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2015/2225(INI) Technological solutions to sustainable agriculture in the EU
Next event: Debate in plenary scheduled 2016/06/06 more...
RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead AGRI MCINTYRE Anthea (ECR) LINS Norbert (EPP), SERRÃO SANTOS Ricardo (S&D), HUITEMA Jan (ALDE), FLANAGAN Luke Ming (GUE/NGL), SCOTT CATO Molly (Verts/ALE), ZULLO Marco (EFD)
Opinion ITRE
Lead committee dossier: AGRI/8/04369
Legal Basis RoP 052

Activites

  • 2016/06/07 Vote in plenary scheduled
  • 2016/06/06 Debate in plenary scheduled
  • 2016/05/10 Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • 2016/04/26 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • 2015/09/10 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading

Documents

  • Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A8-0174/2016
AmendmentsDossier
304 2015/2225(INI)
2016/02/02 AGRI 304 amendments...
source: 575.300

History

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

activities/2/docs/0/text
  • The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted the own-initiative report by Anthea McINTYRE (ECR, UK) on technological solutions for sustainable agriculture in the European Union.

    Members noted that the agriculture sector has always relied on new farm business models and practices that include new techniques and production methods to increase outputs and adapt to new and changing circumstances. They are convinced that innovation has the potential to contribute to achieving sustainable agriculture in the EU.

    The main recommendation contained in the report are as follows:

    Precision Farming (PF): Members stated that the principles underpinning PF can generate significant benefits for the environment, increase farmers' incomes, rationalise the use of agricultural machinery and significantly increase resource efficiency, including use of water for irrigation.

    The Commission is encouraged to promote policies to stimulate the development and uptake of precision farming technologies for all farm types, irrespective of their size and production, whether crop and/or animal farming.

    Big data and informatics: emphasing that the collation and analysis of large integrated data sets has the potential to drive innovation in agriculture, Members called on the Commission and the Member States to remove the barriers to integrating complex and fragmented ICT systems, stimulating investment and covering training costs, and to make the necessary facilities more accessible to agriculture.

    Soil, water and nutrient management: recognising soil degradation to be a major constraint in agricultural production, the report called for greater ambitions and efforts to improve soil and water management practices, particularly in light of climate change. Regretting that the efficiency of nutrient use in the EU is very low, Members stressed that action is needed to improve the efficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) use, in order to reduce their impact on the environment and improve food and energy production.

    Genetic diversity: Members are of the opinion that monoculture and a lack of crop rotation is a major factor in the loss genetic diversity over the past century. They stated that all plant varieties and animal species, including landraces, their wild and semi-wild relatives, and old and pioneer varieties to be essential for maintaining genetic diversity.

    The report insisted on the need for:

    • greater dialogue between genetic banks, private and public plant research, breeders, end users and all other actors involved in the conservation and use of genetic resources;
    • maintaining and using genetic resources for long-term food security and to broaden the genetic base of modern plant and animal breeding programmes;
    • maintaining and developing the performance of local breeds;
    • supporting suitable crop rotations that remain profitable for farmers.

    The Commission is called upon to put forward proposals for the European strategy for the safeguarding of genetic diversity in agriculture provided for in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2020.

    Precision breeding: Members expressed their support for continuous progress in innovative plant and animal breeding through the application of safe and proven techniques aimed at increasing not only the range of pest- and disease-resistant traits in crops, but also the range of food raw materials with nutritional and health-beneficial characteristics on the market.

    The report emphasised that it is crucial not to hamper the application of, and experiments involving, high-precision breeding techniques – without sound scientific reason, and that legislation should be fit-for-purpose in order to keep pace with developments without being burdensome.

    Plant protection products (PPPs): Members stressed the urgent need to review the implementation of the regulatory framework for PPPs and to develop a coherent, efficient, predictable, risk-based and scientifically robust assessment and approvals system. They considered it important to reduce farmers dependence on pesticides and develop PPPs which are cost-effective, safe to use and environment friendly.

    DG Health and Food Safety (SANTE) is called upon to establish clear criteria for defining low-risk active substances for the development and use of low-risk pesticides. The Commission should come forward with an action plan and set up an expert group in order to work towards a more sustainable pest management system.

    Skill development and knowledge transfer: the report recognises that the development of agri-related technologies requires a multitude of specialist skill sets and knowledge that are transdisciplinary in approach. Member States are called upon to work in partnership with industry, research institutions and other relevant stakeholders in the design of their next rural development programmes, with a view to identifying opportunities to support skill development and knowledge transfer in these areas.

    Research and funding priorities: the report called on the Commission and the Member States to develop a long-term investment plan, assigning priority to a sectoral approach, with continuity of funding, for basic and applied research. The plan should include cost-effective solutions and be applicable to small-scale producers, rural areas and outermost and mountainous regions.

    The Commission and the Member States should in particular:

    • develop projects which focus on the development of more resource-efficient agricultural practices and crop varieties, including locally specialised varieties, aimed at the conservation and improvement of soil fertility and nutrient exchange;
    • prioritise investment in the circular economy and climate-smart farming practices, with adequate funding incentives for research and uptake by farmers;
    • develop innovative projects for producing non-food products (bio-economy, renewable energy, etc.) and services with a view to developing a more resource-efficient agriculture industry (better use of water, energy, food for crops and animals, etc.), and one which is more autonomous.

    Lastly, Members considered it essential that emerging technologies continue to be developed in the EU, are not stifled by unnecessary and burdensome regulation, and are allowed to demonstrate and deliver their value and benefits, given that reasonable EU regulation, oriented towards consumer safety and health and environmental protection, based on independent, peer-reviewed science, enables EU farm produce to be competitive and attractive on the internal and world markets.

activities/3/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Debate in plenary scheduled
activities/4
date
2016-06-07T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote in plenary scheduled
activities/2/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0174&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A8-0174/2016
activities/2
date
2016-05-10T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
activities/1/committees
  • body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: LINS Norbert group: S&D name: SERRÃO SANTOS Ricardo group: ALDE name: HUITEMA Jan group: GUE/NGL name: FLANAGAN Luke Ming group: Verts/ALE name: SCOTT CATO Molly group: EFD name: ZULLO Marco responsible: True committee: AGRI date: 2015-09-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development rapporteur: group: ECR name: MCINTYRE Anthea
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy committee: ITRE
activities/1/type
Old
Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
activities/2/date
Old
2016-05-25T00:00:00
New
2016-06-06T00:00:00
activities/1/date
Old
2016-04-25T00:00:00
New
2016-04-26T00:00:00
activities/1/date
Old
2016-04-26T00:00:00
New
2016-04-25T00:00:00
activities/1
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2016-04-26T00:00:00
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EP
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activities/2/date
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2016-04-11T00:00:00
New
2016-05-25T00:00:00
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2016-04-11T00:00:00
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EP
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Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
activities/0/committees/0/shadows/5
group
EFD
name
ZULLO Marco
committees/0/shadows/5
group
EFD
name
ZULLO Marco
activities
  • date: 2015-09-10T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: LINS Norbert group: S&D name: SERRÃO SANTOS Ricardo group: ALDE name: HUITEMA Jan group: GUE/NGL name: FLANAGAN Luke Ming group: Verts/ALE name: SCOTT CATO Molly responsible: True committee: AGRI date: 2015-09-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development rapporteur: group: ECR name: MCINTYRE Anthea body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy committee: ITRE
committees
  • body: EP shadows: group: EPP name: LINS Norbert group: S&D name: SERRÃO SANTOS Ricardo group: ALDE name: HUITEMA Jan group: GUE/NGL name: FLANAGAN Luke Ming group: Verts/ALE name: SCOTT CATO Molly responsible: True committee: AGRI date: 2015-09-03T00:00:00 committee_full: Agriculture and Rural Development rapporteur: group: ECR name: MCINTYRE Anthea
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy committee: ITRE
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/agriculture/ title: Agriculture and Rural Development commissioner: HOGAN Phil
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
AGRI/8/04369
reference
2015/2225(INI)
title
Technological solutions to sustainable agriculture in the EU
legal_basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
stage_reached
Awaiting committee decision
subtype
Initiative
type
INI - Own-initiative procedure
subject