21 Amendments of Véronique MATHIEU HOUILLON 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 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) The de-coupling of direct support and the introduction of the single payment scheme were essential elements in the process of reforming the common agricultural policy. However several reasons called in 2003 for maintaining specific support for a number of crops. Experience gained through the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 together with the evolution of the market situation indicates that schemes that were kept outside the single payment scheme in 2003 can now be integrated into that scheme to promote a more market-oriented and sustainable agriculture. This is the case in particular for the olive oil sector, where only marginal coupling was applied. It is also the case for the durum wheat, protein crops, rice, potato starch, and nuts payments, where the decreasing effectiveness of remaining coupled payments, supports the decoupling option. In the case of flax it is also appropriate to abolish the support for processing and to integrate the relevant amounts into the single payment scheme. As regards rice, dried fodder,As regards potato starch and flax a transitional period should be provided for in order to ensure their shift to decoupled support to be as smooth as possible. As regards nuts, Member States should be allowed to continue to pay the national part of the aid in a coupled way in order to cushion the effects of decoupling.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) The de-coupling of direct support and the introduction of the single payment scheme were essential elements in the process of reforming the common agricultural policy. However several reasons called in 2003 for maintaining specific support for a number of crops. Experience gained through the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 together with the evolution of the market situation indicates that schemes that were kept outside the single payment scheme in 2003 can now be integrated into that scheme to promote a more market-oriented and sustainable agriculture. This is the case in particular for the olive oil sector, where only marginal coupling was applied. It is also the case for the durum wheat, protein crops, rice, and potato starch, and nuts payments, where the decreasing effectiveness of remaining coupled payments, supports the decoupling option. In the case of flax it is also appropriate to abolish the support for processing and to integrate the relevant amounts into the single payment scheme. As regards rice, dried fodder, potato starch and flax a transitional period should be provided for in order to ensure their shift to decoupled support to be as smooth as possible. As regards nuts, Member States should be allowed to continue to pay the national part of the aid in a coupled way in order to cushion the effects of decoupling.
Amendment 236 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) As a consequence of the integration of new schemes into the single payment scheme, provision should be made for the calculation of the new level of individual income support under that scheme. In the case of nuts, potato starch, flax and dried fodder, such increase should be granted on the basis of the support farmers received in most recent years. However, in the case of the integration of payments that were so far partially excluded from the single payment scheme, Member states should be given the option to use the original reference periods.
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 335 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The provisions set out in paragraph 1 shall only apply to payments fully integrated into the single payment scheme.
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 539 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 68 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 68 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States may decide by 1 August 2009 at the latest to use from 2010 up to 105% of their national ceilings referred to in Article 41 to grant support to farmers:
Amendment 565 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 68 – paragraph 1 – letter b
Article 68 – paragraph 1 – letter b
b) to address specific disadvantages affecting farmers in the dairy, beef, sheep and goatmeat and rice sectors in economically vulnerable or environmentally sensitive areas, such as the dairy, beef, sheep and goatmeat and rice sectors,
Amendment 649 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 69 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 69 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. The financial contribution granted per farmer shall be set at a maximum of 60% of the insurance premium due. Member States may decide to increase the financial contribution to 70% taking account of the climatic situation or the situation of the sector concerned..
Amendment 657 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 69 – paragraph 6 - subparagraph 1
Article 69 – paragraph 6 - subparagraph 1
6. Member States' expenditure for the granting of financial contributions shall be co-financed by the Community from the funds referred to in Article 68(1) at a rate of 480% of the eligible amounts of insurance premiumfinancial contribution set in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article.
Amendment 681 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 71
Article 71
Amendment 687 #
Proposal for a regulation
Title IV – Chapter 1 – Section 1 a (new)
Title IV – Chapter 1 – Section 1 a (new)
Amendment 740 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – line 5 – column 2
Annex I – line 5 – column 2
Title IV, Chapter 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/20031, Section 1a (‘Aid for Nuts’), of this Regulation
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
Amendment 772 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex X – Part I – indent 4
Annex X – Part I – indent 4