Activites

• 1999/06/21 Final act published in Official Journal
• 1999/03/09 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0144/1999 summary

    The European Parliament approved the resolution by Sirkka-Liisa Anttila (ELDR/FI) on a new strategy for agriculture in arctic regions. The report calls for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to be regionalised and made more flexible in order to take account of the special needs of arctic, sub-arctic, mountain and drought-stricken regions and for producers to receive compensation for losses of income arising from the Agenda 2000 proposals, taking full account of regional conditions. It reiterates its call for support to be paid for grass silage in arctic, sub-arctic and mountain regions, corresponding to that paid for maize silage and requests that the Commission clarify the real impact of the proposed additional milk quota on the viability of milk production in these regions, taking account of the impact of increased competition on consumer prices. The Commission is also called upon to promote more actively than at present sustainable development and high standards of environmental protection, animal welfare and ethically sound agriculture throughout EU territory by rendering subsidies conditional on compliance with such requirements, and to render conditions for payment of environmental subsidies more stringent with the aim of reducing the use of fertilisers and plant protection products. The Parliament urges the Commission to adopt ambitious objectives for reducing to a minimum the prevalence of salmonella within EU territory and halting the use of antibiotics to prevent animal diseases, with the aim of safeguarding the health of consumers. It also calls for account to be taken, in future decisions on support, of the additional costs arising from the need to dry cereals and hay mechanically. The Parliament also considers it important to take account in Community support schemes of the fact that production costs in arctic and peripheral regions are increased by the long transport distances and that flexible and specially adapted agricultural support is needed in this specific region in order to be able to keep the countryside alive and protect this unique environment. The report underlines the importance of encouraging local production, local and on-farm processing, direct sales of products and diversification and supporting smallness of scale and, in this context, calls on the Commission to study the scope for aiding small-scale production and traditional production systems, breeds and species. It stresses that support must cover the entire production chain and advocates the promotion of ecologically and environmentally sound tourism. The Parliament calls for specific support for decentralised production and direct marketing of regional products in order to reduce long-haul transport and to increase consumer access to fresh and high quality food as well as for the Sami culture and reindeer farming. Finally, the Commission is called upon to draw up a comprehensive account of the differences in biological conditions affecting agriculture in the EU's arctic and mountain regions in comparison with the rest of the EU and to make the necessary adjustments to the CAP.�

• 1999/02/17 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0073/1999
• 1998/03/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading

Documents

• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A4-0073/1999
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0144/1999

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)