PURPOSE: laying down specific agricultural measures in favour of the small Aegean Islands.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Regulation (EC) No 615/2008 amending Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 laying down specific measures for agriculture in favour of the smaller Aegean islands and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers.

CONTENT: the amendments introduced by this Regulation aim to lay down specific measures on agriculture to remedy the difficulties caused by the remote and insular nature of the smaller Aegean islands. Specific supply arrangements are introduced for the agricultural products listed in Annex I to the Treaty, which are essential in the smaller islands for human consumption, for the manufacture of other products or as agricultural inputs.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 29/06/2008.

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution approving, in the framework of the consultation procedure, the Commission proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 laying down specific measures for agriculture in favour of the smaller Aegean islands and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003. The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Neil PARISH (EPP-ED, UK) on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted a report drafted by Neil PARISH (EPP-ED, UK) approving, in the framework of the consultation procedure, the Commission proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 laying down specific measures for agriculture in favour of the smaller Aegean islands and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 in order to make it compatible with the Treaty and other secondary EU legislation.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: in 2006 the EU adopted legislation laying down specific agricultural measures in favour of the small Aegean Islands (See Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 CNS/2006/0093 ). Two lines of support to the small Aegean Islands are foreseen in the Regulation in order to alleviate the problems deriving from the particular geographical situation of some of the islands and the additional transport costs entailed in supplying certain products to them. The two main lines of support refer to:

Products which are essential for human consumption; for processing; or as agricultural inputs. This provision is set out in Article 3 to the Regulation. They are, however, also included in Annex I to the Treaty. Article 3, therefore, needs to be amended in order to limit the scope of the Article to these products only. Local agricultural products in general (Article 7). These refer, inter alia , to products of the soil, of stock farming and of fisheries and products of first-stage processing directly related to these products. Article 7 also needs to be amended in order to make it compatible with the Treaty (Title II of Part Three)

Furthermore, most of the measures referred to in Chapter III of Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 constitute direct payments. They should, therefore, be referenced in Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003. On a final point, Article 9(e) of the Regulation refers to checks and administrative penalties. The Commission is proposing to amend this Article in order to exclude checks and administrative penalties from programme proposals submitted by the competent authorities of Greece.

For the reasons outlined above, the Commission is proposing to amend Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006.

PURPOSE: to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 in order to make it compatible with the Treaty and other secondary EU legislation.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

CONTENT: in 2006 the EU adopted legislation laying down specific agricultural measures in favour of the small Aegean Islands (See Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 CNS/2006/0093 ). Two lines of support to the small Aegean Islands are foreseen in the Regulation in order to alleviate the problems deriving from the particular geographical situation of some of the islands and the additional transport costs entailed in supplying certain products to them. The two main lines of support refer to:

Products which are essential for human consumption; for processing; or as agricultural inputs. This provision is set out in Article 3 to the Regulation. They are, however, also included in Annex I to the Treaty. Article 3, therefore, needs to be amended in order to limit the scope of the Article to these products only. Local agricultural products in general (Article 7). These refer, inter alia , to products of the soil, of stock farming and of fisheries and products of first-stage processing directly related to these products. Article 7 also needs to be amended in order to make it compatible with the Treaty (Title II of Part Three)

Furthermore, most of the measures referred to in Chapter III of Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006 constitute direct payments. They should, therefore, be referenced in Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003. On a final point, Article 9(e) of the Regulation refers to checks and administrative penalties. The Commission is proposing to amend this Article in order to exclude checks and administrative penalties from programme proposals submitted by the competent authorities of Greece.

For the reasons outlined above, the Commission is proposing to amend Regulation (EC) No 1405/2006.