Activities of María Isabel SALINAS GARCÍA related to 2007/0242(CNS)
Plenary speeches (1)
Support schemes for farmers (support for cotton) (debate)
Amendments (21)
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) By judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Communities of 7 September 2006 in case C-310/04 Chapter 10a of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 was annulled for breach of the principle of proportionality, in particular with reference to the circumstance that "the Council, the author of Regulation (EC) No 864/2004, [had] not shown before the Court that in adopting the new cotton support scheme established by that regulation it actually exercised its discretion, involving the taking into consideration of all the relevant factors and circumstances of the case, including all the labour costs linked to cotton growing and the viability of the ginning undertakings, which it was necessary to take into account for assessing the profitability of that crop" and that the Court had not been enabled "to ascertain whether the Community legislature [had been] able, without exceeding the bounds of the broad discretion it enjoys in the matter, to reach the conclusion that fixing the amount of the specific aid for cotton at 35% of the total existing aid under the previous support scheme would suffice to guarantee the objective set out in recital 5 in the preamble to Regulation (EC) No 864/2004, namely to ensure the profitability and hence the continuation of that crop, an objective reflecting that laid down in paragraph 2 of Protocol No 4". The Court also ordered that the effects of the annulment be suspended until the adoption, within a reasonable time, of a new regulationat the amount of the specific aid for cotton is calculated in such a way as to create economic conditions which will enable cotton-growing to continue in the regions devoted to that activity and prevent the replacement of cotton by other crops.
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) A new scheme of specific payment for cotton needs to be adopted in conformity with the Court's judgement in case C-310/04 – a scheme which, as described both in the Court’s judgement and in the objective formulated in the fifth recital of Regulation No 864/2004, should lead to profitability which will enable cotton- growing to continue on a sustainable basis.
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 3a (new)
Recital 3a (new)
(3a) Cotton is grown mainly in regions whose GDP is amongst the lowest in the European Union and whose economy is closely linked to agriculture. In such areas, cotton-growing and the ginning industry which supports it are prime sources of income and employment, accounting in certain cases for over 80% of activity in the area in which they are established. Furthermore, soil conditions in certain areas are such that, from an agronomic point of view, no alternative crop can be established in the short term.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 3b (new)
Recital 3b (new)
(3b) The current cotton-aid scheme is highly specific in nature. Its roots lie in the Accession Treaties relating to Greece, Spain and Portugal and one of its objectives is to support cotton production in certain Community regions which are now dependent on that crop, to provide the producers concerned with a fair income and to stabilise the market.
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 3c (new)
Recital 3c (new)
(3c) In order to enable specific situations to be addressed with the appropriate degree of flexibility, the Member States should be able to establish a certain balance between individual aid entitlements and regional or national averages and between current payments and the single payment. Furthermore, in order to enable a Member State’s specific agricultural conditions to be taken into account, it must be possible for that Member State to request a transitional period within which to apply the single- payment scheme, though without exceeding the budget ceilings established in connection with that scheme. Should competition be seriously distorted during the transitional period and in order to ensure that the obligations entered into by the Community at international level are fulfilled, the Commission should be able to take whatever action is required in order to deal with such situations.
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 4
Recital 4
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) All the relevant factors and circumstances pertaining to the specific situation of the cotton sector, including all the elements necessary to assess the profitability of that crop, should be taken into consideration. Cotton is grown in regions which still quality as convergence-objective regions for the 2007-2013 period and which have an essentially agricultural economy with few alternative crops. Furthermore, cotton- growing and the associated agri-industry are a major source of employment and wealth in those areas. To this end, an evaluation and consultation process was launched: two studies were carried out on the socio-economic and on the environmental impact on the cotton sector in the Community of the future cotton support scheme and specific seminars and an internet consultation were organised with stakeholders.
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The de-coupling of direct producer support and the introduction of the single payment scheme are essential elements in the process of reforming the common agricultural policy (CAP) aimed at moving away from a policy of price andCouncil Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 introduced the de-coupling of direct productioner support to a policy of farmer income support. Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 introduced those elementsand a single- payment scheme for several agricultural products.
Amendment 30 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) A complete integration in the single payment scheme of the support scheme operating in the cotton sector is likely towould bring a significant risk of production disruption to the cotton producer regions of the Community. PA significant part of the support should therefore continue to be linked to the cultivation of cotton through a crop- specific payment per eligible hectare. ItsThe amount shouldof that payment must be calculated in such a way so as to achieve the objectives set out in paragraph 2 of Protocol 4create economic conditions which while also brl enable cotton-growing theo cotton schemntinue into the mainstream of the CAP reform process and simplification. To that end, in the light of the evaluation carried out, it is justified that the total available aid per hectare per Member State is set at 35% regions devoted to that activity and prevent the replacement of cotton by other crops. To this end, it is justified that, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle, each Member State should be allowed to set the total available aid at up to 80%of the national share of the aid that went indirectly to the producers. Such a rate, the minimum percentage being 35%. This would allows the cotton sector to move towards long- term viability, promotes the sustainable development of the cotton- producing regions and ensures a fair income to farmers.
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 8a (new)
Recital 8a (new)
(8a) With a view to enabling the Member States to tailor coupled aid to the varying circumstances under which their production takes place (thereby ensuring that the cotton-ginning industries receive a supply which is adequate in terms of quality and quantity), the Member States must be allowed to devise means of differentiating that coupled aid on the basis of objective elements such as environmental criteria, the characteristics of cotton plantations, and so on.
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The remaining 65%percentage of the national share of the aid that went indirectly to the producers (which would be between 20% and 65%) should be available for the single payment scheme.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) For environmental reasons, a baseA base cultivation area per Member State should be established in order to limit the areas sown under cotton, with priority to be given to traditional growing areas in order to ensure that cotton-growing continues in areas in which cotton production is of particular importance to the agricultural economy. In addition, the eligible areas should be restricted to those authorised by the Member States.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In order to meet the needs of the ginning industry eligibility for the aid should be related to a minimum quality of cotton actually harvesteaccordance with the subsidiarity principle the Member States set the level of coupled aid between the above- mentioned limits and they should also establish the minimum quality of cotton actually harvested, so that farmers can avail themselves of that aid.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 13a (new)
Recital 13a (new)
(13a) In order to facilitate the transition from the previously established cotton-aid scheme to the scheme established under this Regulation, action will have to be taken in order to restructure the ginning sector.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1
Article 1
Regulation (EC) 1782/2003
Article 110b – (paragraph 1)
Article 110b – (paragraph 1)
1. The aid shall be granted per hectare of eligible area of cotton. In order to be eligible, the area shall be located on agricultural land authorised by the Member State for cotton production, sown under authorised varieties and actually harvescultivated under normal growing conditions. The aid referred to in Article 110a shall bMember States shall specify the minimum quality of harvested cotton which farmers must achieve if they are to secure access to the paid for cotton of sound and fair merchantable quality. . However, in cases where cotton does not reach the end of its production cycle on account of exceptional climatic conditions acknowledged as such by the Member State, the areas under cotton may continue to receive aid, provided that they are not used for a purpose other than cotton-production during the period which would have been covered by the cycle.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1
Article 1
Regulation (EC) 1782/2003
Article 110b (paragraph 2a new)
Article 110b (paragraph 2a new)
2a. Producer Member States may lay down additional terms and conditions relating to the sowing, growing, harvesting and delivery of cotton to ginning industries with a view to enabling cotton-growing to continue in production areas and to prevent it from being replaced by other crops.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1
Article 1
Regulation (EC) 1782/2003
Article 110c (paragraph 2)
Article 110c (paragraph 2)
2. The amount of the aid per eligible hectare shall be as follows: –- Bulgaria: EUR 263 to 601, – Greece: EUR 594 for 300 000 hectares and EUR 342.85 for the remaining 70 000 hectares46 euro to 1 248, – Spain: EUR 1 039, to 2 375 – Portugal: EUR 556 to 1 271
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1
Article 1
Regulation (EC) 1782/2003
Article 110c – paragraph 3 – sub paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 110c – paragraph 3 – sub paragraph 2 a (new)
If their production conditions so justify, the Member States may establish a percentage for aid coupled to production which may not exceed 80%.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article one
Article one
Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003
Article 110(2) – Paragraph 2
Article 110(2) – Paragraph 2
2. Farmers who are members of an approvAuthorised iInter-bBranch organisations shall be granted an aid, of EUR 10 per eligible hectare (within the base area laid down in Article 110c(1)), increased by an amount of EUR 3belonging to farmers which are members of those organisations..
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article one
Article one
Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003
Article 1a (new)
Article 1a (new)
Article 1a 1. In view of the effects produced within the ginning industries during the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons through application of the provisions in force during that period and with a view to making sure that the industry is viable in the future and consequently that cotton-growing continues, a specific plan for the restructuring of the ginning sector must be adopted, in order to enable that sector to adapt to changed circumstances. 2. Expenditure incurred in applying the ginning-sector restructuring plan shall be regarded as intervention measures intended to regularise agricultural markets, pursuant to Article 3(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005. 3. In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 144(2), the Commission shall adopt the rules governing application of the above paragraph - in particular, the rules relating to the financial and economic aspects which are necessary in order to compensate for the reduction in the volume of raw material which may be ginned by the industry and the possible abandonment of the sector by some of the existing companies.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article one
Article one
Rule (EC) No 1782/2003
Article 1(b)(new)
Article 1b 1. Actions aimed at agricultural- machinery service companies affected by the drop in production shall be promoted.