Progress: Procedure completed
Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
---|---|---|---|
Lead | DEVE | STRIFFLER Michèle ( PPE), TOIA Patrizia ( S&D), GOERENS Charles ( ALDE), SARGENTINI Judith ( Verts/ALE) | |
Committee Opinion | ENVI | ||
Committee Opinion | AGRI | TARABELLA Marc ( S&D) |
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Subjects
Events
The Commission presents a second report on progress towards achieving the aims of the EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges’, which was adopted in 2010.
Since then, further EU development policy commitments have been undertaken to reinforce priorities established in 2010. An implementation plan was produced and discussed in Council in April 2013, which requested that the European Commission establishes, jointly with Member States, consolidated EU-wide biennial progress reports from 2014 onwards.
Therefore, the Commission coordinates this second report with inputs from the following Member States: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. It sets out how the EU and its Member States are delivering on the policy priorities for food and nutrition security , agreed in 2013.
Main findings: the report illustrates that EU development cooperation is making a substantial contribution to global food and nutrition security through its EUR 3.7 billion in investments. The EU and its Member States have been instrumental in influencing key global agreements and commitments, and through their food and nutrition security programming are now well placed to support their implementation.
The report indicates significant alignment with the EU policy framework . The EU and its Member States have renewed policy commitments to food and nutrition security and in a number of cases have substantially improved their focus and funding.
Among the main recommendations made in the report regarding the way forward are the following;
keep food and nutrition security at the forefront of the global and national policy agenda to support implementation of the sustainable development goals. Continued emphasis is needed on transforming the role of women and on building the resilience of vulnerable communities; strengthen a joint multi-sectoral approach to tackling under nutrition : the EU and its Member States must give more attention to coordination when engaging with partner governments in policy dialogue to improve the implementation of nutrition initiatives; join forces to support partner countries to address the impact of climate change , while implementing the best options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farming and rural areas: due attention will be given to programmes that provide small-scale family farmers with multiple benefits in terms of food and nutrition security and climate change adaptation and mitigation; recognise rural transformation as a critical process to create jobs, raise income and achieve food and nutrition security in the long-term : more work is needed to create the conditions for economic investment and development in rural areas; enhance mechanisms to boost responsible private sector engagement and to learn from inclusive business models : create effective public private partnerships that ensure governance mechanisms in which producer organisations and civil society organisations have a voice, and strengthen ‘inclusive business’ approaches; ensure continued investment in research and innovation and scale up the impact of investment : there is a need to mobilise European expertise and research resources and strengthen partnerships between European and southern research institutions, including through the jointly funded EU Africa Research Partnership. Further work is also needed to better understand future food and nutrition security trends and risks and possible responses to them; strengthen results reporting , through substantially improved data gathering, monitoring and impact assessment mechanisms at all levels; strengthen joint programming , with improved joint programing initiatives in at least three countries.
The Commission presents its first biennial report on the Implementation Plan for Food and Nutrition Security. The report looks at how the disbursements and specific interventions made in 2012 aligned with the six policy priorities in the Plan and how the EU and its Member States adhered to the principles of coherence, complementarity and coordination in addressing these priorities.
The main findings of the report may be summarised as follows :
Overall figures : EU donors invested almost EUR 3.4 billion in food and nutrition security in 2012, corresponding to approximately 8% of their total official development assistance (ODA). Interventions were split among 2500 programmes and covered more than 115 countries. The majority of interventions (approximately 65%) operated at country level. Geographically, Africa was the largest recipient of funds in 2012, receiving 43% of total contributions. In Africa, Member States focused their support on specific countries, while the EU had a broader geographical spread.
Distribution of disbursements : more than half of all the funds disbursed in 2012 (EUR 2 billion, approximately 60% of the total) were allocated to Priority 1, demonstrating that improving smallholder resilience and rural livelihoods was an important objective of combined EU assistance. Some 1560 programmes in more than 100 countries were funded. Priority 1 was followed by Priority 5 (Enhance nutrition) which received 14%, and Priority 2 (Support effective governance) at 12%.
Coordination, complementarity and coherence (3Cs) :
· With 44 countries supported by more than five EU donors, coordination plays an important rol e in ensuring EU aid effectiveness at country level, with the EU aligning with the food and nutrition security strategies and agricultural investment plans of partner countries. Existing structures, such as sector working groups (which are often not limited to only EU donors), are regarded as key mechanisms.
· The EU’s joint programming contributes significantly to EU and its Member States’complementarity and synergies . Since 2011, joint programming processes have been started in approximately 20 partner countries, although in each country the process is at a different stage. An example of joint programming by the EU and its Member States is the development of an EU+ Road Map for nutrition in Ethiopia.
· Actions falling under the six priorities have been reported to be consistent with partner countries’ strategies. Coordination within the EIARD platform fosters joint policies and strategies in Europe and also helps build coherence, coordination and complementarity. These formal and informal arrangements also serve to coordinate EU donors’ participation in international fora and initiatives. This includes the UN General Assembly, Human Rights Council, CFS, the SUN Movement, the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), G8 and G20.
The report notes the following findings :
· There may be opportunities for EU donors to operate more efficiently : 68 partner countries received less than EUR 3 million on average per donor. Average payment size is EUR 1.34 million. This is most striking in Central America, where four countries are supported by four or more donors with an average amount per donor of less than EUR 2.2 million. EU donors need to continue to improve their division of labour, under partner countries’ leadership of course.
· Demand-led research, extension and innovation needs more attention , both in terms of increased investments in accordance with 2010 commitments and, in particular, to ensure the translation of results into action on the ground so as to maximise impact.
· EU donors’ coordination at country level should move beyond information sharing . Coordination mechanisms have been particularly successful at global, continental and regional levels, as shown by the EIARD experience and in West Africa by the ECOWAP coordination mechanism for development partners. However, at country level there is scope for improvement by taking coordination beyond information sharing for greater coherence, complementarity and lesson sharing.
· In partner countries, there is a potential for more dialogue with farmers’ organisations, local and international NGOs and the private sector , especially regarding national programme formulation and implementation. This should be pursued in all our partner countries. A case study carried out in Ethiopia demonstrated that the joint European contribution to addressing food and nutrition security was very relevant in terms of policy development and investments.
· Joint programming in relation to food and nutrition security needs to be strengthened . This can also lead to more joint result-based frameworks, monitoring and evaluation, including at community level.
Lastly, the Commission stresses that the methodology used to develop this report will be improved. The next report will deal with selected topics and policy priorities, and put more emphasis on results/impacts. It will also be illustrated by case studies undertaken with partners and with Member States.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges, in response to the Commission communication on the same subject.
Members recall that the number of people suffering from hunger amounted to 925 million in 2010 according to the FAO and that hunger and malnutrition are the main causes of human mortality. However, the World Bank estimates that growth in the agricultural sector is twice as effective at reducing poverty as growth in other sectors, but having regard also to the importance of investing in rural non-farm sector growth and job creation,
Parliament also recalls that that there has been a rise in food prices since August 2010, following a trend over the last ten years, with levels now higher than during the food price peak of 2008. The volatility of commodity prices is impacting greatly on low income countries and the poorest and most vulnerable and marginalised segments of the populations of developing countries.
Against this background, an EU policy framework on food and nutrition security is necessary, because the number of people suffering from hunger is unacceptable . Parliament calls for urgent steps to be taken to fulfil internationally binding commitments and make the right to adequate and nutritious food a reality.
Whilst generally welcoming the Commission Communication, Parliament considers that the world food crisis represents, in addition to a humanitarian disaster on an unprecedented scale, a major threat to peace and security worldwide, and that, even though credit should be given to the Commission's commitment to seeking out solutions that could lift a billion people out of extreme poverty, the European Union and the Member States must, as a matter of urgency, make new investments in agriculture and rural development, above all in view of the new CAP text, introducing dedicated mechanisms for building sufficiently large world stocks of basic foodstuffs, removing their own barriers to trade, and reducing the debt of the countries most affected. The Commission should take greater account of the question of food security in some countries when calculating development aid and Member States should support the development of the implementation plan in support of the Food Security Policy Framework .
Recalling that emergency mechanisms must not be a long-term solution, Members call for more resources to be deployed in order to ensure the continuity of aid and for the debate to focus on the flexibility and complementarity of existing financial instruments, particularly the development impact of its CAP reform proposals in order to improve coherence between the CAP and EU development policy objectives.
Other more detailed actions are as follows:
increase support in favour of sustainable smallholders; increase public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems that also improve the productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural and rural sector; the need for a partnership approach with the whole range of development stakeholders on food security, in particular local and regional authorities and civil society organisations; the Commission, the Member States and other development aid donors, including NGOs, to target their investment more closely on the agricultural sector in order to provide local people with a reason not to move elsewhere; prioritise agriculture in its development aid, including assistance to farmers in accessing markets; strengthen the vital role played by women, via on-the-spot processing and the widespread use of loans and microcredits; provide the necessary infrastructure, such as roads, market linkages and information on the markets themselves and on the scope for product diversification; strengthen education and training; involve local agricultural organisations and strengthen local associations.
Members agree that EU assistance programmes should focus on approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land and promote low-external-input (LEI) practices while increasing agricultural output in developing countries. The EU should also contribute to promoting the use of seeds from local varieties which are adapted to climatic conditions in developing countries and which can be easily stored, as they are free of intellectual property rights.
More sustainable production : Members consider, in view of the growing global population and increasing pressure on natural resources, that it is essential to establish more sustainable, energy-saving and efficient forms of production at world level. They demand that the allocation of aid by the EU and Member States be tied to the development of sustainable and energy self-sufficient agricultural production systems , and that a part of this aid contribute to the setting up of facilities for generating renewable energy (for example based on wind and sun) and good water management. Parliament calls on the Commission to support the development of agro-processing capacities in partner countries in order to reduce post-harvest losses, extend the shelf-life and preservation of food and develop better storage facilities.
Food as a human right : Parliament recalls that access to adequate food is a universal human right, and urges partner countries to implement the FAO voluntary guidelines on the right to food. It also r ecalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to food and the right to produce food. It underlines the EU commitment to gradually phase out export subsidies, in parallel with similar measures being taken by WTO partners, and stresses in parallel the need for ensuring equal access of local populations to food in these countries. Members note that c urrent production capacities in some developing countries may not cover needs and that achieving long-term food security requires a reduction in import dependencies by building up these domestic capacities.
The Commission is called upon to: (i) draw up a specific Communication on the nutritional dimension into EU programmes; (ii) recognise the fundamental role of women, as smallholder farmers, in food and nutrition security; (iii) focus on the implementation of actions to ensure that the most vulnerable, especially in rural areas, can benefit from agriculture training opportunities, education on nutrition, good health and work conditions and a safety net if it is needed; (iv) continue their ongoing consultation processes with global civil society and non-state actors, in particular with farmers’, fishermen’s and breeders’ organisations; (v) focus on under-nutrition, particularly maternal and infant under-nutrition, and to integrate sound and multi-sectoral nutrition strategies into its development policy; (vi) promote and work towards the implementation of innovative financial instruments, such as an international tax on financial transactions .
In the light of FAO population projections indicating that, by 2025, more than half of the developing world’s population (some 3.5 thousand million people) will be living in urban areas, Members take the view that a policy of support for urban horticulture could offer a pathway out of poverty, given the low start-up costs. They also urge the EU to support the UN social protection floor initiative, which would help satisfy the basic food needs of impoverished populations.
Effective measures against food price volatility and uncontrolled land acquisition : Members draw attention to the structural causes of price volatility and strongly emphasise that speculation on derivatives of essential food commodities has significantly worsened price volatility. Regulatory mechanisms are needed to ensure a degree of market stability.
In this context, the resolution proposes the following measures:
fair remuneration for farmers; concrete action effectively to tackle financial speculation on grain and food; steps to restore world food stocks and better management and storage of physical grain and food reserves at national and regional level improved market transparency and clear identification of actors involved in the food trade and for an in-depth analysis of transmission mechanisms of speculation on food products on local and world markets; ensuring that local communities and institutions have the negotiating powers and capacities enabling them to develop local farming; drawing up a code of conduct to urge investors to focus their efforts on raising agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of local communities; establishment of mechanisms which prevent the ‘pricing out’ of local farmers and their ability to produce food for local populations; maintaining effective conditions for agricultural production, including soil quality, water access and the prevention of environmental pollution.
Land use rights : Parliament expresses deep concern regarding the large-scale land acquisitions that are currently carried out by foreign investors in developing countries, which is also to the detriment of local smallholder and medium-scale farmers and to local, regional and national food security. It therefore calls on the EU to encourage governments of developing countries to commit to land reform in order to secure the land titles of indigenous farmers and small and medium farmers, especially women, and to prevent land-grabbing practices by corporations. It stresses that the land should be accessible to all and that it is necessary to protect the land, tenancy and land use rights of small local farmers and the access of local communities to natural resources, in order to prevent further land takeovers, as is already happening to an alarming extent in especially Africa. Members encourage the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions.
Policy Coherence for Development : Parliament recalls that global demand for agricultural products is expected to increase by 70 % by 2050 which will need to be produced using less water and pesticides, with less agricultural land available and applying sustainable agro-ecological production methods, while the world's population is forecast to reach nine billion by then. ; whereas food insecurity is further exacerbated by speculation on commodities, land degradation, water scarcity, climate change, global land acquisitions and land tenure insecurity, particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable segments of the population, global seed monopolies, demands for agro-fuels and energy-related policies. Parliament believes that food security should not be jeopardised by the development of agrofuels . It calls therefore for a balanced approach that gives priority to the new generation of agrofuels using farm and forestry waste (straw and other crop waste, animal manure, biogas, etc.) instead of food crops, to avoid a situation of competition between food and energy production. Members urge the adoption of a more global perspective in the design of the CAP post-2013 which should adhere to the principle of ‘do no harm’ to food markets in developing countries. Parliament reiterates concerns that the EU's trade strategy which sometimes fails to provide a pro-development approach, and calls therefore for fair and pro-development trade agreements, as they are an essential element of a global food security response.
Lastly, the Commission is called upon to:
investigate the problem of food waste inside the EU, as up to 40% of the available food, including food produced in developing countries and exported to the EU, is thought to be thrown in the dustbin, and to propose effective measures to tackle the problem and improve consumption patterns; the complete phasing-out of export subsidies; bring about reforms that will expand market access opportunities for developing countries and allow them to perform competitively in their own national and regional markets; focus on development concerns in the ongoing EPA negotiations, broaden developing countries' room for manoeuvre with regard to trade rules and, in particular, apply safeguard clauses in order to achieve endogenous, sustainable development of economic capacity in developing countries ; take a strong pro-development position in WTO negotiations and apply a human rights-based approach to international trade negotiations; support a needs-based convention in which the level of donors’ food assistance commitments are linked to people’s needs and guaranteed local purchase volumes in recipient countries.
The Committee on Development adopted the own-initiative report drafted by Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE) on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges, in response to the Commission communication on the same subject.
Members recall that the number of people suffering from hunger amounted to 925 million in 2010 according to the FAO and that hunger and malnutrition are the main causes of human mortality. The report notes that there has been a rise in food prices since August 2010, following a trend over the last ten years, with levels now higher than during the food price peak of 2008. The volatility of commodity prices is impacting greatly on low income countries and the poorest and most vulnerable and marginalised segments of the populations of developing countries.
Against this background, an EU policy framework on food and nutrition security is necessary.
Members welcome the Commission communication on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges. However, the EU and the Member States must, as a matter of urgency, make new investments in agriculture and rural development. The report states that the Commission should take greater account of the question of food security in some countries when calculating development aid.
Members express deep concerns about the negative effects of such mechanisms, especially on local economies. They emphasise that a sustainable development policy should be based on long-term and cooperation approaches. The report calls for more resources to be deployed in order to ensure the continuity of aid and for the debate to focus on the flexibility and complementarity of existing financial instruments.
Other more detailed actions are as follows:
increase support in favour of sustainable smallholders; increase public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems that also improve the productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural and rural sector; the need for a partnership approach with the whole range of development stakeholders on food security, in particular local and regional authorities and civil society organisations; the Commission, the Member States and other development aid donors, including NGOs, to target their investment more closely on the agricultural sector in order to provide local people with a reason not to move elsewhere; prioritise agriculture in its development aid, including assistance to farmers in accessing markets; involve local agricultural organisations and strengthen local associations, so as to ensure that the interests of local communities are protected.
Members agree that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable, primarily small- and medium- scale food production and on approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land and promote low-external-input (LEI) practices while increasing agricultural output in developing countries.
The EU should contribute to promoting the use of seeds from local varieties which are adapted to climatic conditions in developing countries and which can be easily stored, traded and supplied to farmers, as they are free of intellectual property rights.
More sustainable production : Members consider, in view of the growing global population and increasing pressure on natural resources, that it is essential to establish more sustainable, energy-saving and efficient forms of production at world level. They demand that the allocation of aid by the EU and Member States be tied to the development of sustainable and energy self-sufficient agricultural production systems , and that a part of this aid contribute to the setting up of facilities for generating renewable energy (for example based on wind and sun) and good water management. The report stresses the need to give small farmers in developing countries greater access to property rights , allowing small land owners to prove ownership and as such posses collateral for the loans required to elevate their production.
Food as a human right : Members recall that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to food and the right to produce food. They stress in parallel the need for ensuring equal access of local populations to food in these countries. Current production capacities in some developing countries may not cover needs and that achieving long-term food security requires a reduction in import dependencies by building up these domestic capacities.
The Commission is called upon to: (i) draw up a specific Communication on the nutritional dimension into EU programmes; (ii) recognise the fundamental role of women, as smallholder farmers, in food and nutrition security; (iii) focus on the implementation of actions to ensure that the most vulnerable, especially in rural areas, can benefit from agriculture training opportunities, education on nutrition, good health and work conditions and a safety net if it is needed; (iv) continue their ongoing consultation processes with global civil society and non-state actors, in particular with farmers’, fishermen’s and breeders’ organisations; (v) focus on under-nutrition, particularly maternal and infant under-nutrition, and to integrate sound and multi-sectoral nutrition strategies into its development policy; (vi) promote and work towards the implementation of innovative financial instruments, such as an international tax on financial transactions .
Members take the view that, in the light of FAO population projections indicating that, by 2025, more than half of the developing world’s population (some 3.5 thousand million people) will be living in urban areas, a policy of support for urban horticulture could offer a pathway out of poverty, given the low start-up costs, short production cycles and high yields per unit of time, land and water, and could make the new cities greener.
Effective measures against food price volatility and uncontrolled land acquisition : Members draw attention to the structural causes of price volatility and strongly emphasise that speculation on derivatives of essential food commodities has significantly worsened price volatility. Regulatory mechanisms are needed to ensure a degree of market stability.
In this context, the report proposes the following measures:
fair remuneration for farmers; concrete action to effectively tackle financial speculation on grain and food; steps to restore world food stocks; better management and storage of physical grain and food reserves at national and regional level and a strengthening of international coordination and monitoring, thereby countering food price volatility and enabling a better and faster response to food crises; encourage governments of developing countries to commit to land reform in order to secure the land titles of indigenous farmers and small and medium farmers, especially women, and to prevent land-grabbing practices by corporations; adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions and ensuring their participatory implementation, but also calls for strict binding national and international regulations on land acquisitions; drawing up a code of conduct to urge investors to focus their efforts on raising agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of local communities; establishment of mechanisms which prevent the ‘pricing out’ of local farmers and their ability to produce food for local populations; maintaining effective conditions for agricultural production, including soil quality, water access and the prevention of environmental pollution.
Policy Coherence for Development : Members call for the freezing of EU energy strategy targets until further impact assessments have been undertaken. They believe that food security should not be jeopardised by the development of agrofuels . They call therefore for a balanced approach that gives priority to the new generation of agrofuels using farm and forestry waste (straw and other crop waste, animal manure, biogas, etc.) instead of food crops, to avoid a situation of competition between food and energy production. They urge the adoption of a more global perspective in the design of the CAP post-2013 which should adhere to the principle of ‘do no harm’ to food markets in developing countries.
Lastly, the Commission is called upon to:
investigate the problem of food waste inside the EU, as up to 40 % of the available food, including food produced in developing countries and exported to the EU, is thought to be thrown in the dustbin, and to propose effective measures to tackle the problem and improve consumption patterns; phase-out export subsidies as well as for the removal of all other incentives in the CAP which result in trade-distorting measures; ensure that the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries is being respected in countries where the EU has Fisheries Partnership Agreements, especially regarding the recommendation to grant preferential access for local artisanal fishers to resources; bring about reforms that will expand market access opportunities for developing countries and allow them to perform competitively in their own national and regional markets; focus on development concerns in the ongoing EPA negotiations, broaden developing countries’ room for manoeuvre with regard to trade rules and, in particular, apply safeguard clauses in order to achieve endogenous, sustainable development of economic capacity in developing countries; take a strong pro-development position in WTO negotiations; apply a human rights-based approach to international trade negotiations and to apply human rights impact assessments to agreements with third countries; support a needs-based convention in which the level of donors’ food assistance commitments are linked to people’s needs and guaranteed local purchase volumes in recipient countries.
PURPOSE: to propose an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges.
BACKGROUND: in 2010, over 1 billion people are considered to be food insecure. Soaring food prices on global markets in 2007-08 sparked a rethink of global food security. The European Union (EU) reacted to the growing food security challenges with an additional €1 billion 'Food Facility ' as a temporary measure to support those developing countries worst affected. The EU and its Member States are, and have been for many years, the most important and reliable players in world food security, both financially and politically.
However, recent developments and future challenges require a new common food security policy , further strengthening EU leadership in the global food security agenda, and improving the effectiveness of EU assistance, in line with the Lisbon Treaty, the EU2020 initiative and the European Consensus on Development . Future food security challenges include population growth, pressures on natural resources and ecosystem services, and adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture, affecting growing conditions and making adaptation measures necessary. Moreover, key issues in the current food security agenda, such as nutrition, price volatility, social protection and safety nets, biofuels, food safety, research and innovation, large-scale land acquisition, and the “Right to Food” concept need integration into an overall policy framework.
The objective of this Communication is, therefore, to provide a common policy framework for the EU and its Member States in the fight against world hunger and malnutrition, thereby contributing towards achieving MDG 1. It is coherent with other thematic papers (on education, health, gender and tax governance) and the 2010 Spring Development package, which together set out an EU position for the UN High Level Event on MDGs in September 2010. This Communication is complemented by a Communication on Humanitarian Food Assistance , which focuses on emergency and post-emergency contexts
CONTENT : the objective of this Communication is to provide a common policy framework for the EU and its Member States in the fight against world hunger and malnutrition, thereby contributing towards achieving MDG 1.
The proposed policy framework addresses food security challenges in developing countries in both rural and urban contexts across the internationally recognised four pillars by:
a) increasing availability of food;
b) improving access to food;
c) improving nutritional adequacy of food intake; and
d) enhancing crisis prevention and management.
EU action needs to give priority to those food insecure countries most off-track in reaching MDG1, in particular in Africa, but also South Asia and elsewhere (e.g. Bangladesh, Cambodia, Haiti, Nepal, Timor Leste). Given the nature of related MDGs that are also off-track, a specific investment in women will be required. Evidence shows that investments in the smallholder sector yield the best returns in terms of poverty reduction and growth.
This new EU framework therefore concentrates on enhancing incomes of smallholder farmers and the resilience of vulnerable communities, supporting the resolve of countries that prioritise agriculture and food security in their development efforts.
Increasing availability of food: world population is estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050 and demand for food is likely to grow by 70%. This requires accelerated agricultural production growth. Most of the poor and hungry in the world live in rural areas, where agriculture – including crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry - forms the main economic activity. Small-scale farming is dominant: about 85% of farmers in developing countries produce on less than 2 hectares of land. Therefore, sustainable small-scale food production should be the focus of EU assistance to increase availability of food in developing countries. The Communication also stresses secure access to land and secure land tenure and use rights are prerequisites for higher productivity of small holder farmers.
Improving access to food : access to food should be enhanced primarily by improving employment and income-earning opportunities in both rural and urban areas, including through diversification and trade, thus making food more affordable for a larger number of people. This should be complemented by social transfer mechanisms. The EU and its Member States should assist partner countries in establishing and operating social mechanisms in support of vulnerable population groups, especially women. In general, access to food can be improved by applying the "Right-to-Food" approach, and the EU should support its further application in developing countries, including "right-to-food" based political and legal frameworks.
Improving nutritional adequacy of food intake : the EU should support the formulation of nutrition policies and strategies, nutrition-training, education, and the setting up of coordination mechanisms between agriculture, health, education, and social protection sectors. Future agriculture programmes should include a nutritional dimension. This could mean strengthening diversification of smallholder agriculture, promoting production of micronutrient-rich food, especially local varieties, monitoring of nutrition related outcomes, and/or supporting agricultural research conducted from a nutrition perspective.
Improving crisis prevention and management : the EU should step up efforts in supporting regional integration in developing countries, as closer regional integration forms another means of preventing economic, political and food security crises, and of mitigating their effects. Furthermore, to mitigate volatility, the stock-to-use ratio of food products needs to be improved by creating conditions for production increases and for adequate stock levels to be kept, mainly by private traders. Moreover, export restrictions of basic food products should be discouraged. The EU and its Member States should contribute to improved food market functioning at global, regional and national levels.
Priorities: the EU's priority should be to support food security in fragile countries. This is a particular priority in Africa, where nearly 80% of malnourished people live in fragile countries, and in parts of South Asia. While all four pillars should be addressed, the EU should prioritise four broad and related dimensions: smallholder agricultural development, governance, regional integration, and assistance mechanisms for vulnerable populations. In these areas, the EU and its Member States should:
Improve smallholder resilience and rural livelihoods
focus on ecologically efficient agricultural intensification for smallholder farmers, and in particular women, by providing support for sustainable national policies, and for equitable access to resources, including land, water, (micro) credit and other agricultural inputs; increase substantially support to demand-led agricultural research for development, extension and innovation, aiming to reach 50% by 2015. Research in the public domain should rely on traditional knowledge and on new technologies. It should not promote technologies that are not sustainable or that are incompatible with national capacities to regulate and manage risks; actively support greater participation of civil society and farmer organisations in policy making and research programmes and increase their involvement in the implementation and evaluation of government programmes; improve the regulatory and institutional conditions for responsible private investments in all stages of the agricultural value chain and stimulate public-private investments.
Support effective governance
substantially increase support to CAADP applying effective division of labour in all agriculture-based Sub-Saharan African countries by 2015; launch a joint initiative with the AU to accelerate the implementation of the African Land Policy Guidelines, including a roadmap to implement the principles for sustainable large scale investments in farm land; support national and international initiatives for the definition of principles and codes of conduct governing sustainable large scale domestic and foreign investments in farm land, focusing on the protection of land rights, secure access to land and other natural resources for smallholder farmers and pastoral communities and on sustainable management of these resources; support the reform of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) to become the pivotal institution to coordinate global food security initiatives; support closer coordination between the Rome-based UN agencies.
Support regional agriculture and food security policies
support the development and implementation of regional level agricultural policies and strategies, including on livestock management and food safety, to step up integration of regional food and agricultural markets. Enhance policy dialogue with regional organisations on agriculture, food security and nutrition; reinforce the regional and national information systems in support of agriculture, food security and nutrition policies, and those for early warning purposes.
Strengthen assistance mechanisms for vulnerable population groups
support countries to establish and operate targeted and flexible social transfer policies adapted to local contexts. Where feasible, social assistance should provide opportunities for recipients to graduate into an income earning situation securing sustainable access to food; promote better integration of nutrition in development policies, including in education and health and related capacity building; provide specific support to countries in transition and fragility using LRRD principles.
Documents
- Follow-up document: COM(2016)0244
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: SWD(2016)0155
- Follow-up document: COM(2014)0712
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: SWD(2014)0343
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2011)8719/2
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T7-0410/2011
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A7-0284/2011
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A7-0284/2011
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE467.250
- Committee draft report: PE448.856
- Committee opinion: PE445.957
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2010)0127
- Non-legislative basic document published: EUR-Lex
- Committee opinion: PE445.957
- Committee draft report: PE448.856
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE467.250
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A7-0284/2011
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2011)8719/2
- Follow-up document: COM(2014)0712 EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex SWD(2014)0343
- Follow-up document: COM(2016)0244 EUR-Lex
- Follow-up document: EUR-Lex SWD(2016)0155
Activities
- Diana WALLIS
- Elena Oana ANTONESCU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jim HIGGINS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Anneli JÄÄTTEENMÄKI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Eduard KUKAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jaroslav PAŠKA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Gabriele ZIMMER
Plenary Speeches (1)
Amendments | Dossier |
266 |
2010/2100(INI)
2010/10/15
AGRI
95 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the Commission communication on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges in particular in relation to sustainable small- scale food production, the right to food, improving rural livelihoods and strengthening the role of women; considers, however, that the world food crisis represents
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Emphasises that political stability is the prerequisite for improved food security, and therefore calls on all the parties involved to show the political will needed to guarantee that stability;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultur
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to nourishment and the right to produce food; insists that the EU must recognise and defend the need for the developing countries
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to nourishment and the right to produce food; insists that the EU must recognise and defend the rights of EU and of developing countries
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to nourishment and the right to produce food; insists that the EU must recognise and
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to nourishment and the right to produce food; stresses that the simple fact that food is available does not guarantee equal access to it, and that food security therefore cannot be ensured solely by stepping up production; insists that the EU must recognise and defend the developing countries' right to food sovereignty;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Recalls that agricultural development must be grounded in the right to nourishment and the right to produce food; insists that the EU must recognise and defend the developing countries' right to food sovereignty; in this regard underlines its commitment to gradually phase out export subsidies;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Reiterates the importance of promoting agriculture in the developing world and the importance of allocating an appropriate share of EU overseas development assistance (ODA) to the agriculture sector; regrets that there has been a dramatic reduction in the level of development aid allocated to agriculture since the 1980's and welcomes the recognition of the need to reverse this trend; calls on the Commission to prioritise agriculture in its development aid, including assistance to farmers in accessing markets;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the Commission communication on an EU policy
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recalls that following the 2008 financial crisis, international donors have cut their financial transfers to developing countries by some 30%, and that the local governments obstinately continue not to allocate the scanty financial resources at their disposal to supporting local agriculture;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that the European Union should take steps to restore world food stocks, which after reaching record lows in 2007, have contributed to speculation which has been affecting the prices of agricultural products at world level, with alarming effects on developing countries;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Takes the view that the long-term goal of EU agricultural policy must be to ensure that less-developed countries as well are agriculturally fully autonomous and competitive;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that the assistance granted to developing countries should have the long-term aim of ensuring the economic growth and sustainable development of agriculture and the foodstuffs industry in the countries concerned;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recalls that since less-favoured communities tend to derive their subsistence from agriculture, the development of
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recalls that since less-favoured communities tend to derive their subsistence from agriculture, the development of non-industrial forms of agriculture is necessarily a condition for realising the Millennium Development
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recalls that since less-favoured communities tend to derive their subsistence from agriculture, the development of non-industrial forms of agriculture is necessarily a condition for realising the Millennium Development Goals; believes that s
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recalls that since less-favoured communities tend to derive their subsistence from agriculture, the development of non-industrial forms of agriculture is necessarily a condition for realising the Millennium Development Goals; believes that subsistence agriculture can offer a response to the challenge of food se
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recalls that since less-favoured communities tend to derive their subsistence from agriculture, the development of non-industrial forms of agriculture and serious consideration of the assessments in the IAASTD is necessarily a condition for realising the Millennium Development Goals; believes that subsistence agriculture can offer a response to the challenge of food self- sufficiency, by means of strengthening the vital role played by women, notably via on-the-spot processing and the widespread use of loans and microcredits, and involving small producers' cooperatives as key players in the definition of effective agricultural and commercial policies;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Takes the view that, in the light of FAO population projections indicating that, by 2025, more than half of the developing world’s population (some 3.5 million people) will be living in urban areas, a policy of support for urban horticulture could offer a pathway out of poverty, given the low start-up costs, short production cycles and high yields per unit of time, land and water, and could make the new cities greener;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the Commission communication on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges; considers, however, that the world food crisis represents not only a humanitarian disaster on an unprecedented scale but also a major threat to peace and security worldwide, and that, even though credit should be given to the Commission's commitment to seeking out solutions that could lift a billion people out of extreme poverty, the Member States must, as a matter of urgency, raise their awareness at once with a view to making new
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recalls the importance of an approach to food security governance which entails a global framework that refocuses on food policy beyond food aid, inter-donor and donor recipient cooperation with enhanced local partnership, as well as the crucial role of recipient country policies in committing to provide basic public goods such as internal peace and investment in rural infrastructure;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers it essential that the role of smallholder farmers, particularly the vital role played by women must be strengthened and equitable access for women to land, resources, loans and microcredit must be supported in national, development and agricultural policies;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Considers, furthermore, that in order to foster a form of subsistence farming that can provide sustainable livelihoods and development, aid should focus primarily on setting up new farming systems with facilities for generating energy from renewable sources such as wind and sun, so as to guarantee the autonomy and self-sufficiency of those systems, even in areas where there is as yet no electricity supply or where energy supply costs would prohibit or hamper the use of advanced technological systems;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that the EU should support regional commercial agreements promoting local products and enable economic development that prioritises local food production and local food processing capacity;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that the EU should support regional commercial agreements promoting local products
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that the EU should support regional commercial agreements promoting local products and enable economic development that prioritises food
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Welcomes the fact that CAP reforms until now have considerably improved its impact on trade distortion and developing countries, and insists that this trend should be reinforced in the next CAP reform, notably through the phasing-out of export refunds by 2013;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls for a shift in thinking towards the agricultural sectors of these countries, including a new emphasis on assisting their development and helping domestic producers to sell products at home and abroad;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Believes that a substantial part of EU financial aid, under regional and trade agreements or other cooperation instruments, should be devoted to agriculture, so as to encourage the development of local agriculture and vocational training for small farmers, and to guarantee access to production resources (know-how, loans, infrastructures);
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Considers that the possible scaling down of the CAP may result in a rise in the world market prices of goods and an increase in hunger, particularly in countries which are not self-sufficient in food;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the Commission communication on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges; considers, however, that the world food crisis represents not only a humanitarian disaster on an unprecedented scale but also a major threat to peace and security worldwide, and that, even though credit should be given to the Commission's commitment to seeking out solutions that could lift a billion people out of extreme poverty, the Member States must, as a matter of urgency, raise their awareness at once with a view to making new investments in agriculture and rural development, guaranteeing sufficient levels of world stocks, removing their own barriers to trade,
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that, in developing countries, there are major disparities in terms of food security between urban and rural areas, with the latter accounting for the vast bulk of food production yet still suffering from the greatest nutritional problems;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Believes that the European Union should cooperate more closely with developing countries in the agri-food sector to facilitate a better regional integration of agricultural and food markets with the aim of creating a sustainable agri-food chain and, in the long term, sustainable regional agri-food markets;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Believes that support needs to be given at local and regional levels to scaling up known and cost-effective nutritional actions and formulating nutritional policies which address the various dimensions of under-nutrition, in particular maternal and infant under- nutrition;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Believes that the European Union should actively pursue projects that help mitigate the effects of, and adapt to, a changing climate;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Considers that in the absence of intervention stocks the European Union has lost the capacity to provide food aid in regions suffering from natural disasters; notes that the role of intervention stocks is not confined to stabilising European markets but that they also make it possible to assist regions hit by natural disasters (e.g. Pakistan);
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes that
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes that
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the Commission communication on an EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges; considers, however, that the world food crisis represents
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes that price volatility results from
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes that price volatility
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Believes that price volatility results from the increased unregulated liberalisation of trade in agricultural products, and that it is necessary to create regulatory mechanisms that can ensure a degree of market stability and a more transparent food chain, thus responding to the need to guarantee producers a decent standard of living; stresses that both the Member States and the EU have the duty to promote quality products and their protection at international level; believes, in this connection, that more stringent controls are needed on organic products from third countries, in the interests of fair competition between EU and third-country organic products;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Considers that it is essential for those authorised to take part in agricultural trade to be clearly identified and that a closer look needs to be taken at the mechanisms by which the impact of speculation is passed on to agricultural prices in individual states and on the international market; points out that the scant attention paid to this phenomenon, despite its destructive effect on agricultural markets, is one of the factors that is hampering the development of structural measures to address the food crisis;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Emphasises, in that connection, how important it is that farmers, in addition to meeting their own food needs, should generate the income they need for education and investment;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Believes that, in the interests of the sustainable development of agriculture in developing countries, support should be given to the ‘fair trade’ system and the corresponding labelling of marketed agricultural products, which facilitates access to the EU markets;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers it essential to establish more sustainable and
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers it essential to establish a more sustainable consumption pattern in the EU, and more sustainable and less energy- hungry forms of production at world level;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers it essential to establish more sustainable and less energy-hungry forms of production at world level by which it is possible to secure a sustainable income level;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Welcomes the assistance of the food facility established by the EU with a budget of EUR 1 billion to provide, from 2009 to 2011, rapid support to over 50 priority countries worldwide facing soaring food prices with the aim to increase the local food production capacity and supply, thus empowering local farming communities; considers, however, that further extension of this food facility, or additional allocation of funding to it, should not be automatic, but decided based on an independent impact assessment of the funds disbursements' efficiency in improving food security in all the beneficiary countries;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Considers it essential to establish more sustainable and less energy-hungry forms of production at world level by channelling aid to developing countries into measures to create new farming capacity that has its own facilities for generating energy from renewable sources and is therefore energy self- sufficient;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses that in the context of the UN Climate Change Fund negotiations the EU should push to ensure that a substantial part of the monies allocated to developing countries is effectively used to reinforce local agricultural policies, with due regard for social sustainability and environmental concerns;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the EU and ACP countries to develop joint research and training capacities in sustainable farming methods, including organic farming, notably through public-private partnerships, and joint ventures, or public-private partnerships where applicable, and to adopt a responsible and balanced approach in respect to agrofuels and non-food crop production in developing countries; considers that, if conducted in a sustainable manner, such production can also increase rural household revenues and welfare, while reducing their dependence on fuel imports;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Believes that a wide diversity of locally-adapted crops and breeds is needed to ensure effective adaptation to the challenges of climate change and its consequences of increased extreme weather events and pest outbreaks, and that efforts to maintain this genetic diversity are intensified;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Is convinced that the use of genetic engineering in agriculture can only be an emergency solution to prevent famine, not a long-term solution;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes it is
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes it is not desirable to over- emphasise non-food uses of agricultural products (e.g. biofuels), to avoid a situation of competition between food supplies and the current
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers it essential that development policies are inter-sectoral and incorporate agricultural policies and strategies at regional and local levels in order to optimise agri-inputs, a sustainable agri-food chain and ensure food security;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes it is not desirable to over- emphasise non-food uses of agricultural products (e.g.
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes it is not desirable to over- emphasise non-food uses of agricultural products (e.g. biofuels), to avoid a situation of competition between food supplies and the current fashion for renewable energy production, which should be based exclusively on the use of crop residues (post-harvest waste, processing industry waste, animal manure), and under no circumstances on the use of primary agricultural products;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Believes it is not desirable to over- emphasise non-food uses of agricultural products (e.g. biofuels), to avoid a situation of competition between food supplies and the current fashion for renewable energy production in developing countries;
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Considers that the European Union’s imports of biofuels must not come from countries where there is famine or malnutrition and that such biofuel imports are not sustainable;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Urges the Commission to formalise sustainability criteria for all non-food products, such as bio-fuels, in the European directives on this issue scheduled for 2012, so as to prevent social and environmental dumping in the developing countries;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Believes that carbon-capture projects related to biomass (agriculture and forestry) should be financed by means of environmental funds managed by international organisations such as the UNFCCC, and not by the conventional carbon market, where purely commercial interests prevail, given the risk of not being able to guarantee protection of local forests and of good agricultural practice, which could genuinely secure food sovereignty for local communities;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 c (new) 7c. Calls on the Commission to coordinate its 2020 energy strategy – specifically the goal of a 10% biofuel content in all fuels – and the food and environmental sovereignty concerns of the developing countries, which are potential producers and exporters of raw materials for the European biofuel market;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Stresses that the land should be accessible to all and that it is necessary to protect the land, tenancy and land use rights of small farmers in order to
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Stresses that the land should be accessible to all and that it is necessary to protect the land rights of small farmers
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Stresses that the land should be accessible to all and that it is necessary to
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Recalls that the European Union should ensure maximum consistency between its cooperation and development policies and its trade policies, taking account of the needs and concerns both of the Member States and of the developing countries;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Stresses that the land should be accessible to all and that it is necessary to protect the land rights of small local farmers in order to avoid a new agricultural colonialism in the form of land takeovers, as is now happening to an alarming extent in certain regions of the world, especially Africa;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Deplores the fact that some countries irresponsibly apply measures which restrict exports (e.g. bans or taxes on exports), thus contributing substantially to the volatility of international food markets and the vulnerability of the regions which suffer most from famine; calls on the Commission, therefore, to make a proposal at WTO negotiations to combat measures which restrict exports;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Considers it necessary to ensure that local communities and institutions have decision-making and managerial powers as well as negotiating capacities, so as to provide them with the wherewithal to develop local farming and exercise food sovereignty (meaning the ability of local people to choose and apply their own food development models);
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Points out that the development of the farming sector requires long-term investment throughout the entire value chain, from producer to consumer, which means providing the necessary infrastructure, such as roads, market linkages and information on the markets themselves and on the scope for product diversification;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Believes that the Commission should design its development and cooperation policies in such a way as to guarantee protection for farmers in developing countries vis-à-vis negative externalities stemming from intellectual property rights, which sometimes make it impossible for local farmers freely to use, exchange and preserve local seed;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Believes that the Commission should support protein crops in the European Union so as to give the Union greater autonomy, thus contributing to the diversification of agriculture in the developing countries, which often have agricultural policies operating purely on the basis of exports and access to external markets, to the detriment of the wellbeing and needs of local communities;
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Considers that investors should be urged to ensure that their efforts to raise agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of local people in developing countries are guided by an acknowledgement of local rights, and that a code of conduct should be laid down with this in mind;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Believes that a support strategy for developing countries to ensure food security and reduce poverty must include a plan for education and training, oriented towards job creation, which will
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Believes that a support strategy for developing countries must include a plan for education and training, oriented towards job creation, which will enable young people to study agricultural science with a view to developing better-quality,
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Believes that a support strategy for developing countries must include a plan for education and training, oriented towards job creation, which will enable young people to study sustainable agricultural science with a view to developing better-quality, less costly and sustainable forms of production, thus containing the drift from the countryside and reducing poverty;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that with the cuts in spending in the areas of export refunds and storage and the signing of the 'Everything But Arms' agreement EU agricultural policy has taken significant steps forward;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Believes that a support strategy for developing countries must include, on a larger scale, a plan for education and training in agriculture, oriented towards job creation, which will enable young people to study agricultural science with a view to developing better-quality, less costly and sustainable forms of production, thus containing the drift from the countryside and reducing poverty;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Stresses that it is crucial to involve local agricultural organisations in the different stages of implementing an agricultural policy in the developing countries, and that the European Union should therefore strive to strengthen local associations, so as to ensure that the interests of local communities are protected;
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Insists on the need to reinforce research
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Insists on the need to reinforce
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Insists on the need to reinforce research on a basis of public funding and to transmit
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Emphasises the importance of granting support for the establishing or extension of targeted and flexible social welfare systems tailored to local circumstances, and for promoting better integration of nutrition in development policies, including in the fields of education and health and related capacity-building in developing countries.
source: PE-450.640
2011/06/23
DEVE
171 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 8 a (new) – having regard to the interagency report for the G20 on food price volatility entitled ‘Price Volatility in Food and Agricultural Markets: Policy Responses’, which was submitted to the French presidency of the G20 on 2 June 2011;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 23 a (new) – having regard to the report entitled ‘Agroecology and the Right to Food’ by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the right to food, presented before the UN Human Rights Council on 8 March 2011,
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Expresses its concern that 2008, the year of the global food crisis, was also the greatest wheat-producing year in world history, thus emphasizes the role played by large institutional investors, such as hedge funds and investment banks in influencing commodities price indexes;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Draws attention to the structural causes of price volatility and strongly emphasises that abusive or excessive speculation on derivatives of essential food commodities
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Stresses that recently a host of other unpredictable factors have also negatively impacted upon stability in the food markets, including the catastrophe in Japan, an unprecedented wave of political unrests engulfing many countries in North Africa and the Near East, another strong increase in oil prices, prolonged uncertainty in financial markets and in the global economy have all had an impact;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Urges the Commission to make greater efforts with regard to preventing and managing food crises, and to this end, calls for the adoption of measures to, inter alia, increase stocks, better regulate the market in foodstuffs and their derivatives, and establish mechanisms to monitor these markets, so as to make them more transparent and reduce speculation;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take concrete action at EU and international level to effectively tackle financial speculation on
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take concrete action to effectively tackle abusive or excessive financial speculation on grain and food;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take bold, concrete action to effectively tackle financial speculation
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 – subparagraph 1 (new) 13(1) Calls on the Commission and the Member States to commit themselves at EU and international level to setting up medium-term price corridors which will make forward contracts for price hedging unnecessary;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the number of
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that commodity derivatives are different from other financial derivatives and that access to this market should be
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 – subparagraph 1 (new) 14(1) Calls on the EU to commit itself to regulation of the agricultural markets and the relevant financial markets by means of: – standardising derivative contracts, – introducing position limits for individual traders and limiting the overall number of contracts for each raw material (aggregate position limits) and limits for the physical acquisition and possession of agricultural commodities by non-state firms or private individuals; – setting up monitoring bodies and disclosure obligations, including real-time reporting obligations; – introducing a minor tax on commodities futures in order to make speculating on serious price fluctuations unattractive and guarantee the balanced development of raw materials markets;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 – subparagraph 2 (new) Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 – subparagraph 3 (new) 14(3) Calls on the Commission and the Member States to introduce a traders register with compulsory registration for all players dealing in agricultural commodity derivatives; registration should only be possible for players involved in production, processing and distribution, whilst index funds should not be entered in the register;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Calls for the increase
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 – subparagraph 1 (new) 15(1) Takes the view that, in the interest of food security, agricultural commodities must be coordinated and monitored at UN level (for example, by the FAO and/or UNCTAD) and that action must be taken effectively to restrict or prevent existing and future monopolies in agricultural markets;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Expresses deep concern
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Expresses deep concern regarding the large-scale land acquisitions that are currently carried out by foreign investors in developing countries, which is to the detriment of local smallholder farmers
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Expresses deep concern regarding the large-scale land acquisitions that are currently carried out by foreign investors in developing countries also to the detriment of local smallholder farmers that need to be better protected;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Expresses deep concern regarding the large-scale land acquisitions that are currently carried out by foreign investors in developing countries to the detriment of
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the number of undernourished people amounted to 925 million in 2010 according to the FAO
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Hopes that European aid and action programmes will make the most of local farmers’ knowledge of food production;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Stresses the uttermost importance of the defence of private property and the rule of law as these are basic requisites to enhance investment in agriculture and rises in its productivity output.
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions,
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions and ensuring their participatory implementation, but also calls for strict binding national and international regulations on land acquisitions; stresses that contract negotiations should be made transparent allowing for the participation of
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions, but also calls for strict binding national and international regulations on land acquisitions; stresses that contract negotiations should be made transparent
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO voluntary guidelines on land acquisitions, but also calls for strict binding national and international regulations on land acquisitions; stresses that contract negotiations should be made transparent allowing for the participation of parliaments and civil society;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Encourages the adoption of the FAO
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls for application of the principle of gender sensitivity and a fair share of the investment profits for local people when investments are made in the agricultural economy and in land;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls on the Commission to support partner countries in land reforms which take into account cultural and local rules and principles such as informal and community land rights and rights of users and include the impact of reforms on smallholder structures, with particular regard to women, pastoralists and nomadic farmers; local and regional authorities should play a central role in land reforms, given their proximity to the people affected and their knowledge of local areas; furthermore, potential land reforms must be accompanied by measures enabling productive cultivation by smallholders, such as ensuring access to water, land and seeds;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 c (new) 17c. Takes the view that, under the EU’s trade and investment policy, investment by European firms and financial institutions in agricultural production and land in countries of the South should only be protected if a study on the impact on human rights is conducted and the participation rights of the people affected, i.e. free, timely and informed agreement together with the possible right to object, are guaranteed;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas hunger and malnutrition are the main causes of human mortality and the greatest threats to world peace and security,
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 d (new) 17d. Calls on the Commission to ensure that direct foreign investment by European firms and financial institutions in land purchase and lease in countries of the South for more than 30 years is neither made possible nor supported by public credits and other public funding programmes;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 e (new) 17e. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to stress, in all negotiations on economic and investment agreements, the issue of the acquisition of large areas of land and their negative effects on food security and to take appropriate measures to guarantee human rights through possible sanction regimes;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 f (new) 17f. Calls on the Member States to ask the World Bank not to provide security for investment risks by firms purchasing large areas of land or leasing land for 30 years or more in countries of the South;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 g (new) 17g. Underlines the need for the EU to give comprehensive treatment to the subject of large-scale land acquisition in all relevant position papers and strategy papers and to commit itself to the binding pre-eminence of human rights;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Draws attention to the acquisition not only of land but also of fishing licences that is carried out by foreign investors; stresses the need of transparency and allowing of participation in the contract negotiations for national parliaments and civil society as well as the need of keeping a list of concluded agreements in the public domain;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Reminds the Commission and partner countries of the positive effects of agro- ecological production systems regarding climate change mitigation and long-term food security relies on dealing with the environmental impact of production, so that natural resources and food supplies are protected;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Reminds the Commission and partner countries of the positive effects of agro- ecological production systems regarding climate change mitigation; stresses however that the main purpose of agricultural aid to regions with urgent food insecurity or hunger must be to increase food production and access to food;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Welcomes the efforts of the G20 in tackling price volatility and food security
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. expresses its deep concerns regarding the decline of natural resources and the maintaining of effective conditions for agricultural production, including soil quality, water access and the prevention of environmental pollution; insists on the fact that all stakeholders, particularly farmers, local and regional authorities and civil society organisations, should play a significant role in the development of a sustainable agricultural development strategy;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 b (new) 19b. emphasises the importance of the right of farmers to produce seeds from their own harvests, to re-sow and exchange them between each other for smallholder farming, the preservation of biodiversity and the fight against arable land degradation; calls on the Commission to develop concepts and mechanisms aimed at significantly decreasing high energy inputs in agriculture - which is usually the case in monoculture -, long transport routes and industrial crops that require chemical fertilizers and pesticides;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20.
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that the right to food has to take absolute precedence over energy security objectives;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that the right to food has to take absolute precedence over energy security objectives;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that the right to food has to take absolute precedence over energy security objectives; calls for the freezing of EU subsidies for biofuels as a means to achieve the EU energy strategy targets until further impact assessments which take into account the whole life cycle of biofuels, including indirect land-use change, have been undertaken;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that the right to food has to take absolute precedence over energy security objectives; calls for
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Recalls that the right to food has to take
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 – subparagraph 1 (new) urges the EU to establish a certification system in order to verify that imports of agro-fuel products from developing countries respect sustainability criteria, such as social, human rights and environmental standards,
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Calls on the Commission to carry out a CAP impact assessment that will analyse
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas food prices have risen steadily
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Calls on the Commission to recognise the problems inherent in Europe’s dependency on protein feed imports and to propose ideas for their solution;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Urges the Commission to investigate the problem of food waste inside the EU, as up to 40% of the available food, including food produced in developing countries and exported to the EU, is supposed to be dumped, and to propose effective measures to tackle the problem and improve consumption patterns;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Calls for the complete phasing-out of export subsidies
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Calls for the
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Calls for the complete phasing-out of export subsidies and a decoupling of direct payments from production, as well as for the removal of all other incentives in the CAP which result in trade-distorting measures;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Insists that the Commission make sure that the external dimension of the current reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will be mainstreamed with EU development policies.
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 b (new) 23b. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries is being respected in countries where the EU has Fisheries Partnership Agreements, especially regarding the recommendation to grant preferential access for local artisanal fishers to resources
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 c (new) 23c. Insists that any and all access to fishing licences negotiated for EU-flagged vessels to fish in developing countries must be based on the principle of surplus stocks as described in the UN law of the Sea; in particular, that there must be a rigorous assessment for all stocks for which access is sought or which are likely to be caught as bycatch by the EU fleet; that any EU access must come from those quantities which are not to be caught by the local fleet; that if effort reductions are necessary the third country fleets (EU and others) causing the most environmental damage must reduce first
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 d (new) 23d. Emphasises that the fisheries sector in many countries is crucial for employment and food security and therefore all developing countries should be eligible for EU sector support to develop their own sustainable fisheries industry, research, control and enforcement to combat Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fisheries, independent of any fisheries access agreement with the European Union;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas food prices have risen steadily since August 2010; whereas the volatility of commodity prices is impacting greatly on low income countries and the poorest and most marginalized segments of the population of developing countries,
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Reiterates concerns
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Reiterates concerns over the EU’s trade strategy which fails to provide a pro- development approach; calls therefore for fair and
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 a (new) 25a. Recalls that food security requires coherence and coordination of the various sectoral policies at EU level, namely development policy, the CAP, the common trade policy, energy policy and research programmes;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Urges the Commission to focus on development concerns in the ongoing EPA negotiations
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Urges the Commission to focus on development concerns in the ongoing EPA negotiations and to grant more flexibility to developing countries as to trade rules; highlights that developing countries use of export restrictions and infant industry protection are development tools that can be used to enhance local production and food security; demands that the Commission takes a strong pro- development position in WTO negotiations and works towards the completion of the Doha Round; calls on the
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Urges the Commission to focus on development concerns in the ongoing EPA negotiations and to grant more flexibility to developing countries as to trade rules; demands that the Commission takes a strong pro-development position in WTO negotiations and works towards the completion of the Doha Round;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 a (new) 26a. Calls for developing countries’ governments and parliaments to enact policies and regulate foreign investment in public interest, in consultation with civil society, in a way that foreign investment benefit the local economy, creates domestic added value and foster development; calls also for an automatic disclosure of transnational corporation’s profit and tax payment in each individual countries where they operate in order to fight against tax abuses of tax havens, tax evasion and illicit financial flow
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 a (new) 26a. calls on the Commission and the Member States to push in the current FAC negotiations for an overall commitment to assist a certain number of people, expressed in quantity of food and not less than the current 5 million metric tonnes per year, and to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of financial commitments, especially in times of economic and financial crises, for the recipient countries and for people suffering from hunger;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 b (new) 26b. calls on the Commission and the Member States to support a needs based convention in which the level of donors’ food assistance commitments are linked to people’s needs and guaranteed local purchase volumes in recipient countries;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas global demand for agricultural products is expected to increase by 70% by 2050 with the world’s population forecast to reach nine billion by then; whereas food insecurity is further exacerbated by speculation on commodities, land degradation, water scarcity, climate change, global land acquisitions, demands for agro-fuels and energy-related policies,
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 c (new) 26c. expresses its deep concern about the lack of transparency, of information provided and of participation of relevant stakeholders in the current FAC negotiations;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 d (new) 26d. proposes to establish a EP permanent rapporteur for food security in developing countries;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas global demand for agricultural products is expected to increase by 70% by 2050 which will need to be done using less water and pesticides and with less agricultural land available; whereas food insecurity is further exacerbated by abusive speculation on commodities, land degradation, water scarcity, climate change,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas global demand for agricultural products is expected to increase by 70% by 2050; whereas food insecurity is further exacerbated by speculation on commodities, land degradation, water scarcity, climate change, global land acquisitions, global seed monopolies, demands for agro-fuels and energy-related policies,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 9 a (new) – having regard to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2011-2020, published jointly by the OECD and the FAO on 17 June 2011,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas 85 % of the world’s assessed fish stocks are either fully exploited, overexploited or depleted and the dependency of fish as source of animal protein in low income food-deficit countries is at least 20 % according to ‘The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2010’ of FAO,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas agriculture provides employment and a livelihood for more than 70 % of the labour force, mainly women, in developing countries; whereas the World Bank estimates that growth in the agricultural sector is twice as effective at reducing poverty as growth in other sectors, but also points to the importance of investing in rural non-farm sector growth and job creation;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas evidence shows the potential of smallholder agricultural systems in increasing overall food production;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas evidence shows the potential of smallholder agricultural systems in
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas evidence shows the potential of smallholder agricultural systems in increasing overall food production; whereas focussing only on export production in developing countries
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. Whereas the defence of private property and the rule of law are basic requisites to raise private investment in agriculture.
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas st
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas strong State capacities and local and democratic ownership are crucial for sustainable development and for building up production and processing capacities,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 a (new) Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the EU has responded quickly to the 2008 food crisis through the creation of the Food Facility; whereas the impact of such measures on the structural causes of hunger and food insecurity and on small and medium-sized family farms, particularly those run by women, has been difficult to measure,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the EU has responded quickly to the 2008 food crisis through the creation of the Food Facility; whereas the impact of such measures on the structural causes of hunger and food insecurity has been difficult to measure
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas the consequences of under nutrition, such as poor foetal growth or stunting in the first 2 years of life lead to irreversible damage, including shorter adult height, lower attained schooling, reduced adult income, and decreased offspring birthweight, have still to be seen as a major problem for sustainable development in many countries of the south;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H b (new) Hb. whereas there has been a renewed political emphasis on food security since 2008 which has led to the multiplication of initiatives at the international level which call for a comprehensive global strategy,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 1 EU policy framework on food and nutrition security: a human rights based-approach to sustainable
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 1 EU policy framework on food and nutrition security: a human rights based-approach to sustainable
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Stresses that the number of people suffering from hunger is
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Stresses that the number of people suffering from hunger is unacceptable and regrets that the overall international efforts have so far fallen short of achieving MDG 1; calls for urgent steps to be taken to fulfil internationally binding commitments and make the right to adequate and nutritious food a reality;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that implementing the human right to food should be the overriding political objective and must take priority over the specific interests of private and state investors, which undermine the implementation of this right;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Asks that to achieve MDG 1, indicative country programmes be established, backed by annual assessment and monitoring mechanisms;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 a (new) – having regard to the FAO most recent Biannual Food Outlook Report (June, 2011)
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the coherence of the two Communications from the Commission on humanitarian food assistance and food security; calls for stronger coordination in order to better address the root causes of hunger and food insecurity, along the issue of food distribution amongst and within countries, with a particular focus on the poorest and marginalized segments of society;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the coherence of the two Communications from the Commission on humanitarian food assistance and food security; calls for stronger coordination in order to better address the root causes of hunger and food insecurity; welcomes the fact that special attention is paid to those who are hardest hit in disasters, namely, women and children; considers that when a crisis occurs, it is essential to ensure the community’s capacity to obtain food in the short and the long term;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the coherence of the two Communications from the Commission on humanitarian food assistance and food security; calls for stronger coordination in order to better address the root causes of hunger and food insecurity; welcomes the fact that special attention is paid to those who are hardest hit in disasters, namely, women and children; considers that when a crisis occurs, it is essential to ensure the community’s capacity to obtain food in the short and the long term;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new) recalls that emergency mechanisms must not be a long-term solution ; expresses deep concerns about the negative effects of such mechanisms especially on local economies; emphasises that a sustainable development policy should be based on long-term and cooperation approaches ;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses the importance of strengthening the link between relief, rehabilitation and development; calls for more resources to be deployed in order to ensure the continuity of aid and for the debate to focus on the flexibility and complementarity of existing financial instruments; advocates enhanced dialogue and coordination between humanitarian organisations and development agencies;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the EU to assess the development impact of its CAP reform proposals in order to improve coherence between CAP and EU development policy’s objectives;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in nationally led plans; emphasises the need for increased public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems that also considerably improve the productivity and competitiveness of the agriculture and rural sector;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of smallholder and peasant agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in nationally led plans which should be implemented on a local level in cooperation with farmers and their representatives, local and regional authorities and civil society organisations; emphasises the need for increased public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 11 b (new) – having regard to the Agriculture Outlook 2011-2020 released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in nationally led plans; emphasises the need for increased public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems; calls likewise for the mobilisation of additional resources for food security and the establishment of transparent mechanisms to monitor the financial commitments acquired;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the EU to increase support in favour of agriculture in its development aid programmes and to invest in nationally led plans; emphasises the need for increased public investments in research for sustainable agro-ecological production systems
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Insists on the need for a partnership approach with the whole range of development stakeholders on food security, in particular local and regional authorities and civil society organisations; underlines that because of their proximity to the territories and local populations, and their capacity to coordinate actions from different actors, the local and regional authorities play an essential role as an intermediary and a development platform; emphasises that the Structured Dialogue between the Institutions and civil society organisations should be extended to food security issues;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production, as recommended in the IAASTD report, and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land, promote agro- ecological and low-external-input (LEI) practices, and excludes GMOs;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Citation a (new) a. having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the sea of 1982,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, avoid dependence on the earth’s dwindling oil resources, prevent the
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land, promote agro- ecological and low-external-input (LEI) practices
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Agrees that EU assistance programmes should focus on sustainable small-scale food production and that priority should be given to ‘ecologically-efficient’ approaches that strengthen biodiversity, prevent the degradation of fertile land, promote agro- ecological and low-external-input (LEI) practices,
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Believes that safe GMO’s commercial production should be supported, specially when targeted to solve concrete problems as excess salinity or water drought, endemic in some developing countries; also, GMOs of social relevance should be promoted whenever possible through public-private partnerships.
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the EU and developing countries to develop joint research and training capacities in sustainable farming methods and new technologies, notably through public private partnerships and joint ventures; including producing value addition at the point of food collection and storage through packaging and processing;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Stresses that seed oligopolies exacerbate poverty and have devastating effects on the sustainability of small-scale farming, fostering dependency on a limited number of multinational corporations for the purchasing of seeds and specialized fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission to take measures that discourage the import of soybeans and corn which have been grown outside the EU using large-scale monoculture farming, because imports of these crops often have direct and indirect negative consequences in the exporting third countries for local farmers, the environment - especially vulnerable ecotypes like forests and wetlands - and indigenous people.
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Citation b (new) b. having regard to the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of 1995,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls for the establishment of mechanisms that protect forests, indigenous people, wet lands and traditional agricultural practices in exporting third countries.
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Calls for the establishment of mechanisms that discourage exporting third countries to use GM-technology in growing crops intended for the EU- market.
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Stresses that
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Stresses that the fair integration of smallholder farmers, especially women, in the value chain context can only be successful if conditions are created to facilitate their access to the means of production, processing and trade opportunities;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Stresses that the fair integration of smallholder farmers in the value chain context can only be successful if conditions are created to facilitate
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Stresses that the fair integration of smallholder farmers in the value chain context can only be successful if conditions are created to facilitate their access to the means of production, processing and trade opportunities; calls on the EU and the developing countries to facilitate access to microcredit for small-scale farmers and local communities and to provide for other investments to increase their capacities, for example to supply them with seeds;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Stresses that the fair integration of smallholder farmers in the value chain context can only be successful if conditions are created to facilitate their access to the means of production, processing and trade opportunities; calls on the EU and the developing countries to facilitate access to microcredit for small-scale farmers and local communities and to provide for other investments to increase their capacities, for example to supply them with seeds;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. emphasises the importance of scaling up both nutrition-specific and nutrition sensitive activities and policies and to better align donor interventions in this sector at country, EU, and international level;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses the need to give small farmers in developing countries greater access to property rights, allowing small land owners to prove ownership and as such posses collateral for the loans required to elevate their production;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to support agro-processing capacities in partner countries in order to reduce post-harvest
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Citation c (new) c. having regard to the FAO annual review The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture of 2010
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to support the development of agro-processing capacities in partner countries in order to reduce post- harvest losses, extend the shelf-life of food and create decent work for the local population; calls on the EU and its Member States to make every effort to facilitate the transfer to developing countries of technology, expertise and support with capacity building;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission to support agro-processing capacities in partner countries in order to reduce post-harvest losses, extend the shelf-life of food
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission to take into account the role of arid and semi arid lands (ASAL), with a special focus on live stock since the largest supply of meat for the more urbanised areas is provided by the ASAL regions;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Recalls that access to adequate food is a universal human right; urges partner countries to implement the FAO voluntary guidelines on the right to food;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Stresses that the FAO should be the central forum for guidelines and decisions on the major challenges with regard to food security, agriculture and nutrition, and that the FAO’s potential in terms of skills and neutrality should be used to turn it into a pillar of world governance in this area;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Calls for the recognition of the concept of food s
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Calls for the recognition of the concept of food sovereignty, defined as the capacity of a country or a region to democratically implement its own agricultural and food policies, priorities and strategies by means of a sustainable agricultural model on a family scale, to protect not only the environment but, above all, the social balances that are typical of every community;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 21 a (new) – having regard to its resolution of 18 May 2010 on The EU Policy Coherence for Development and the ‘Official Development Assistance plus concept’;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls on the Commission to recognise the fundamental role of women, as smallholder farmers, in food and nutrition security, and to invest in programmes which specifically support them; reminds that women’s importance in achieving nutrition security for themselves and their children has still to be properly acknowledged and, therefore, women’s livelihoods have to be secured and knowledge about adequate nutrition has to be increased;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 – subparagraph 1 (new) insists on the fact that the EU strategy should also focus on the implementation of actions to ensure that the most vulnerable, especially in rural areas, can benefit from agriculture training opportunities, education on nutrition, good health and work conditions and a safety net in case it is needed ;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Calls on the Commission and international organisations such as the FAO to continue their ongoing consultation processes with global civil society and non-state actors, in particular with farmers’, fishermen’s and breeders’ organisations, the involvement and contribution of whom is vital with a view to adopting specific measures to improve food production;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 b (new) 10b. Calls on the Commission to support small-scale producers, traditional fishermen, small craftsmen and indigenous people, including those in cooperatives, through research programmes geared to appropriate innovation and sustainable agricultural and rural development strategies, focusing on the management of supply to protect local markets and on the regional integration of those markets;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Urges the EU to support the UN social protection floor initiative, which would help satisfy the basic food needs of impoverished populations, since the poorest receive a basic allowance which enables them to obtain the most essential basic foodstuffs;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Urges the EU to support the UN social protection floor initiative, which would help satisfy the basic food needs of impoverished populations by providing essential services to poor and vulnerable people, including those with disabilities, in order to strengthen food security and improve nutrition – vital issues which make it easier to take a human rights- based approach;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Urges the Commission to focus on under-nutrition, particularly maternal and infant under-nutrition, and to integrate sound and multi-sectoral nutrition strategies into its development policy
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Highlights the statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food that farmer participation is vital to the success of agroecological practices and stimulates continued learning for farmers; therefore encourages food producers in the developing countries to become involved in global and local NGOs and farmers’ cooperatives;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Welcomes the example set by Brazil, which has over the last four decades transformed from a country facing a food crisis to one of the major food producers in the world, based upon a strategy where sustainability is seen as paramount, new technology is welcomed and there is overwhelming state support for agricultural research and GM crops;
source: PE-467.250
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