BETA


2014/2234(INI) Protecting the European Union's financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the common agricultural policy

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead CONT SARVAMAA Petri (icon: PPE PPE) PARGNEAUX Gilles (icon: S&D S&D), CZARNECKI Ryszard (icon: ECR ECR), ALI Nedzhmi (icon: ALDE ALDE), VALLI Marco (icon: EFDD EFDD)
Committee Opinion AGRI GIESEKE Jens (icon: PPE PPE) Jørn DOHRMANN (icon: ECR ECR), Tibor SZANYI (icon: S&D S&D)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2016/02/24
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2015/09/08
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2015/09/08
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 575 votes to 21, with 111 abstentions, a resolution on protecting the European Union’s financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Over the two rounds of common agricultural policy (CAP) reforms, the rules have become more diverse and complex . More complex rules lead to more errors on the ground. A more effective and efficient CAP reform requires simplification but it must not result in a dismantling of the instruments that have been adopted.

In this context, Parliament called for:

a less bureaucratic CAP with a view to reducing the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud given that omissions do not as a rule cause any financial damage to the taxpayer; clearer guidance be given to both national authorities and farmers to implement the CAP in order to reduce the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud.

New simplification : fearing that the most likely error rate determined by the Court of Auditors will increase in the common agricultural policy direct payments area during the period 2014-2020, Parliament welcomed the fact that the Commission is giving priority to a new CAP simplification exercise and that it is proposing, firstly, to simplify a number of delegated and implementing acts. It favoured strongly an improvement in the quality and consistency of inspections rather than an increase in the number of controls in agriculture.

Parliament expected the Commission to urgently make full use of the process of simplification of the CAP, especially with regard to the burdensome and complex regulations governing cross-compliance and greening which ultimately impacts upon farmers across Europe.

Single audit : regretting that the single audit scheme is not yet effective, Members advocated the reinforcement and stronger implementation of the single audit through the coordination of the control activities carried out by the various institutions. They called for the administrative burden arising from audits to be lightened so that farmers are not subjected to different visits on separate occasions by the bodies responsible or to excessive or multiple controls by the Commission and the Court of Auditors in the same year.

Parliament favoured an integrated approach to controls , whereby all the controls required on a given farm are carried out at the same time wherever possible, so that the number of onsite visits is kept low and the concomitant financial and time cost and burden for administrations and farmers can be reduced and the control process streamlined.

Sanctions : the resolution stated that the adoption of a reasonable, proportional and effective policy on sanctions to avoid double sanctioning for the same error under both the payment scheme and cross-compliance. Moreover, in order to ensure smooth project implementation, payments should not be interrupted when minor and/or clerical errors are identified.

Audit strategies : the Commission, the Member States and the Court of Auditors are requested to further develop risk-based audit strategies factoring in all relevant data, including prior identification of the best/worst performers per policy area . The best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls. Parliament emphasised that criteria should be developed in order to define which Member States are identified as best/worst performers . Members considered that the best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls. The best performing Member States should share their experience with the worst performing Member States.

Online administration : Parliament encouraged Member States to develop further e-government initiatives aimed at reducing the error rate by preventing mistakes in the application phase as a mid- to long-term objective. Complete fast broadband coverage of rural areas , with significant awareness-raising and training in its use, will be an essential tool in enabling all farmers to benefit from the newest CAP application and claims systems.

Member States are called upon to ensure that the governmental/regional bodies dealing with the new CAP implementation communicate and work together effectively to the benefit of farmers implementing the policy on the ground.

Lastly, the Commission is called upon to draft a communication on the possibility of introducing performance-based management systems in all areas of the CAP, especially in the investment part of rural development, in order to initiate a debate with all the stakeholders with a view to introducing this principle in EU legislation.

Documents
2015/09/08
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2015/09/07
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2015/07/23
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted a report by Petri SARVAAMA (EPP, SU) on protecting the European Union’s financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Over the two rounds of common agricultural policy (CAP) reforms, the rules have become more diverse and complex . More complex rules lead to more errors on the ground. A more effective and efficient CAP reform requires simplification and less bureaucracy in order to meet the CAP’s objectives. Such a simplification must not result in a dismantling of the instruments that have been adopted.

In this context, the report called for:

a less bureaucratic CAP with a view to reducing the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud given that omissions do not as a rule cause any financial damage to the taxpayer; clearer guidance be given to both national authorities and farmers to implement the CAP in order to reduce the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud.

New simplification : fearing that the most likely error rate determined by the Court of Auditors will increase in the common agricultural policy direct payments area during the period 2014-2020, Members welcomed the fact that the Commission is giving priority to a new CAP simplification exercise and that it is proposing, firstly, to simplify a number of delegated and implementing acts. They favoured strongly an improvement in the quality and consistency of inspections rather than an increase in the number of controls in agriculture.

Members expected the Commission to urgently make full use of the process of simplification of the CAP, especially with regard to the burdensome and complex regulations governing cross-compliance and greening which ultimately impacts upon farmers across Europe.

Single audit : regretting that the single audit scheme is not yet effective, Members advocated the reinforcement and stronger implementation of the single audit through the coordination of the control activities carried out by the various institutions. They called for the administrative burden arising from audits to be lightened so that farmers are not subjected to different visits on separate occasions by the bodies responsible or to excessive or multiple controls by the Commission and the Court of Auditors in the same year.

Members favoured an integrated approach to controls , whereby all the controls required on a given farm are carried out at the same time wherever possible, so that the number of onsite visits is kept low and the concomitant financial and time cost and burden for administrations and farmers can be reduced and the control process streamlined.

Sanctions : the report states that the adoption of a reasonable, proportional and effective policy on sanctions to avoid double sanctioning for the same error under both the payment scheme and cross-compliance. Moreover, in order to ensure smooth project implementation, payments should not be interrupted when minor and/or clerical errors are identified.

Audit strategies : the Commission, the Member States and the Court of Auditors are requested to further develop risk-based audit strategies factoring in all relevant data, including prior identification of the best/worst performers per policy area . The best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls.

Online administration : the report encouraged Member States to develop further e-government initiatives aimed at reducing the error rate by preventing mistakes in the application phase as a mid- to long-term objective. Complete fast broadband coverage of rural areas , with significant awareness-raising and training in its use, will be an essential tool in enabling all farmers to benefit from the newest CAP application and claims systems.

Member States are called upon to ensure that the governmental/regional bodies dealing with the new CAP implementation communicate and work together effectively to the benefit of farmers implementing the policy on the ground.

The Commission is called upon to draft a communication on the possibility of introducing performance-based management systems in all areas of the CAP, especially in the investment part of rural development, in order to initiate a debate with all the stakeholders with a view to introducing this principle in EU legislation.

Documents
2015/07/14
   EP - Vote in committee
2015/06/19
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2015/06/11
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2015/04/28
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2015/03/23
   EP - GIESEKE Jens (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in AGRI
2015/01/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2015/01/05
   EP - SARVAMAA Petri (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in CONT

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0240/2015 - Petri Sarvamaa - Résolution #

2015/09/08 Outcome: +: 575, 0: 111, -: 21
DE IT PL GB FR ES RO CZ HU BE NL PT AT SK BG DK FI LT SE HR IE LV SI MT LU EE EL CY
Total
91
68
49
64
71
50
31
21
20
19
26
19
18
13
14
13
12
11
20
11
9
8
7
6
6
5
18
6
icon: PPE PPE
206

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1
2
3

Luxembourg PPE

3

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
182

Netherlands S&D

3

Bulgaria S&D

Against (1)

4

Croatia S&D

2

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Malta S&D

3

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: ALDE ALDE
68

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

3

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Bulgaria ALDE

3

Denmark ALDE

3

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

3
icon: ECR ECR
64

Italy ECR

2

Czechia ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

2

Finland ECR

For (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

For (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
49

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

France GUE/NGL

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

4

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Portugal GUE/NGL

3

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: EFDD EFDD
40

Poland EFDD

1

France EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia EFDD

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1

Sweden EFDD

2
icon: ENF ENF
38
2

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

Romania ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium ENF

For (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

3
icon: NI NI
11

Germany NI

Abstain (1)

1

Poland NI

1

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

1

France NI

2

Hungary NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
48

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1
4

Croatia Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
164 2014/2234(INI)
2015/05/13 AGRI 120 amendments...
source: 557.044
2015/06/11 CONT 44 amendments...
source: 557.418

History

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

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  • date: 2015-01-15T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
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  • date: 2015-07-23T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0240&language=EN title: A8-0240/2015 summary: The Committee on Budgetary Control adopted a report by Petri SARVAAMA (EPP, SU) on protecting the European Union’s financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the Common Agricultural Policy. Over the two rounds of common agricultural policy (CAP) reforms, the rules have become more diverse and complex . More complex rules lead to more errors on the ground. A more effective and efficient CAP reform requires simplification and less bureaucracy in order to meet the CAP’s objectives. Such a simplification must not result in a dismantling of the instruments that have been adopted. In this context, the report called for: a less bureaucratic CAP with a view to reducing the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud given that omissions do not as a rule cause any financial damage to the taxpayer; clearer guidance be given to both national authorities and farmers to implement the CAP in order to reduce the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud. New simplification : fearing that the most likely error rate determined by the Court of Auditors will increase in the common agricultural policy direct payments area during the period 2014-2020, Members welcomed the fact that the Commission is giving priority to a new CAP simplification exercise and that it is proposing, firstly, to simplify a number of delegated and implementing acts. They favoured strongly an improvement in the quality and consistency of inspections rather than an increase in the number of controls in agriculture. Members expected the Commission to urgently make full use of the process of simplification of the CAP, especially with regard to the burdensome and complex regulations governing cross-compliance and greening which ultimately impacts upon farmers across Europe. Single audit : regretting that the single audit scheme is not yet effective, Members advocated the reinforcement and stronger implementation of the single audit through the coordination of the control activities carried out by the various institutions. They called for the administrative burden arising from audits to be lightened so that farmers are not subjected to different visits on separate occasions by the bodies responsible or to excessive or multiple controls by the Commission and the Court of Auditors in the same year. Members favoured an integrated approach to controls , whereby all the controls required on a given farm are carried out at the same time wherever possible, so that the number of onsite visits is kept low and the concomitant financial and time cost and burden for administrations and farmers can be reduced and the control process streamlined. Sanctions : the report states that the adoption of a reasonable, proportional and effective policy on sanctions to avoid double sanctioning for the same error under both the payment scheme and cross-compliance. Moreover, in order to ensure smooth project implementation, payments should not be interrupted when minor and/or clerical errors are identified. Audit strategies : the Commission, the Member States and the Court of Auditors are requested to further develop risk-based audit strategies factoring in all relevant data, including prior identification of the best/worst performers per policy area . The best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls. Online administration : the report encouraged Member States to develop further e-government initiatives aimed at reducing the error rate by preventing mistakes in the application phase as a mid- to long-term objective. Complete fast broadband coverage of rural areas , with significant awareness-raising and training in its use, will be an essential tool in enabling all farmers to benefit from the newest CAP application and claims systems. Member States are called upon to ensure that the governmental/regional bodies dealing with the new CAP implementation communicate and work together effectively to the benefit of farmers implementing the policy on the ground. The Commission is called upon to draft a communication on the possibility of introducing performance-based management systems in all areas of the CAP, especially in the investment part of rural development, in order to initiate a debate with all the stakeholders with a view to introducing this principle in EU legislation.
  • date: 2015-09-07T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150907&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=26060&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0289 title: T8-0289/2015 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 575 votes to 21, with 111 abstentions, a resolution on protecting the European Union’s financial interests: towards performance-based controls of the Common Agricultural Policy. Over the two rounds of common agricultural policy (CAP) reforms, the rules have become more diverse and complex . More complex rules lead to more errors on the ground. A more effective and efficient CAP reform requires simplification but it must not result in a dismantling of the instruments that have been adopted. In this context, Parliament called for: a less bureaucratic CAP with a view to reducing the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud given that omissions do not as a rule cause any financial damage to the taxpayer; clearer guidance be given to both national authorities and farmers to implement the CAP in order to reduce the error rate and for instruments to be established which will make it possible to distinguish between error and fraud. New simplification : fearing that the most likely error rate determined by the Court of Auditors will increase in the common agricultural policy direct payments area during the period 2014-2020, Parliament welcomed the fact that the Commission is giving priority to a new CAP simplification exercise and that it is proposing, firstly, to simplify a number of delegated and implementing acts. It favoured strongly an improvement in the quality and consistency of inspections rather than an increase in the number of controls in agriculture. Parliament expected the Commission to urgently make full use of the process of simplification of the CAP, especially with regard to the burdensome and complex regulations governing cross-compliance and greening which ultimately impacts upon farmers across Europe. Single audit : regretting that the single audit scheme is not yet effective, Members advocated the reinforcement and stronger implementation of the single audit through the coordination of the control activities carried out by the various institutions. They called for the administrative burden arising from audits to be lightened so that farmers are not subjected to different visits on separate occasions by the bodies responsible or to excessive or multiple controls by the Commission and the Court of Auditors in the same year. Parliament favoured an integrated approach to controls , whereby all the controls required on a given farm are carried out at the same time wherever possible, so that the number of onsite visits is kept low and the concomitant financial and time cost and burden for administrations and farmers can be reduced and the control process streamlined. Sanctions : the resolution stated that the adoption of a reasonable, proportional and effective policy on sanctions to avoid double sanctioning for the same error under both the payment scheme and cross-compliance. Moreover, in order to ensure smooth project implementation, payments should not be interrupted when minor and/or clerical errors are identified. Audit strategies : the Commission, the Member States and the Court of Auditors are requested to further develop risk-based audit strategies factoring in all relevant data, including prior identification of the best/worst performers per policy area . The best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls. Parliament emphasised that criteria should be developed in order to define which Member States are identified as best/worst performers . Members considered that the best performing Member States in each policy area should be rewarded by a reduction in Union controls. The best performing Member States should share their experience with the worst performing Member States. Online administration : Parliament encouraged Member States to develop further e-government initiatives aimed at reducing the error rate by preventing mistakes in the application phase as a mid- to long-term objective. Complete fast broadband coverage of rural areas , with significant awareness-raising and training in its use, will be an essential tool in enabling all farmers to benefit from the newest CAP application and claims systems. Member States are called upon to ensure that the governmental/regional bodies dealing with the new CAP implementation communicate and work together effectively to the benefit of farmers implementing the policy on the ground. Lastly, the Commission is called upon to draft a communication on the possibility of introducing performance-based management systems in all areas of the CAP, especially in the investment part of rural development, in order to initiate a debate with all the stakeholders with a view to introducing this principle in EU legislation.
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
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  • 3.10 Agricultural policy and economies
  • 8.70.03 Budgetary control and discharge, implementation of the budget
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Protecting the European Union's financial interests: towards performance-based controls of Common Agricultural Policy
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