2015/2279(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Recital -A (new)

-A. - having regard to Title III of the Third Part of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union concerning, in particular, agriculture1 a, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible.

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the additional costs associated with climatic and topographical conditions, remoteness and isolation hinder the economic, cultural and social development of mountainous regions; whereas also efforts to maintain agricultural economic production in EU regions must be accompanied by physical and digital accessibility as well as access to public services for the inhabitants of such regions;

Amendment 100 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Believes that lighter regulation and streamlined administrative procedures for the common agricultural policy, together with an integrated approach to ESI funding, would help to foster the long- term development of mountain areas;

Amendment 101 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Commission to set up a specific, individually funded, mandatory programme concerning mountainous regions;

Amendment 102 #

Elisabeth KÖSTINGER, Norbert LINS, Herbert DORFMANN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Highlights the role of scientific institutes and other educational establishments dealing with mountain agriculture and calls on the regional and national authorities to strengthen their role and financial support to advance innovation and sustainable use of resources in those regions; stresses the importance of women's role in fostering innovation and cooperation processes in mountain areas;

Amendment 103 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the particular economic, social and ecological role of forestry in mountain areas, and observes that sustainable forestry is vital for the preservation of healthy and stable mountain forests; calls in this connection for cohesion policy to focus more on forestry, which is a very important economic factor and guarantor of jobs in mountain areas;

Amendment 104 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Believes that sustainable and inclusive tourism can tackle the problem of desertification and the lack of generational renewal and perspective creating jobs and diversified contents for those regions; recalls the importance of investing in infrastructure, in particular in digital infrastructure, and diversified educational offers which boost competitiveness and connectivity;

Amendment 105 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Draws attention to the harmful way in which the declining population density of mountain regions is making itself felt in terms of land areas used for agriculture and forestry and of farming proper, which is being adversely affected both because farmland is becoming overgrown and by attacks by wild predators on sheep, goats, and cattle;

Amendment 106 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the importance of regulating certain aspects of education in mountain areas in order to refresh their inhabitants’ knowledge so they can cope with new demands, with this being planned as part of the Member States’ overall educational strategy;

Amendment 107 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the need to foster integrated production systems and takes the view that promoting related agri-tourism oriented activities will contribute to the development of mountain areas;

Amendment 108 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission to introduce specific aid for small-scale farms;

Amendment 109 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Points to the need for active synergistic cooperation between farming and other economic activities on Natura 2000 sites and in other protected areas (national parks, countryside parks, etc.) lying in mountain regions;

Amendment 11 #

Elisabeth KÖSTINGER, Norbert LINS

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the additional costs associated with climatic and topographical conditions, remoteness and isolation hinder the economic and social development of mountainous regions; whereas also efforts to maintain agricultural economic production in EU regions must be accompanied by physical and digital accessibility as well as access to public services for the inhabitants of s~~uch~~aid regions;

Amendment 110 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Observes that women have an important role to play in preserving the proper functioning of rural areas, particularly in peripheral regions and mountain areas; considers, therefore, that European cohesion policy should focus more on improving the situation of women farmers and women in mountain areas, and in this context should provide more support, in particular, for women's potential as self-employed persons in direct marketing, tourism, craft trades and projects which are to be regarded as providing genuine job opportunities, such as green care;

Amendment 111 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ, Miguel VIEGAS, Matt CARTHY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Calls on the Commission to introduce specific measures to help people over the maximum age to be considered young farmers to return to mountainous regions as farmers;

Amendment 112 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)

7d. Calls on the Commission to draw up affirmative action policies to encourage women to settle in farmland in mountainous regions and to participate in the projects listed in paragraph 6;

Amendment 113 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ, Miguel VIEGAS, Matt CARTHY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)

7e. Calls on the Commission to draw up affirmative action policies to facilitate and promote women's involvement in all areas of decision-making under equal conditions;

Amendment 114 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ, Miguel VIEGAS, Matt CARTHY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 f (new)

7f. Calls on the Commission to draw up measures to ensure that family farms are owned by both members of couples;

Amendment 115 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 g (new)

7g. Calls on the Commission to safeguard free, high-quality public education and healthcare as well as public social services;

Amendment 116 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 h (new)

7h. Calls on the Commission to act as guarantor for the maintenance, restoration and improvement of public services to support the development of farms;

Amendment 117 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 i (new)

7i. Calls on the Commission to guarantee public transport and public postal services in mountainous regions;

Amendment 118 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission to include in the future TTIP negotiations the specific characteristics and ecosystems of the EU’s mountain areas, which differ from those in the USA, in order to protect local producers in those areas;

Amendment 119 #

Draft opinion
Subheading 3

Structuring the food chain and other production activities

Amendment 12 #

James NICHOLSON

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the additional costs associated with climatic and topographical conditions, remoteness and isolation hinder the economic and social development of mountainous regions; whereas also efforts to maintain agricultural economic production in EU regions must be accompanied by physical and digital accessibility and infrastructure as well as access to public services for the inhabitants of such regions;

Amendment 120 #

Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Notes that investing in accessibility, infrastructures and services is crucial for decreasing the effects of peripherality and isolation of disadvantaged and less developed mountainous areas;

Amendment 121 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing producer groups or organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain; underlines the necessity of the use of supply management mechanisms by producer groups and organisations to avoid excessive market volatility and to ensure fair and stable prices for producers, particularly in the milk market, through incentives for farmers to reduce production at time of price stress and penalties for increasing production, along the lines proposed by the European Milk Board;

Amendment 122 #

Herbert DORFMANN, Albert DESS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of ~~establishing producer groups or~~farmers' organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain and in drawing up policy proposals on mountainous regions;

Amendment 123 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing producer groups or organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain; considers that in this way local markets and short supply chains can be preserved for farms, which as a rule are small, and large markets can also be tapped for them; notes that, furthermore, in this way approaches can be initiated geared to quality and promoting and protecting products (‘mountain products’, Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG));

Amendment 124 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing producer groups or organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain; calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider simplification of the rules governing the Producer's Organisations for producers from mountainous regions due to economic specificities of these regions;

Amendment 125 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing producer groups or organisations, and providing lasting support for them, to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain and thus protect small- holder structures;

Amendment 126 #

Marian HARKIN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing co-operative producer groups or appropriate organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain;

Amendment 127 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Stresses the importance of establishing producer groups or organisations to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers in the food chain; recalls the crucial pertinence of local and regional cultural values while structuring the agricultural production and the promotion and protection of products in mountainous regions;

Amendment 128 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Emphasises the importance of slaughtering and processing being done within mountain areas so as to underpin and develop the activities of their inhabitants;

Amendment 129 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Stresses the need for mountain products to be obtained from animals which are born and raised in mountain areas;

Amendment 13 #

Herbert DORFMANN, Albert DESS

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas agriculture, together with tourism, is a main sources of incomes for mountain communities; whereas mountain farming represents 18% of all agricultural enterprises in Europe, utilising 15% of agricultural land and 18% of the agricultural workforce; whereas animal production is the dominant output in EU mountain areas with diary production and the grazing livestock meat sector having the highest share; whereas in addition to animal breeding and crop-growing mountainous regions have other agricultural potential and resources such as forests and products thereof;

Amendment 130 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

Amendment 131 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that such approaches help maintain and create local markets and resource-efficient short supply chains and initiate approaches geared to quality and promoting and protecting products (‘mountain products’, Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)); Underlines the added value of high- quality food production to development of sustainable tourism and preservation of the cultural heritage in mountainous regions;

Amendment 132 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that such approaches help maintain and create local markets and short supply chains and initiate approaches geared to quality and promoting and protecting products (‘mountain products’, Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)); in this connection, encourages local authorities to provide logistic support to farmers for the transportation, sale and storage of agricultural products;

Amendment 133 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that such approaches help maintain and create local and regional markets and short supply chains and initiate approaches geared to quality and promoting and protecting products (‘mountain products’, Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG));

Amendment 134 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Believes that the marketing of the above products could be improved if they were included within the general tourism products of a given geographical area;

Amendment 135 #

Paolo DE CASTRO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Commission to promote and enhance the value of agricultural and agri-food products from mountain areas by strengthening promotion and information initiatives concerning the ‘mountain products’ label and, more generally, the PDO, PGI and TSG labels.

Amendment 136 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Commission to strengthen promotion and information initiatives concerning the ‘'mountain products’' label and, more generally, the PDO, PGI and TSG labels.; however, expresses concern that the "mountain products" label allows for animals to spend significant parts of their lifespan outside mountain areas, and allows for significant quantities of raw materials, feed and for processing to be sourced from and to occur outside of mountain areas; therefore, questions the use of this label in terms of providing accurate information to consumers;

Amendment 137 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the legislation, the promotion and information initiatives concerning the ‘'mountain products’' label and, more generally, the PDO, PGI and TSG labels.;

Amendment 138 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. CStresses that the importance of mountain areas in the EU has been reflected in the new CAP through the establishing in law of an identity via the certification of mountain products, and therefore calls on the Commission to strengthen promotion and information initiatives concerning the ‘mountain products’ label and, more generally, the PDO, PGI and TSG labels.

Amendment 139 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Takes the view that any transfer of volume of raw milk sourced from less favoured areas (mountainous areas, intermediate LFAs, areas with a specific natural handicap) to an area which is not a LFA, or between different types of LFA, must be authorised in advance by the inter-branch organisation to which the collector and producer concerned belong;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas particular attention should be paid to small farms faced with higher production input costs because of the specific nature of mountainous regions;

Amendment 140 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Calls on the Commission to introduce health and hygiene rules suitable for small-scale farms;

Amendment 141 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Stresses the importance of investment towards more efficient use of agricultural and agroforestry resources in the mountainous regions; recalls the importance which forests have in providing primary and secondary materials, including wood chips, bark, sawdust, branches, etc., but also herbs, mushrooms, honey and forest fruits which could be used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries and thus help create jobs and combat depopulation in mountainous regions.

Amendment 142 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10b. Stresses the need for small scale farmers in mountain areas to keep and develop more regionalised and local markets, which can be promoted through the development of European policy on short supply chains;

Amendment 143 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ, Miguel VIEGAS, Matt CARTHY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 c (new)

10c. Stresses that hygiene and marketing rules have to fit to the special size of markets and their demands, therefore the hygiene standards should be adequate and applicable for mountain farmers, farmers in disadvantaged areas and outermost regions as well as for the milk-processors in these areas;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the role and contribution of women are of fundamental importance in maintaining mountainous regions;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure ~~agricultural and~~multifunctional agricultural production in these regions, which, in addition to food production, a~~nd maintain~~lso affords access to other sources of income and thus possesses added value infor these regions;

Amendment 17 #

James NICHOLSON

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure agricultural and food production and sustainable employment while maintaining added value in these regions;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure agricultural and food production and maintain added value in these regions in view of milk quotas coming to an end, increased competition, rising production costs, price volatility and environmental challenges;

Amendment 19 #

Louis MICHEL

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure agricultural and food production and maintain added value in these regions which account for 40 % of the EU’s total surface area;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Recital -A a (new)

-Aa. - having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/20091 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 608.

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure agricultural and food production and maintain added value in these regions; whereas there is a need for access to land so as to maintain production;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas it is essential to secure agricultural and food production and maintain added value in these regions; whereas mountainous regions preserve unique conditions and traditional know- how; whereas quality products contribute to the sustainable development of mountain areas;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas this added value can be increased even further by means of diversification of farms, for example by means of sustainable tourism all the year round;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas farming and agricultural activities in mountainous regions are small scale and/or family-run; whereas Producers' organisations from mountainous regions have the potential to strengthen the negotiating power of producers from these regions, while at the same time combat unfair trading practices towards them;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas a response must be found to the challenges posed by the abandonment of farmland and the associated growth of scrub and trees, or desertification, and lack of generational renewal in mountain areas;

Amendment 25 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas a response must be found to the challenges posed by ~~desertification~~the impact of climate change and lack of generational renewal in mountain areas;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas a response must be found to the challenges posed by desertification ~~and~~, lack of generational renewal and raising the quality of life in mountain areas;

Amendment 27 #

Paolo DE CASTRO

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas a response must be found to the challenges posed by desertification and lack of generational renewal in mountain areas in order to guard against environmental, landscape and hydrogeological impacts that also have a knock-on effect on lowland built-up areas;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas a response must be found to the challenges posed by desertification, depopulation, gender stratification and lack of generational renewal in mountain areas;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Recital D

D. whereas mountain areas make a positive contribution to sustainable development and the preservation of regional ecosystems and have the chance to contribute to the fight against climate change;

Amendment 3 #

Viorica DĂNCILĂ, Daniel BUDA

Draft opinion
Recital -A b (new)

-Ab. - having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/20051 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 487.

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Recital D

D. whereas mountain areas make a positive contribution to sustainable development and the preservation of regional ecosystems, and in many cases offer great potential for conversion to organic farming and quality agriculture systems;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Recital D

D. whereas mountain areas by agriculture, tourism and craft make a positive contribution to sustainable development, to maintenance of cultural landscapes and the preservation of regional ecosystems;

Amendment 32 #

Marian HARKIN

Draft opinion
Recital D

D. whereas mountain areas make a positive contribution to sustainable development, tourism and the preservation of regional ecosystems;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas mountainous cross-border cooperation, tourism and craft represent a sustainable way to foster economic and social development of mountainous regions;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the mountain grassland managed by small farms has great ecological and economic importance; ruminants are the principal users of grasslands, keeping landscapes accessible and inhabited and so benefiting local food production, tourism, biodiversity and the environment;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas public services are of fundamental importance in maintaining the population of and activity in mountainous regions;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas farming in mountain areas is very important for the hydrogeological stability not only of mountain areas but also of plains below them;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas large parts of mountain areas are protected within the Natura 2000 ecological network and under other types of nature conservation arrangements, a fact which on the one hand limits economic activity, but also helps to bolster more sustainable forms of farming and to link farming more closely with other economic activities; whereas if mountain areas are to develop, coordinated action needs to be pursued both in the agricultural, forestry, and tourism sectors and in the sphere of cultural and natural heritage conservation;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas because of the exodus from mountain areas, farmland is becoming overgrown and game and wild animal habitats are being altered, with the result that predators are causing severe damage, in particular among sheep, goats, and cattle;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the lack of investment in mountain areas contributes to the widening gap between these and other areas;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Recital -A c (new)

-Ac. - having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/20071 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas milk production is of vital importance to small farmers in areas with a large proportion of mountain grassland;

Amendment 41 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Recital D c (new)

Dc. whereas mountain milk accounts for around 10% of milk from the EU-27, but constitutes 2/3 of milk and involves 3/4 of producers in Austria, Slovenia and Finland, and that the corresponding figures also remain very significant in a further ten or so countries; whereas in most of these humid mountain regions, and also in outermost regions, milk herds are the principal users of grasslands, keeping landscapes accessible and inhabited and so benefiting tourism, biodiversity and the environment;

Amendment 42 #

Draft opinion
Subheading 1 a (new)

given the need to take into account the proportionate and concomitant use of agricultural, forestry, energy, artisanal, tourist and cultural resources in so-called ‘mountain areas’ and in given areas within mountain areas

Amendment 43 #

Elisabeth KÖSTINGER, Herbert DORFMANN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions aimed at improving the coordination of the policies concerned; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a co~~mmon definition of~~herent approach to defining mountain regions;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common, operational and exact definition of mountain regions within cohesion policy, without however calling into question the definition of mountain areas used in the context of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFDR);

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken and specific support instruments have been developed by the EU, there does not yet exist a fully- fledged EU approach to mountain regions; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common definition of mountain regions, taking into account that these regions are characterised by a considerable limitation of the possibility for using the land, difficult climatic conditions and the use of very expensive special equipment among others;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions, and that European measures have so far been insufficient to assist areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common definition of mountain regions and more effective measures for the regions referred to above;

Amendment 47 #

Laurenţiu REBEGA, Edouard FERRAND, Philippe LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common definition of mountain regions that takes proper account of specific factors such as gradient, altitude, accessibility, vegetation and soil productivity;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions; proposes that clear criteria be established for defining mountain areas (e.g. a minimum altitude of 600 metres) and in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common definition of mountain regions;

Amendment 49 #

Marian HARKIN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Regrets that despite the sector-specific measures that have been taken, there does not yet exist a fully-fledged EU approach to mountain regions; proposes in this regard that efforts be made to adopt a common definition of mountain regions in line with the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) so as to cover areas where agricultural production is inhibited due to very difficult climatic conditions;

Amendment 5 #

Miguel VIEGAS, Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ

Draft opinion
Recital -A d (new)

-Ad. - having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1144/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on information provision and promotion measures concerning agricultural products implemented in the internal market and in third countries and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 3/20081 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 56.

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Believes it necessary to protect farmland, according priority to farming above all other activities;

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Considers it regrettable that a system of agricultural vocational training tailored to the specific characteristics of mountain areas is not and has not been available to farms in those areas; proposes therefore that a pan-European review be conducted with a view to adopting such a system of agricultural vocational training tailored to the specific characteristics of mountain areas;

Amendment 52 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) should form an integral part of the smart specialisation strategies of regions with mountain areas; calls therefore on the Commission, Member States and the regions to strengthen synergies between different funds and measures for mountain areas in preparing, examining and adopting operational programmes when the 2014- 2020 multiannual financial framework is reviewed or operational programmes are modified;

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) should form an integral part of the smart specialisation and multifunctional development strategies of ~~regions with~~ mountain areas; calls therefore on the Commission, Member States and the regions to strengthen synergies between different funds and measures for mountain areas in preparing, examining and adopting operational programmes;

Amendment 54 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) should form an integral part of the smart specialisation strategies of regions with mountain areas, areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages; calls therefore on the Commission, Member States and the regions to strengthen synergies between different funds and measures for mountain areas in preparing, examining and adopting operational programmes;

Amendment 55 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) should form an integral part of the smart specialisation strategies of regions with mountain areas; notes that administrative burden poses a crucial obstacle to the mainly small communities in mountainous regions and thereby threatens the successful implementation of the programmes; calls therefore on the Commission, Member States and the regions to strengthen synergies between different funds and measures for mountain areas in preparing, examining and adopting operational programmes and to promote the reduction of bureaucracy regarding the application and administration of the use of funds in order to give small communities better access to funding;

Amendment 56 #

Marco ZULLO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) should form an integral part of the smart specialisation strategies of regions with mountain areas; calls therefore on the Commission, Member States and the regions to strengthen synergies between different funds and measures for mountain areas in preparing, examining and adopting operational programmes; calls also for greater use to be made of EU initiatives such as Interreg and LAG to foster the development of economic diversification projects and coordinated marketing strategies that take proper account of regional resources, local networks and cooperative working methods;

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Believes that mountain farming can play an important role in biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation, as carbon is absorbed by grazing land and forests;

Amendment 58 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the Commission to include specific measures for mountainous regions in all policies;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop strategies between local authorities, civil society and economic players in mountain ranges in order to determine joint action plans for the promotion, development and protection of the mountain ranges in question; ~~welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative~~stresses the importance of programmes and initiatives aiming at stable and quality job-creation in the mountainous regions; welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative; urges the Commission, the Member States, and candidate-countries to look for a similar approach in their respective mountainous regions, which would help reaching social cohesion;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Recital -A e (new)

-Ae. - having regard to its resolution of 22 September 2010 on the European strategy for the economic and social development of mountain regions, islands and sparsely populated areas1 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0341.

Amendment 60 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop strategies between local authorities, civil society and economic players in mountain ranges, areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages in order to determine joint action plans for the promotion, development and protection of the mountain ranges in question; welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative;

Amendment 61 #

Tibor SZANYI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

Amendment 62 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop strategies between local authorities, civil society and economic players in mountain ranges in order to determine joint action plans for the promotion, development and protection of the mountain ranges in question; welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative; stresses furthermore the traditional natural and cultural heritage of mountain regions, which the EU should protect, particularly against excessive burdens such as traffic passing through them;

Amendment 63 #

Viorica DĂNCILĂ, Daniel BUDA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop strategies between local and regional authorities, civil society and economic players in mountain ranges in order to determine joint action plans for the promotion, development and protection of the mountain ranges in question; welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative, and calls on the Commission to take into account the lessons learnt from the implementation of other EU macro- regional strategies;

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop strategies between local authorities, civil society and economic players in mountain ranges in order to determine joint action plans for the promotion, development and protection of the mountain ranges in question; welcomes and supports in this regard the Alpine macro-regional strategy initiative; recommends strengthening policies on mountain regions, since the pasturing and stock-breeding industries have an extremely important role to play in mitigating climate change and in helping to adjust and reduce vulnerability to it, particularly through sound grassland management;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Reiterates the need for an integrated sustainable governance in the form of EU strategy for Europe's mountainous regions which cover 36% of Europe's geographic space and make up large and increasing part of EU periphery due to a range of socio-economic, political and environmental challenges. This is particularly the case of South-Eastern Europe, where mountain areas are among the poorest in Europe, located along EU's politically most sensitive external borders;

Amendment 66 #

James NICHOLSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Reiterates the importance of simplification and flexibility in the administration of the CAP and highlights the difficult physical and environmental challenges, as well as accessibility of markets, facing producers in mountainous regions;

Amendment 67 #

Draft opinion
Subheading 2

Investments~~, competitiveness~~ and economic diversification

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Believes that the CAP should not only aim to compensate mountain regions for the disadvantages they face but also give them the means to capitalise on their assets;

Amendment 69 #

Paolo DE CASTRO

Draft opinion
Subheading 2 a (new)

Believes that the social and economic development of mountain areas can be boosted by promoting farming and farm- based services, such as on-farm processing, direct sales, farm stays, social farming and renewable energy production;

Amendment 7 #

Herbert DORFMANN, Albert DESS

Draft opinion
Recital -A f (new)

-Af. - having regard to its resolution of 11 December 2013 on maintaining milk production in mountain areas, disadvantaged areas and outermost regions after the expiry of the milk quota1 a 1 b, __________________ 1a This suggestion will have to be included as a citation in the motion for a resolution if adopted by the committee responsible. 1b Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0577.

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the importance of aid under the first pillar of the CAP in maintaining agricultural production and income for farmers in mountain areas; recalls that, in many Member States ~~have the option of establishing specific direct aid and coupled payments to help attain these objectives;~~ , some decoupled aid under the first pillar is far less generous than in prime farming areas, because of inadequate internal convergence, which further limits the competitiveness of farms;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Stresses the importance of~~Considers that aid under the first pillar of the CAP in maintain~~ing~~s agricultural production and income for farmers in mountain areas; recalls that Member States have the option of establishing specific direct aid and coupled payments to help attain these objectives;

Amendment 72 #

Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the importance of aid under the first pillar of the CAP in maintaining agricultural production and income for farmers in mountain areas, areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages; recalls that Member States have the option of establishing specific direct aid and coupled payments to help attain these objectives;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the importance of aid under the first pillar of the CAP in maintaining agricultural production and income for farmers in mountain areas; recalls that Member States have the option of establishing specific direct aid and coupled payments to help attain these objectives; asks the Commission to take steps to make such optional measures mandatory in all Member States;

Amendment 74 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production and processing industries in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects (buildings, specific equipment, modernisation, etc.) and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing ~~enterprises~~work; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural and food processing sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms; through the development of initiatives such as agritourism and the development of both agricultural and non-agricultural traditional products;

Amendment 75 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by. Such support could contribute to a "rural renaissance" through encouraging the emergence of projects that create added value, bio-based innovation projects, agricultural investment projects ~~and~~, farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises, as well as bio-energy projects with positive environmental impact; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural and forestry sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms and forest businesses;

Amendment 76 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and multifunctional farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses in this context the importance of tourism in many mountain areas and the associated scope for supplementary income for farmers; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 77 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises and closed production cycles, in sector such as, but not limited to, the dairy sector, meat-processing and honey production ; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms; stresses the importance of RDPs in stimulation of preserving of autochthonous breeds in mountainous regions;

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Considers that~~Stresses in particular the importance of measures under the second pillar of the CAP ~~must~~, which ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; points out that in-situ processing and marketing on farms or alpine pastures means greater added value for smallholdings and micro farms and enhances the tourist potential of these locations; points out that touristic facilities can further enhance their profile by using local agricultural products; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the additional costs associated with climatic and topographical conditions, remoteness from economic centres, lack of sufficient infrastructure, and isolation hinder the economic and social development of mountainous regions; whereas also efforts to maintain agricultural economic production in EU regions must be accompanied by physical and digital accessibility as well as access to public services for the inhabitants of such regions; whereas the broadband connection gives opportunities for economic, educational, social and cultural activities; whereas the mountainous regions are generally lacking sufficient digital infrastructure and broadband coverage;

Amendment 80 #

Miguel VIEGAS, Estefanía TORRES MARTÍNEZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms; encourages Member States and regions to make use of the opportunity under the Rural Development Regulation to create thematic sub-programmes focused around the needs of mountain areas, which are eligible for higher support rates for public funding;

Amendment 81 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises and to support the sale of farming produce in short supply chains and local markets; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the ~~competitiveness of the~~ regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas, areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 83 #

Tibor SZANYI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production also in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms;

Amendment 84 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Considers that measures under the second pillar of the CAP must ensure the sustainability and diversification of agricultural production in mountain areas by supporting the emergence of projects that create added value, innovation projects, agricultural investment projects and farm development projects and projects to maintain processing enterprises; stresses that these funds should be used as tools to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and / or as a means of allowing the economic diversification of farms; emphasises that mountain areas are able to produce food of high ecological value for a growing consumer segment and calls on the Commission and the competent authorities in the Member States to support the development of products from mountain areas;

Amendment 85 #

Louis MICHEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Calls for the development of targeted support to boost industries ranging from planning and production to processing and marketing;

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls on the Commission to help farms to remain competitive so that they can continue to perform their land management role, which is of key importance to the hydrogeological balance in mountain areas;

Amendment 87 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Urges the Commission and member states to allocate investments via cohesion and investment funds in broadband connection infrastructure in the mountainous regions as to combat low digitalisation and economic and social hindering of mountainous regions as compared to lowland regions;

Amendment 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Given the significant role of dairy farming in mountain areas, the related serious cost disadvantages to milk production and the negative effects on mountain dairy farmers caused by the expiry of the milk quotas, underlines the need for a sector-specific approach in order to ensure sustainable milk production in these areas;

Amendment 89 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Supports financing under the second pillar for water storage measures in order to ensure agricultural areas are irrigated and a minimum flow level for rivers;

Amendment 9 #

Angélique DELAHAYE, Michel DANTIN

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the additional costs associated with climatic and topographical conditions, remoteness and isolation hinder the economic and social development of mountainous regions, areas undergoing revegetation, overseas areas and areas suffering from other natural or economic disadvantages; whereas also efforts to maintain agricultural economic production in EU regions must be accompanied by physical and digital accessibility as well as access to public services for the inhabitants of such regions;

Amendment 90 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Considers that compensation payments for natural handicaps should allow economic activity to be maintained in mountain areas by encouraging generational renewal and preventing the phenomenon of farms being abandoned; notes in this regard the dangers of the measure being deflected towards encouraging land withholding;

Amendment 91 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Stresses that Member States or regions may include a thematic ‘mountainous areas’ sub-programme in their rural development programme; regrets that to date none of the competent authorities have chosen to do this; considers nonetheless that this does not necessarily mean that specific aid has not been envisaged for these regions;

Amendment 92 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Recalls the essential character of measures to support generational renewal and the establishment of active young farmers, in particular by organising access to ~~multidisciplinary training enabling them to carry out various activities simultaneously and successively over the year~~training and further training above the level of the individual holding, enabling them to develop income combinations;

Amendment 93 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Recalls the essential character of measures to support generational renewal and the establishment of active young farmers, in particular by organising access to multidisciplinary training ~~enabling them to carry out various activities simultaneously and successively over the y~~over the year, including via possible funding for certain strategic areas through thematic sub- programmes on: active young farmers and mountain arears;

Amendment 94 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Recalls the essential character of measures to support generational renewal and the establishment of active young farmers, in particular by organising access to multidisciplinary training enabling them to carry out various activities simultaneously and successively over the year; Encourages in this regard the participation of young farmers in exchange schemes and e-learning platforms; Underlines the need to develop adequate ICT infrastructure and high- speed Internet in mountain regions as an essential precondition for young farmers' agri-business activities;

Amendment 95 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Recalls the essential character of measures to support generational renewal and the establishment of active young farmers, in particular by organising access to multidisciplinary training enabling them to carry out various activities simultaneously and successively over the year; encourages Member States to help local authorities in mountain areas to develop infrastructure projects aimed at making it more attractive to establish farms in those areas;

Amendment 96 #

Louis MICHEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 (new)

Calls for support for the creation of local dynamics and links with consumers, in order to enhance the economic value of agricultural production systems and traditional agricultural know-how;

Amendment 97 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Points out that, given the substantial logistical problems arising with regard to transport and the generally small quantities of milk produced on individual farms, collection costs in mountain areas, disadvantaged areas and outermost regions, are particularly high, placing them at a major geographical and competitive disadvantage; calls on the Member States and regions accordingly to earmark state subsidies for processing plants, so as to offset the higher costs of collection compared with those in more favourable locations;

Amendment 98 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls for urgent complementary studies to assess the territorial impact of milk quota abolition by groups of countries, regions, particularly outermost regions, and soil and climate zones – mountain areas, disadvantaged areas, intermediate mixed farming areas (livestock farming, lowlands) – so that the risks of relocation and abandonment of farms in numerous regions can be anticipated and, if possible limited;

Amendment 99 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Calls on the Commission to redefine a coherent rural and milk development project for mountain areas, for disadvantaged milk production areas and for Member States where most of the milk is produced by very small farms;

source: 575.229

2016/01/28 REGI 162 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

- having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 637/2008 and Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas support ~~from the EARDF~~ for mountainous regions ~~could be complemented by~~from different EU instruments such as the EARDF and European Structural and Investment (ESI) ~~funds~~should be complementary with a view to achieving better and more inclusive development;

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Supports the use of ESI Funds for industry sectors that do not pollute, such as sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, sustainable forestry, high-speed Internet development, crafts, and the renewables sector;

Amendment 101 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Calls on the Member States to create incentives for more active development of public-private partnerships in mountainous regions, both in the area of public utilities and services as well as in transport, communication and energy infrastructure, as the lack of economies of scale makes the provision of these services commercially unattractive; stresses that only better transport and other infrastructure and services of general interest (SGI) of sufficient quality can create economic growth and new jobs in mountain areas;

Amendment 102 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Urges that measures be taken, based on projects for young farmers, to encourage young entrepreneurs to branch out in areas relating to specific mountain traditions and not limited to seasonal activity alone;

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Encourages the support of local action groups (LAGs) for community-led local development;

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3

Socialo-economic dimension of the mountainous regions

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Notes that support~~ing~~ for the shift towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient, resource- efficient and environmentally sustainable economy ~~could be emphasised within the~~must be incorporated into Cohesion Policy;

Amendment 106 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Integrated place-based strategies on mountainous regions should be developed with view to identify specific development opportunities and include measures about increase the connectivity of local SMEs and both intra- and inter-sectoral relations and coordination;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Considers that increasing the qualifications of the workforce and the creation of new jobs in the green economy should be part of the investment priorities of the E~~uropean Social Fund (ESF)~~SI Funds, and stresses that EU policies should support training in areas such as mountain agriculture, sustainable tourism, sustainable forestry and renewable energy technologies;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Considers that increasing the qualifications of the workforce and the creation of new jobs in the green economy should be part of the investment priorities of the European Social Fund (ESF), and stresses that EU policies should support training in areas such as mountain agriculture, sustainable tourism, craft industries, sustainable forestry and renewable energy technologies;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)

27a. Stresses the need to promote and support small and medium-sized mountain farms which, by using traditional techniques and production methods that exploit natural resources – such as pastures and different types of forage crops – in an integrated and sustainable manner, produce products with specific quality characteristics but which, on average, have higher costs and lower profitability than intensive crops or livestock farms;

Amendment 11 #

Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA, Mercedes BRESSO

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas support from the EARDF for mountainous regions could be complemented by European Structural and Investment (ESI) funds with a view to ~~achieving~~creating synergies which will make it possible to achieve better and more inclusive development;

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Highlights the potential of dual education in mountainous regions; points at the encouraging results achieved in Austria, Germany and other Member States; ~~welcomes as well projects for dual education within the macro-regional EU Strategy for the Danube Region;~~

Amendment 111 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Highlights the potential of dual education in mountainous regions; points at the encouraging results achieved ~~in Austria, Germany and other~~by some Member States; welcomes as well projects for dual education within the macro- regional EU Strategy for the Danube Region;

Amendment 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Highlights the potential of dual education in mountainous regions; points at the encouraging results achieved in Austria, Germany and other Member States; welcomes as well projects for dual education within the macro-regional EU Strategy for the Danube Region; calls on the Commission to come up with specific recommendations for overcoming the shortage of skilled labour in the tourism industry specifically addressing the challenges of unattractive jobs and insufficient remuneration, as well as for stimulating possibilities for professional career development;

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. SUnderlines that free and equal access to education and childcare facilities is a must for overcoming negative demographic trends in remote and mountainous regions; stresses that access to education should be provided taking into account above all the best interest of the child; supports innovative solutions for access to basic education in remote mountainous areas, such as through cooperation among mountainous regions and cities;

Amendment 114 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Supports IT-based innovative solutions for access to basic education in remote mountainous areas, such as through cooperation among mountainous regions and cities;

Amendment 115 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Supports innovative solutions for access to basic quality education, as well as formal and informal education and lifelong learning opportunities, in remote mountainous areas, such as through cooperation among mountainous regions and cities;

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Supports innovative solutions for access to basic education in remote mountainous areas, such as through cooperation among mountainous regions ~~and c~~, cities and universities;

Amendment 117 #

Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA, Mercedes BRESSO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Supports innovative solutions for access to basic education in remote mountainous areas, such as through cooperation among mountainous regions and cities; underlines the need for high- quality tertiary education and points to the potential of distance education systems which offer access to teaching and learning from remote areas;

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29a. Calls on the Commission to promote pilot projects with a view to recovering traditional economic activities, including farming and handicrafts, in mountain areas that are subject to depopulation, to increase the resilience of the local people and make them more welcoming;

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls for the development and improvement of healthcare facilities in mountainous regions~~, where necessary~~;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas mountainous regions play an important role for the economic, social and sustainable development of Member States;

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls for the improvement of healthcare facilities and services in mountainous regions, where necessary;

Amendment 121 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls for the improvement of healthcare facilities in mountainous regions, where necessary, for example the projected development of cross-border healthcare establishments, where needed;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls for the improvement of healthcare facilities in mountainous regions, where necessary, also through cross-border cooperation initiatives, should they be helpful;

Amendment 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls for the improvement of healthcare facilities in mountainous regions, where necessary; advocates the development of voluntary work for the provision of public services, taking into account best practices in certain Member States;

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Recalls the principle of universal access to public services to be guaranteed in all territories of the EU while stressing the need for Member States and regions to encourage alternative and innovative solutions for mountainous areas including tailor-made solutions adapted to local and regional needs if necessary;

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Emphasises the importance of the empowerment of women and girls through education, and particularly increasing inclusion of women and girls in areas where they are structurally underrepresented, such as in science, technology, engineering, maths and entrepreneurship; notes that gender equality and the inclusion of women in technology-based and green economy sectors in mountainous regions is especially important for their sustainable economic growth development;

Amendment 126 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Stresses the importance of the Youth Employment Initiative and of a more effective implementation of the Youth Guarantee as a good opportunity to stop the outflow of young people from mountainous regions in response to the demographic crisis and the problem of an ageing population; calls for youth employment initiatives specifically oriented to meet the needs of underdeveloped mountainous regions;

Amendment 127 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to make provision for specific measures involving existing resources and procedures - guarantee funds for example - to launch micro- financing and micro-credit initiatives geared mainly to women;

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Calls for a comparative analysis of the peculiarities of women's conditions in mountainous regions, in particular in disadvantaged mountain areas;

Amendment 129 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Encourages and call for the support, including through the use of ESI Funds, of initiatives improving the social and cultural cohesion of and inclusion in mountainous communities, and overcoming the physical isolation and lack of cultural diversity, in particular through access and direct participation in arts and cultural life;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas mountainous regions play an important role for the economic development of Member States; whereas gender equality has a significant impact on economic, social and territorial cohesion in Europe, which is determined by a number of factors, including women’s participation in the labour market, and can also contribute to gender equality regarding access to good education, decent employment and career development opportunities, thereby increasing the percentage of the population in active employment, enhancing available skills and boosting competitiveness;

Amendment 130 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Points out that, given the population ageing trend in mountain areas, the focus should be on further training and retraining for older people and their active integration into the labour market;

Amendment 131 #

Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA, Mercedes BRESSO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Points to the importance of developing new innovative tourism models and promoting successful existing models (scattered hotels, for example), as these benefit the social dimension of mountainous regions;

Amendment 132 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Stresses the importance of integrated territorial initiatives with a view to integrating migrants, in connection with processes relating to demographic and socio-economic renewal and recovery in mountain areas, including those undergoing depopulation; calls on the Commission to facilitate and promote the dissemination of such initiatives;

Amendment 133 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)

31b. Calls on the Commission to urge the Member States to set clear objectives, in terms of European mobility, education, training and career opportunities for women, under the European Social Fund heading devoted to transnational projects;

Amendment 134 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)

31b. Urges the Commission to take gender mainstreaming actions at horizontal and vertical level for any policy area and fund covering women living in mountainous regions to counter any given imbalance;

Amendment 135 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4

Environmental protection and combating climate change within mountainous regions

Amendment 136 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32a. Recalls the particular vulnerability of ecosystems and plant and animal species in high mountain areas, and the need for the formation of broad snowpacks during the entire winter season if they are to survive;

Amendment 137 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)

32b. Emphasises the need to protect at European level the emblematic high- mountain species able to live on cross- border mountain ranges, such as chamois, ibex, large raptors, bears, wolves and lynx; calls on the Commission and Member States to establish a plan for the protection and reintroduction of emblematic high-mountain species; condemns the mass, indiscriminate slaughter of these species in some Member States carried out by States where a disease spreads among certain groups of wild animal, or by farmers in respect of certain species whose presence or reintroduction they are opposed to;

Amendment 138 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 c (new)

32c. Recalls that mountainous regions are especially vulnerable to climate change; takes the view that climate change has serious consequences for mountainous regions; calls on the Commission and Member States to launch a plan to combat climate change and take appropriate climate change adjustment measures in mountainous regions; calls on the Commission to develop a network of analysis and exchanges of good practices in the fight against climate change in mountainous areas;

Amendment 139 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 d (new)

32d. Calls on Member States and the Commission to identify all the high mountain resorts where a car ban would have a positive impact on the local fight against the melting of glaciers;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas mountainous regions play an important role for the economic development of Member States and provide numerous ecosystem services;

Amendment 140 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 e (new)

32e. Calls on the Commission and Member States to identify specific actions to combat and adjust to climate change that could be specific to volcanic regions;

Amendment 141 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Insists that reaching EU renewable energy targets must ~~not come at the cost~~take into account the balance of nature and the environment; recalls that, in some cases, hydropower and biomass extraction may ~~be highly damaging for~~damage ecosystems, while wind and solar energy plants can harm the landscape, while being a source of self-development;

Amendment 142 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

Amendment 143 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

Amendment 144 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Insists that reaching EU renewable energy targets must not come at the cost of nature and the environment; recalls that, in some cases, hydropower and biomass extraction may be highly damaging for ecosystems, while wind and solar energy plants can harm the landscape; calls on the Member States to strike a balance between renewable energy exploitation in mountain areas and environmental protection;

Amendment 145 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)

33a. Stresses the importance of preserving and protecting the unique habitat of mountainous regions and to develop it in a sustainable way including by restoring biodiversity and soil, promoting natural heritage and ecosystem services and providing green infrastructure thus also offering job opportunities in those sectors;

Amendment 146 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Notes that mountainous regions are especially vulnerable to climate change with particularly important consequences in those regions including through increasing numbers of natural hazards; believes, in this regard, that safeguarding the environment, combatting climate change and taking appropriate climate change adaptation measures must be at the heart of a future ‘Agenda for EU Mountainous Regions’;

Amendment 147 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Notes that mountainous regions are especially vulnerable to climate change, which can have an environmental impact also on surrounding areas and negative repercussions on economic development and tourism; believes, in this regard, that safeguarding the environment, combatting climate change and taking appropriate climate change adaptation measures must be at the heart of a future ‘Agenda for EU Mountainous Regions’;

Amendment 148 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. Reiterates the importance of ensuring that measures to prevent hydrogeological risks and make mountain areas safe are programmed and implemented, especially in those regions that are often subject to subsidence, landslides and flooding because of their specific geomorphology and/or indiscriminate human activity;

Amendment 149 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. ~~Not~~Stresses that mountainous regions are an important source of water resources that must be safeguarded and managed in a sustainable way; notes the reliance of certain urban areas on ~~water resour~~ecosystem services from the mountainous regions;

Amendment 15 #

Jasenko SELIMOVIC

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas mountainous cross-border cooperation, tourism and craft represent a sustainable way to foster economic and social development of mountainous regions;

Amendment 150 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Notes that mountainous regions are an important source of water resources that must be safeguarded and managed in a sustainable way; notes the reliance of urban areas on water resources from the mountainous regions; calls for measures to encourage public-private partnerships in the form of cooperation projects to collect and protect water supplies for urban communities in the vicinity of mountain areas;

Amendment 151 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

~~36. Notes the dependence of urban areas on ecosystem services offered by mountainous regions, and that these regions often do not receive a just return;~~deleted

Amendment 152 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. NEmphasises the vital role of mountain areas in preserving regional ecosystems; notes the dependence of urban areas on ecosystem services offered by mountainous regions, and that these regions often do not receive a just return;

Amendment 153 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)

37a. Highlights the need for active synergistic cooperation between farming and other economic activities on Natura 2000 sites and in other protected areas (national parks, countryside parks, etc.) lying in mountain regions;

Amendment 154 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5

~~Connectivity and accessibil~~Accessibility and connectivity in mountainous regions

Amendment 155 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)

38а. Notes that tourism is influenced to a large extent by the presence of infrastructure and access to services of services of general interest; calls on the Commission to consider the possibilities for creating infrastructure in support of tourism in mountainous regions;

Amendment 156 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)

38a. Considers that easier access to new information technologies could lead to the development of distance education programmes in areas with a shortage of teachers, as well as e-health services, which might help prevent the depopulation of mountain areas;

Amendment 157 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)

38a. Calls for examples of good practices to be proposed, which can contribute to the economic diversification of mountain regions, such as telework, e-commerce and the use of digital marketing channels;

Amendment 158 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Calls on the Commission, when developing policies for broadband access, to take into account the lack of infrastructure and interest of investors owing to the sparse population and remoteness of mountainous regions; calls on the Commission to develop specific policies for overcoming the digital divide in these regions, also through the necessary public investments;

Amendment 159 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40a. Calls on the Commission to take into account the enormous potential of the internet and digital platforms for social inclusion and empowerment; highlights that the inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable communities, as well as gender equality must be central to Commission connectivity policy in the mountainous regions;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas large parts of mountain areas are protected within the Natura 2000 ecological network and under other types of nature conservation arrangements, a fact which on the one hand limits economic activity, but also helps to bolster more sustainable forms of farming and to link farming more closely with other economic activities;

Amendment 160 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40a. Recalls that social and economic development of mountainous regions, which in some member states are also remote regions, depends on transport links between them and the other regions in a given member state or trans-border regions; calls on the national authorities in cooperation with the Commission to facilitate implementation of projects for transport connectivity of mountainous regions with main national and trans- European roads and transport corridors using different EU funds and financial instruments, including EIB investments;

Amendment 161 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40a. Calls on the mountainous regions of Europe to invest through the ERDF in the development of more efficient and better interconnected railways and tram networks;

Amendment 162 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40a. Calls on the Commission to confirm the interest of the European Union in supporting (TEN-T) transport infrastructure to overcome the barriers often created by mountain ranges;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas mountainous regions face serious challenges – as regards social and economic development, climate change, transport and demographic issues – that ~~can only~~must be addressed through the establishment of adequate connections with urban areas and by guaranteeing access to digital services;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas mountainous regions face serious challenges – as regards social and economic development, climate change, transport and demographic issues – that can only be addressed through the establishment of adequate connections with ~~urb~~lowland areas;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas mountain areas with preserved ecosystems and their services can provide a basis for many economic activities, with the emphasis on farming, forestry, tourism and energy, taking into account the cultural and natural heritage of these areas;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2015 on ‘A new EU Forest Strategy: for forests and the forest-based sector’,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas mountain regions contain a great many European protected nature parks featuring particularly remarkable biodiversity, but the latter is seriously undermined and endangered by climate change and intensive human activities;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)

Hb. whereas glaciers are characteristic of European mountains and whereas they play a vital role in both the ecosystems and water systems of mountains, whereas their retreat in terms of mass and length since the mid-19th century has attained alarming levels and whereas many glaciers in Europe have already disappeared or are in danger of disappearing by 2050;

Amendment 22 #

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas there are different types of mountainous regions in Europe~~, but they all share a number of common problem~~ which are linked by sharing fundamental negative aspects, such as poor accessibility, few employment opportunities’, an ageing population and a lack of connectivity; whereas active steps must be taken to address these aspects;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas there are different types of mountainous regions in Europe, but they all share a number of common problems, such as poor accessibility, few employment opportunities’ an ageing population ~~and~~, a lack of connectivity, the impact of climate change and the intensification of human productive activity;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas mountainous regions face specific gender equality challenges; whereas mainstreaming a gender perspective into all areas of European policy, including cohesion policy, is a key EU commitment;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas mountainous regions which are part of EU external borders encounter additional difficulties and are affected to a greater extent by the negative trends common for all mountainous regions;

Amendment 26 #

Tomasz Piotr PORĘBA

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas in Europe there are mountain ridges that expand into non-Member States such as the Carpathian mountain range, which, after the last EU enlargement, became the eastern border of the EU and is today an extremely important geopolitical area where strategic political interests of great importance with regard to Union stability meet;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas in Europe there are mountain ridges that expand across several Member States and also into non-Member States;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas in Europe there are mountain ridges that ~~expand into~~cross more than one Member State and in some cases cross both Member States and non-Member States;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas many mountainous regions lack basic infrastructure and access to public services ~~of general interest~~;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)

- having regard to the Alpine Convention including the Protocols to the Alpine Convention,

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas many mountainous regions lack basic infrastructure and continuous access to services of general interest, especially in areas of seasonal activity;

Amendment 31 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas mountain~~ous regions depend largely upon mountain agriculture~~ agriculture is important for the identity and culture of mountainous regions and continues to contribute to employment and the economy in those regions;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas mountainous regions ~~depend largely upon mountain agriculture~~base their economy on specific sectors, such as mountain agriculture, forest resources and tourism;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas mountainous regions ~~depend largely~~partly depend upon mountain agriculture and tourism;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L

L. whereas mountainous regions depend ~~largely~~often upon mountain agriculture while further diversification of their economies and employment is on-going;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

La. whereas women living in mountainous regions, especially in disadvantaged regions, often face problems concerning their access to higher levels of education and decent job opportunities;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

La. whereas mountainous regions play an integral role in the circular economy;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)

La. whereas active or dormant volcanos, volcanic massifs or chains of volcanoes, and volcanic islands constitute mountain regions;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)

Lb. whereas some of the Outermost Regions are also mountain regions of volcanic origin, with parts both submerged and above water, and whereas they encounter difficulties caused by the topology of their territory;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to start the process of creating a working definition for functional mountainous regions in the context of the Cohesion Policy; considers that such a definition must be wide and inclusive, taking into account different factors such as altitude, accessibility and slope; calls on the Commission also to take into consideration areas that, while not mountainous, depend heavily on mountains; ~~points out, in this context, the idea reflected in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) of including non-mountainous areas in the strategy as a good initiative;~~

Amendment 4 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Michela GIUFFRIDA, Andrea COZZOLINO

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)

- having regard to the Women/Alpnet project within the Interreg Alpine space programme 2001-2006: A Network of Local Institutions and Resource Centres for Women: Promoting Women's Participation in the Alpine Space Sustainable Development,

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to start the process of creating a working definition for functional mountainous regions in the context of the Cohesion Policy; considers that such a definition must be wide and inclusive, taking into account different factors such as altitude, accessibility and slope; calls on the Commission also to take into consideration areas that, while not mountainous, ~~depend heavily on~~are greatly integrated with mountain areas; points out, in this context, the idea reflected in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) of including non-mountainous areas in the strategy as a good initiative;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to start the process of creating a working definition for functional mountainous regions in the context of the Cohesion Policy; considers that such a definition must be wide and inclusive, taking into account different factors such as altitude, accessibility and slope; calls on the Commission to take into account in this definition volcanic regions, such as the islands and Outermost Regions of volcanic origin; calls on the Commission also to take into consideration areas that, while not mountainous, depend heavily on mountains, and to study the specific characteristics of volcanic mountain regions; points out, in this context, the idea reflected in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) of including non- mountainous areas in the strategy as a good initiative;

Amendment 42 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Michela GIUFFRIDA, Andrea COZZOLINO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to start the process of creating a working definition for functional mountainous regions in the context of the Cohesion Policy, as a complement to the definition used in the EARDF; considers that such a definition must be wide and inclusive, taking into account different factors such as altitude, accessibility and slope; calls on the Commission also to take into consideration areas that, while not mountainous, depend heavily on mountains and form a single mass with them; points out, in this context, the idea reflected in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) of including non-mountainous areas in the strategy as a good initiative;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that EU policies should have a specific approach to mountainous regions, as they have clear structural disadvantages; these regions, indeed, need additional support to overcome the challenges of climate change, be able to provide employment, economic development and protection of the environment, and help reach the EU renewable energy targets; considers, as a result of this, that mountainous regions should be mainstreamed in all aspects of EU policies, including the Cohesion Policy;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that EU policies should have a specific approach to mountainous regions, as they need additional support to overcome the challenges of climate change, be able to provide yearlong and not only seasonal employment, economic development and protection of the environment, and help reach the EU renewable energy targets; considers, as a result of this, that mountainous regions should be mainstreamed in all aspects of EU policies, including the Cohesion Policy;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that EU policies should have a specific approach to mountainous regions, as they need additional support to overcome the challenges of climate change, be able to provide employment, economic development, prevention and management of natural disasters and protection of the environment, and help reach the EU renewable energy targets; considers, as a result of this, that mountainous regions should be mainstreamed in all aspects of EU policies, including the Cohesion Policy;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that EU policies should have a specific approach to mountainous regions, as they need additional support to overcome the challenges of climate change, be able to provide employment, economic development and protection of the environment, and help reach the EU renewable energy targets; considers, as a result of this, that mountainous regions should be mainstreamed in all aspects of EU policies, including the Cohesion Policy, by introducing a territorial impact assessment;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission to work on an ‘Agenda for EU Mountainous Regions’, which should be a framework that contributes to transnational, cross-border and interregional policies; believes that the future agenda should identify the priorities for the development of these regions, so that sectorial policies may be adjusted in a better way and opportunities to finance them steered through EU funds, and so that long-term sustainable policies for inclusion may be achieved;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the Commission, in the context of this programme, to establish a specific, in-depth programme to protect those European glaciers which are predicted to disappear by 2050;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for synergies to be increased by means of the coordination of EU policies, strategies and programmes that have an indirect effect upon mountainous regions, such as Horizon 2020, COSME, LIFE, Natura 2000, the EU Broadband Strategy, the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy, the EU Environment Action Programme, the Connecting Europe Facility, European Territorial Cooperation, ESI Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI); calls on the Commission to consider the specific application of these programmes to mountainous regions;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas there is no explicit definition of mountainous regions in EU regional policy, and whereas the definition used in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EARDF) ~~must be reworded~~cannot be used as it stands in the context of regional policy;

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for the coordination of EU policies, strategies and programmes that have an indirect effect upon mountainous regions, such as Horizon 2020, COSME, LIFE, Natura 2000, the EU Broadband Strategy, the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy, the EU Environment Action Programme, the Connecting Europe Facility, European Territorial Cooperation, ESI Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), as well as macroregional strategy initiatives; calls on the Commission to consider the specific application of these programmes to mountainous regions;

Amendment 51 #

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for the coordination of EU policies, strategies and programmes that have an indirect effect upon mountainous regions, such as Horizon 2020, COSME, LIFE, Natura 2000, the EU Broadband Strategy, the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy, the EU Environment Action Programme, the Connecting Europe Facility, European Territorial Cooperation, ESI Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI); calls on the Commission to consider the specific application of these programmes to , and operation thereof in, mountainous regions;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on European regions which contain cross-border mountain areas to make maximum use of INTERREG programmes to manage their shared areas and mountain ranges in a joint, coordinated manner;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Underlines the importance of achieving synergies across policies, instruments and sectors which requires an integrated approach to be applied; highlights the valuable experience gained in the implementation of the Alpine Convention which reconciles economic, social and environmental interests;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Points to the scarcity of useable land in mountainous regions which provides for potential conflicts due to diverging or overlapping interests on land classification and use; calls therefore on Member States to develop and apply spatial planning tools that facilitate coordination and public participation in territorial development; considers the Protocol on spatial planning and sustainable development of the Alpine Convention an important example to further capitalise on;

Amendment 55 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Calls on nature parks belonging to Member States which share a border with one or more other States to devise joint approaches to the management, development and protection of nature parks; welcomes in this context the strong cooperation which has been established between the Italian and French parks of the Italian Maritime Alps and the Mercantour;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for ~~a substantial~~the managing authorities to consider increase ing allocations of ESI Funds at national level for ~~undeveloped~~ mountainous areas, using a multi-sectoral policy approach, where possible;

Amendment 57 #

Andrew LEWER, Tomasz Piotr PORĘBA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for a ~~substantial increase in~~ reallocations of ESI Funds at national level fto support undeveloped mountainous areas, using a multi-sectoral policy approach, where possible;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for a substantial increase in allocations of ESI Funds at national level for ~~undeveloped~~support of mountainous areas, using a multi-sectoral policy approach, where possible;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for a substantial increase in allocations of ESI Funds at national level for undeveloped mountainous areas, using a multi-sectoral policy approach, where possible; calls on the Member States to encourage investment in mountain areas by favouring operational programme funding for such areas;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Regrets that no geographical or territorial criterion has been adopted for the selection of projects within the EFSI which would have allowed less attractive regions such as mountainous regions to benefit more from this instrument;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Encourages the Member States to make use of tools such as the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) and the Community-led Local Development (CLLD) instruments in support of the development of mountainous areas, in particular to support project engineering;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Underlines the potential and importance of existing and future development of macro-regional strategies for the sustainable development of the EU’s mountainous regions with a strong cross- border cooperation dimension, where applicable; calls for experience in the implementation of other EU macro- regional strategies to be taken into account;

Amendment 64 #

Tomasz Piotr PORĘBA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes the ~~current initiatives for the Carpathian Mountains in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the~~ progress made on the EU macro-regional strategy for the Alps; notes that the latter is a good example of an integrated approach to territorial development, taking into account mountainous areas and regions dependent on them;

Amendment 65 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes the current initiatives for the Carpathian Mountains in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the progress made on the EU macro-regional strategy for the Alps; notes that the latter is a good example of an integrated approach to territorial development~~, taking into account mountainous areas and regions dependent on them~~;

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Welcomes the current initiatives for the Carpathian Mountains in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the progress made on the EU macro-regional strategy for the Alps; notes that the latter is a good example of an integrated approach to territorial development, taking into account mountainous areas and regions ~~dependent on~~integrated with them;

Amendment 67 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Believes that the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) instrument offers an excellent opportunity to share best practices and knowledge among mountainous regions, which in many cases are located on national borders, and calls for a specific mountain dimension in the future ETC; welcomes initiatives, such as ‘Policies against depopulation in mountainous areas’ (PADIMA), that are aimed to address the specific problems faced by mountainous regions; stresses the importance of other cooperation initiatives, such as EGTC and EEIG, to develop these areas;

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Believes that the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) instrument offers an excellent opportunity to share best practices and knowledge among mountainous regions, and calls for a specific mountain dimension in the future ETC; welcomes initiatives, such as ‘Policies against depopulation in mountainous areas’ (PADIMA), that are aimed to address the specific problems faced by mountainous regions; welcomes initiatives to attract young people into the agricultural sector and calls on the Commission to develop similar programmes for mountain areas;

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Calls for the experience of European groupings of territorial cooperation (EGTCs), especially those situated in mountainous regions, to be put to use with a view to promoting cross-border cooperation in mountainous regions;

Amendment 7 #

Tomasz Piotr PORĘBA, Andrew LEWER

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas there is no explicit definition of mountainous regions in EU regional policy, and whereas the definition used in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EARDF) must be reworded to make the management of cohesion policies more effective;

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Recalls that the Carpathians - Europe's second largest mountain range, with the highest mountain population - comprises some of the poorest areas of the EU, which have immediate need of infrastructure, transport and environmental investment and support for local entrepreneurship, which could be ensured by a separate European strategy;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls on the Commission to present a communication containing an ‘Agenda for EU Mountainous Regions’ and, subsequent to this, ~~a White Paper on~~to monitor the development of mountainous regions, based on best practices and involving local, regional and national authorities, and other relevant actors, including economic and social partners and representatives of civil society;

Amendment 72 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Highlights that gender inequalities persist in communities in mountainous, particularly in the case of marginalised communities and vulnerable groups such as elderly women, women carers, women with disabilities, Roma women, women from ethnic minority backgrounds, and LGBTIQ persons; calls on the Commission to ensure all of its policies, and policy-making processes on mountainous regions include a holistic and comprehensive gender perspective;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Underlines the need to be able to rely on statistical disaggregate data on which to base policy initiatives;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Underlines the need to be able to rely on trustworthy statistical data on which to base policy initiatives;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls for cooperation with European non-Member States, and with regional and local government, for the implementation of a policy for mountainous regions;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Calls on the Commission to encourage the use of financial ~~engineering~~ instruments in mountainous regions in order to reach concrete results;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the ongoing debate on simplification of the Cohesion Policy; hopes that a lighter ~~framework~~approach, and the availability of instruments that are easier for stakeholders and recipients to use, will contribute to the development of EU mountainous regions; calls for specific attention to be paid to simplification and to efforts to facilitate investments in mountain regions;

Amendment 78 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2

Jobs and economic growth in mountainous regions

Amendment 79 #

Mercedes BRESSO, Andrea COZZOLINO, Michela GIUFFRIDA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes that SMEs in mountainous regions are faced with serious difficulties owing to lack of accessibility, infrastructure, connectivity and human resources; calls on the Commission to pay specific attention to the development of SMEs in mountainous regions, and to combine the E~~uropean Fund for Regional Development (ERDF), EARDF resources and the COSME programme in~~SI Funds resources and the other EU-subsidized programmes and initiatives into a holistic and most effective policy approach to maximize the effects of support~~ing~~ to SMEs;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas these regions are structurally disadvantaged, owing to the extreme conditions and remoteness, to the extent that many mountainous regions face depopulation and ageing population~~s, owing to the extreme conditions and remotenes~~s, which can upsets the natural cycle of generations ~~and~~, leads ing to a lowering of social standards and the quality of life; whereas this often leads to a rise in unemployment, social exclusion and urban migration;

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes that SMEs in mountainous regions are faced with serious difficulties owing to lack of accessibility, infrastructure, connectivity and human resources; urges the Member States accordingly to give priority to investment in infrastructure and services in mountain areas to facilitate the development of integrated production systems; calls on the Commission to pay specific attention to the development of SMEs in mountainous regions, and to combine the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF), EARDF resources and the COSME programme in a holistic and effective policy approach to supporting SMEs;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes that SMEs in mountainous regions are faced with serious difficulties owing to lack of accessibility, infrastructure, connectivity and human resources; calls on the Commission to pay specific attention to the development of SMEs in mountainous regions, particularly areas affected by natural and climate- aggravated disasters such as floods, forest fires, etc., and to combine the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF), EARDF resources and the COSME programme in a holistic and effective policy approach to supporting SMEs;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes that SMEs in mountainous regions are faced with serious difficulties owing to lack of accessibility, infrastructure, connectivity and human resources; calls on the Commission to pay specific attention to the development of SMEs in mountainous regions, and to combine the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF), EARDF resources and the COSME programme in a holistic and effective policy approach to supporting SMEs and entrepreneurship;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Stresses the importance of structuring food chains in mountain areas, either within associations of producer organisations, which increases farmers’ negotiating strength, or by setting up local markets and short supply chains and introducing product quality, promotion and protection measures, thereby improving the marketing of agricultural products and including them within the general tourism products of a given geographical area;

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Welcomes the progress made on the EU Forest Strategy; supports the sustainable development of forests at Union level, especially as regards the contribution of forests to safeguarding the environment and biodiversity and achieving renewable energy targets; notes that the ~~economic~~mountainous dimension of forestry could be emphasised within the strategy;

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Emphasises also the potential of the volcanic mountainous regions and volcanoes, especially as regards the contribution of volcanology, to achieving the renewable energy targets and the contribution of these areas in the prevention and management of natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Considers that sustainable forestry can offer jobs and economic development for mountainous regions~~; calls for the support of SMEs involved in the wood sector~~ and that forest resources should therefore be guaranteed over time, by exploiting them sustainably; points out that forests are of vital importance for the ecosystem and that in the mountains they play an important role of preventing avalanches, landslides and flooding; calls for the support of SMEs, in particular those established in mountain areas, which are involved in the wood sector and fully respect the principle of environmental sustainability;

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Calls for additional incentives to preserve small processing enterprises in mountainous areas, since they make it possible to maintain agricultural production and employment and create higher quality products;

Amendment 88 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Calls on the beneficiaries of ESI Funds in the mountainous regions to assess the ~~performance,~~ potential and needs of ~~locally situated~~establishing local technological parks and~~, where such parks do not exist, consider building them~~ after appropriate feasibility study and cost-benefit analysis to consider their construction using EU and national means;

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Calls on the beneficiaries of ESI Funds in the mountainous regions assess the performance, potential and needs of locally situated technological and industrial parks and, where such parks do not exist, consider building them using EU and national means;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas considerable differences exist between mountainous regions, and therefore coordination of policies and sectors is required, both between different mountainous regions (horizontally) as well as within individual mountainous regions (vertically);

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Stresses the importance of preserving small farm holdings, which in mountainous regions are the main way of life and an important source of employment; calls on the Member States to support greater diversification of activities on small farms with the aim of generating additional income throughout the year;

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Underlines the need for smart specialisation strategies, where applicable, in boosting the potential offered by mountainous regions; calls on the Member States to promote teleworking in these areas to improve companies’ cost management;

Amendment 92 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Highlights the important role that social enterprise, and alternative business models such as cooperatives and mutuals, can play in the inclusive and sustainable development of mountainous regions, including overcoming exclusion of marginalised groups, or overcoming gender inequalities;

Amendment 93 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Considers that mountain areas have strong potential for producing high- quality food products; calls on the Commission and the Member States to discuss the introduction of a special designation for mountain food products at EU level;

Amendment 94 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Notes that new information and communication technologies offer a wide range of opportunities for employment in emerging digital economy; considers therefore that specific support from ESI Funds is needed for promotion of such opportunities;

Amendment 95 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Recognises the need for support from the EAFRDF, and believes that its synergy with ~~ESI Funds~~the other EU Funds, initiatives, as well as private financial instruments, could have a positive impact in mountainous regions;

Amendment 96 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. RStresses the importance of agricultural production in mountain areas and the efforts undertaken to create added value; recognises the need for support from the EARDF, and believes that its synergy with ESI Funds could have a positive impact in mountainous regions;

Amendment 97 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Recognises the need for support from the EARDF, and believes that its synergy with ESI Funds could have a positive impact in mountainous regions; calls on the Commission help develop multiple agricultural production, tourist development and environmental protection activities;

Amendment 98 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Supports the use of ESI Funds for ~~industry~~economic sectors that do not pollute, such as sustainable tourism, sustainable forestry and the renewable~~s sector~~ energy;

Amendment 99 #