demand elasticity, and the fact that farmers are 'price-takers' rather than 'price-makers' in the food supply-chain;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recognises that farmers deliver a range of public goods which the market does not reward them for; therefore insists that they must be fairly rewarded and further incentivised to continue delivering higher- quality products, better animal welfare conditions and additional environmental benefits which go beyond existing statutory requirements;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – subparagraph a (new)
Paragraph 24 – subparagraph a (new)
a) Takes the view that organic farming, High Nature Value farming systems and agro-ecological practices (Integrated Production) need further support and development in Europe; emphasises, in parallel, the need to facilitate a transition to more sustainable agriculture and adoption of agro-ecological practices in conventional systems of production practiced on the majority of EU farmland;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls, therefore, that unless appropriate and sustainable farming activity is preserved across the EU, no the provision of environmental public goods will be possible;restricted
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Believes, in line with the latest research available, that without a common agricultural policy targeting environmental public good delivery and ensuring a strong legislative baseline for environmental protection, unbalanced modes of production would develop across the EU (extreme intensification on the best land and widespread land abandonment in some disadvantaged areas), causing serious damage to the environment; insists that the cost of support through a strongleading to negative environmental effects in some areas, insists that the cost of support for environmental public goods through the CAP is nothinglow compared to the costs of no action and its negative unintended consequences;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recalls that EU farmers produce food to the highest safety, quality and animal welfare standards; believes that imports from third countries should, respecting WTO rights and obligations, meet the same requirements to ensure fair competition; insists on giving special consideration for developing countries exports;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls for the guarantee of a fair and stable return for the farming community, to remain ahrough rewarding for the delivery of public goods, to become the primary goal for the new CAP, whilst providing good value for money and a fair return for consumeritizens;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Believes that agriculture has a leading role to play in tackling climate change by reducing GHG emissions, increasing carbon sequestration capacity and developing and using more sustainable renewable energy sources which deliver proven and significant emission savings; believes that climate considerations should be integrated across all CAP measures where appropriate;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Considers that production efficiencynatural resource efficiency (including water and soil management) is fundamental to more sustainable management of scarce resourcesfood production and that farmers should innovate by using the latest financial, scientific and technical tools to help meet the growing demand forproduce food in a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner;
Amendment 462 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 – subparagraph a (new)
Paragraph 40 – subparagraph a (new)
a) 40b. Calls for the future CAP to improve - through the provision of information, training and incentives underpinned by appropriate legislation and the development of a mandatory agricultural practices through stronger GAEC requirements - the sustainability of agriculture through: - enriching the soil with organic matter, increasing soil biodiversity and protecting against soil losses through appropriate cultivation techniques, - utilising water resources efficiently and in line with the environmental threshold of the catchment area, - protecting water quality and contributing to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive through sound management of soils, field margins, inputs, livestock and appropriate land use choices, - protecting valuable carbon stores including peatland and permanent grassland, - protecting and enhancing areas of natural habitat for wildlife, - reducing the use of pesticides to contribute to the objectives of the Sustainable Use Directive and reflecting the requirement for mandatory integrated pest management from 2014. - reducing artificial fertiliser use to contribute to climate change mitigation, water quality and efficient resource use.
Amendment 483 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Believes that farmers are well placed to contribute to green growth and respond to the energy crisis through the development of sustainable green energy in such forms as biomass, biowaste, biogas, second- generation biofuels and small-scale wind, solar and hydro energy, which will also help create new green job opportunities;
Amendment 519 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Recognises the wide range of new priorities for the CAP and notes that the new Member States' expectation when they joined the European Union was that CAP support would, over time, reach parity with old Member States; therefore calls for the 2013 CAP budget amount to be at least maintained post-2013 if the EU is to meet its current commitments and successfully deliver the new priorities;
Amendment 532 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
Amendment 572 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48 – point 1
Paragraph 48 – point 1
(1) Believes that in order to reduce the disparities in the distribution of direct support funds between Member States, the hectare basis alone will not be sufficient and, therefore, calls for additional objective criteria such as a purchasing power coefficient and degree of public good delivery to be used to achieve an overall balanced distribution;
Amendment 609 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
Amendment 633 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Identifies the need for five key building blocks, namely: Basic Food Security and Fair Trade, Sustainability, Agriculture across Europe, Biodiversity and Environmental Protection, and Green Growth, to achieve a fairer, greener and more sustainable CAP;
Amendment 641 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Believes that there should be a basic EU-funded direct area payment to all EU farmers in order to provide basreturn for the delivery of basic environmental public fgood security for European consumers, allow farmers to produce high-quality food competitively in relation to well subsidised trade partners (US), ensure thas and to support the widespread transition towards more sustainable farming in Europe. By protecting and enhancing the natural resource base, this will in turn protect the capacity to produce food in Europe and contribute to basic food security for European consumers. A basic payment would support farming activity continues across the EU and provide baseline public goods through enhanced cross-compliance requirements for Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions, which go beyond existing statutory requirements (regulations) and encourage more sustainable agricultural practices across the EU, as well as high quality and animal welfare standards; calls for an absoluthe requirement of minimum activity to be includretained in the cross-compliance rules and proportionality to be the key principle applied when enforcing the rules;
Amendment 646 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Believes that there should be a basic EU-funded direct area payment to all EU farmers in order to provide basic food security for European consumers, allow farmers to produce high-quality food competitively in relation to well subsidised trade partners (US), ensure that farming activity continues across the EU and provide baseline public goods through cross-compliance requirements for Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions, as well as high quality and animal welfare standards; calls for an absolute requirement of minimum activity to be included in the cross-compliance rules and proportionality to be the key principle applied when enforcing the rules, points out that direct area payment should be linked to the farmer and not to the land-owner;
Amendment 668 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57
Paragraph 57
Amendment 685 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58
58. Calls for the continuation of specific measures to compensate High Nature Value farmers who producing in areas with natural handicaps in order to ensure thate high levels of environmental public goods, often in areas with natural handicaps and environmental sensitive areas, in order to ensure that environmentally valuable agricultural activity takes place and local food is produced across the EU, reducing the threat of land abandonment and ensuring balanced territorial management across the EU; considers that this support scheme should only target economically marginalised farming systems where they produce high levels of environmental goods and remain co-financed as it currently is;
Amendment 704 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Believes that the CAP needs to further incentivise biodiversity and environmental protection measures by providing the opportunity for the vast majority of agricultural land to be covered by agri- environmental schemes to reward farmers for the delivery of biodiversity and additional eco-system services which are not rewarded by the market or secured through legislative requirements, while other measures beneficial to the environment such as organic farming projects, the sustainable use of forests, water and soil, and the development of high natural value farming should also be encouraged; considers that all these rural development measures should remain co- financed, with an increased budget if necessary;
Amendment 710 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59 – subparagraph a (new)
Paragraph 59 – subparagraph a (new)
a) Believes that agri-environment measures have significant potential to contribute to the sector’s sustainable climate change mitigation, adaptation to changing climatic conditions and resilience to extreme weather events.
Amendment 729 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60 a (new)
Paragraph 60 a (new)