Awaiting committee decision
2017/2088(INI) Implementation of CAP young farmers’ tools in the EU after the 2013 reform
Lead committee dossier: AGRI/8/10157
Legal Basis RoP 052
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | AGRI | CAPUTO Nicola (S&D) | MELO Nuno (EPP), KUŹMIUK Zbigniew (ECR), HUITEMA Jan (ALDE), FLANAGAN Luke Ming (GUE/NGL), HEUBUCH Maria (Verts/ALE) |
| Opinion | ENVI | MCGUINNESS Mairead (EPP) |
Legal Basis RoP 052
Subjects
Activites
-
2017/06/15
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 394 |
2017/2088(INI)
2018/01/26
AGRI
312 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 2 a (new) – having regard to Regulation (EU) No 2393/2017 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2017 amending Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), (EU) No 1306/2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy, (EU) No 1307/2013 establishing rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the common agricultural policy, (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and (EU) No 652/2014 laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas there is stiff competition for access to land between young people wishing to take up farming and farmers who are already well established, and in some cases, even between young people and investment firms which have started to take an interest in agriculture;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recommends that the support be varied also in accordance with the age of the young farmers and their level of training;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Considers it necessary to draw a greater distinction between the criteria for establishing incentives between the two groups (young farmers on the basis of age, and farmers commencing their agricultural activity on the basis of years since the establishment of their farm) in order to stimulate the potential of both groups in order to facilitate generational renewal and improve life in rural areas;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the creation of an agricultural guarantee instrument, proposed by the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) in March 2015, which should make it easier for young farmers to access credit; recommends that access to finance be improved through subsidised interest rates on loans for new entrants, in particular by implementing financial instruments to disburse interest- free loans for the investments of young farmers; calls for improved cooperation with the EIB and the European Investment Fund (EIF) to foster the creation of financial instruments dedicated to young farmers across all Member States;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the creation of an agricultural guarantee instrument, proposed by the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) in March 2015, which should make it easier for young farmers to access credit;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the creation of an agricultural guarantee instrument, proposed by the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) in March 2015, which should make it easier for young farmers to access credit; recommends that access to finance be improved through subsidised interest rates on loans for new entrants, also from private financial operators; calls for improved cooperation with the EIB and the European Investment Fund (EIF) to foster the creation of financial instruments dedicated to young farmers across all Member States;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recommends making changes to CAP aid; the maximum per asset aid ceilings therefore need to addressed without delay and guarantees should be made to ensure that persons joining the farming sector encounter no problems in receiving existing aid if they have not inherited a pre-existing farm; adds that minimum values per asset need to be set;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers it necessary to promote new forms of participatory financing in agriculture and those already observed within the EU on land piggybacking, which can be combined with these new financial instruments;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas in the 2007-2013 period in the EU as a whole, as well as in most Member States, there were no positive generational changes in agriculture, with the percentage of young farmers shrinking and the percentage of older farmers rising;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recommends that assessments of the creditworthiness of farms by banks and credit institutions be improved, also by developing the CAP financial instruments;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Is deeply concerned about the current logic of replacing non-repayable aid with financial instruments which, although potentially useful, cannot replace non-repayable aid;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Draws attention to the
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Draws attention to the opportunities for young farmers offered in the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds to design and implement financial instruments in the form of loan, guarantee or equity funds in order to provide access to finance to
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Draws attention to the false opportunities for young farmers offered in the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds to design and implement financial instruments in the form of loan, guarantee or equity funds in order to provide access to finance to those in need;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Draws attention to the opportunities for young farmers offered in the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds in addition to CAP support to design and implement financial instruments in the form of loan, guarantee or equity funds in order to provide access to finance to those in need;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Draws attention to the opportunities for young farmers offered in the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds to design and implement financial instruments synergistically in the form of loan, guarantee
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Underlines the need for a better promotion of the Young Farmers Scheme by the Member States and calls for an enhanced cooperation between national, regional and local authorities in order to disseminate the information on the support tools for young farmers;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas the problems of generational renewal and access to land are recurrent problems that have persisted for years and which require genuine solutions to address them;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Ensuring access to aid for small- scale farms and family farms needs to be made a priority, given that it is they who create the most jobs, are the most economically viable, require the lowest level of indebtedness and are easiest to transfer;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Stresses, however, the need for mediation (by a commercial bank or a national promotion agency) between farmers seeking funding and the ESI Funds;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission propose support measures for investments in smart farming, to increase the access of young farmers to the technological advancements;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Underscores the importance of start-up aids for young farmers for ensuring that agricultural holdings can be taken over;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Reiterates that this fund does not serve small- or medium-scale farming, let alone young farmers setting up;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Believes that the norms of prudent lending should apply and unsustainable debt should not be encouraged;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 3 Administration and simplification of the implemented measures
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Welcomes the fact that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform 2014- 2020 introduced new measures to support young farmers in setting up farms; expresses concern however that administrative and bureaucratic burdens
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Welcomes the fact that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform 2014- 2020 introduced new measures to support young farmers in setting up farms; expresses concern
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A c (new) Ac. whereas the generational situation in agriculture varies significantly from one Member State to another and thus calls for a flexible and diversified approach;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Welcomes the fact that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform 2014- 2020 introduced new measures to support young farmers in setting up farms; expresses concern however that administrative burdens
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Welcomes the fact that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform 2014- 2020 introduced new measures to support young farmers in setting up farms; expresses concern however that administrative burdens may be inhibiting take-up of these measures; notes that the overall administration of the direct payments and Rural Development Programme measures is perceived as difficult, especially for new entrants who are not familiar with the payment system and are often not equipped to prepare a long-term business plan requiring in- depth expertise;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Welcomes the fact that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform 2014- 2020 introduced new measures to support young farmers in setting up farms; expresses concern however that
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Welcomes the amendments supporting young people brought in by the Omnibus Regulation by improving their access to financial instruments and proving for an increase in the single payment under the first pillar;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission and on Member States to facilitate the access to capital for young farmers, including access to low rate credits, to financial instruments and risk management tools;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Recommends making a greater effort to simplify procedures and reduce payment approval time;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls for consultancy support to be made systematically available, particularly for young people not from rural areas;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses the importance of ensuring free access to advisory services for young farmers;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Takes the view that each 'simplification' brings with it greater complexity;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Congratulates the European Commission on its intention to deepen the measures promoting generational renewal in the forthcoming reform of the CAP but considers that these new initiatives should be covered by a sufficient European budget, since otherwise they will fail to provide the desired incentive effect;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A c (new) Ac. whereas a satisfactory economic situation is the first condition for making farming attractive, encouraging people to enter the industry and enabling farming to survive;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Is disappointed at the lack of coordination between payments for young farmers and the set-up support measure, which are managed by different authorities;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Draws attention to the fact that, while new measures have been introduced to help young farmers, they have not proven to be effective;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Calls on the Commission to develop a more holistic approach enabling greater synergies between pillar I and pillar II supports, and stresses that the latter should be implemented by all Member States;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. We should ensure that this is more than mere advertising and that the resources are distributed fairly;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 d (new) 5d. Points out that it is almost impossible for people from outside the world of farming to set up a small-scale farm; ways to support this type of farm should be studied, such as progressive integration into the sector or the guaranteed provision of aid under the first pillar; there are sectors that receive no aid of any kind and in which farmers find it difficult to remain in business beyond the first five years;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Notes that most newly set-up farms are placed in a competitive environment with fast-changing conditions; recommends giving EU farmers more flexibility to respond to changing conditions on the markets in their business plans; urges a result-driven approach which stimulates the development of new innovations and better resource management thereby empowering motivated young farmers; believes that changes in the payment instalments should be considered;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes that Member States might apply further instruments through both pillars of the CAP and encourages those member states with specific geographical challenges, such as mountainous or in some cases less-favoured regions, to consider introducing a multiplying factor (e.g. 2), which takes into account the number of harvests per year or the range of cultures, which can be grown there, when granting support to young farmers who want to operate in these regions in order to incentivise activities in this region in an attempt of fighting demographic challenges there;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Believes they must be given a contractual price guarantee in order to ensure the sustainability of their farms; believes that this measure, which would cost little given the small number of young farmers, would allow each sector to maintain a sufficient number of producers, and that it should be financed by large retailers and the agri-food industry on the basis of negotiation within each sector;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Points out that unfair trading practices in the food supply chain, whose imposition enables the buyer and/or processor or trader to exploit their significant negotiating power in relation to their suppliers, pose a serious threat to the stability of farmers' businesses; calls on the Commission to adopt adequate regulation at European level;
Amendment 15 #
Ac. whereas in the future a whole agricultural development model based on family farms is at risk;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Understands that the creation of an environment favourable to young farmers setting up in the industry requires an overhaul of the CAP with new supply- regulation instruments that safeguard each country's output and protect the European production model in trade agreements with third countries;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recognises that farmers must be able to remain in charge of their land and that if a farm is to work well it must be free and flexible in the same way as any other type of business;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses that payments to young farmers should not be delayed, but made periodically and predictably to prevent young farmers from falling into debt and thus hampering their projects;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Urges a result-driven approach which stimulates the development of new innovations and better resource management thereby empowering motivated young farmers;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Stresses that to be economically viable a farm must be able to expand in order to attain a critical size commensurate with the economic reality of the market;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Stresses that owners must be free to sell to whoever they want and calls on the Commission to facilitate the transfer of land, and succession in particular, in order to make it easier for young people to set up;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A d (new) Ad. whereas the Common Agricultural Policy retains a crucial role in this regard;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem is exacerbated by the current direct payment structure, which requires minimal active use of the land and allocates subsidies
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem is exacerbated by the current direct payment structure, which requires minimal active use of the land and
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land i
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem is exacerbated by the current direct payment structure, which requires minimal active use of the land and allocates subsidies largely on the basis of land ownership; believes that the existing farmers are incentivised to retain land access in order to retain subsidy access instead of ensuring the best use of the land, leading to the gradual disappearance of family farming; recommends
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem is exacerbated by the current direct payment structure, which contributes to higher land rental costs and purchase prices, requires minimal active use of the land and allocates subsidies largely on the basis of land ownership; believes that the existing farmers are incentivised to retain land access in order to retain subsidy access instead of ensuring the best use of the land; recommends increasing the activity levels required to receive payments and to target subsidy payments towards the achievement of particular outcomes (e.g. production of specific environmental or social goods);
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as well as by the competition from other farmers, investors and residential users; considers that the land access problem is exacerbated by the current direct payment structure, which requires minimal active use of the land and allocates subsidies largely on the basis of land ownership; believes that the existing farmers are incentivised to retain land access in order to retain subsidy access instead of ensuring the best use of the land; recommends increasing sustainably and in an ecologically responsible way the activity levels required to receive payments and to target subsidy payments towards the achievement of particular outcomes (e.g. production of specific environmental or social goods);
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Notes that access to land is the largest barrier to new entrants to farming in Europe and is limited by the low supply of land for sale or rent in many regions, as
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take measures to combat farmland speculation, given that access to land is the biggest problem faced by young and new farmers;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Encourages more active national policies to regulate farmland and reduce the impact of speculation on farmland as much as possible, and for those policies to be better coordinated with EU recommendations on access to land with best practices;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Encourages more active national policies with EU recommendations on access to land
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and the EU's food self-sufficiency; whereas, for this reason, all European policies should encourage generational renewal, and the CAP should particularly do so in the agricultural sector;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Calls on the Member States to give new entrants and young farmers priority in the access to farmland, by making full use of regulatory instruments, in line with treaty provisions, that are already implemented successfully in some Member States, such as state licensing of land sales and leases, rights of pre- emption, obligations for tenants to engage in farming, restrictions on the right of purchase by legal persons, ceilings on the number of hectares that maybe bought, preference for farmers, land banking, indexation of prices with reference to farm incomes, preferential access to state- owned land, taxes, etc.;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Considers that Member States could develop tools such as land banks (already existing in some Member States) to further facilitate access to land and prioritizing new entrants to farming;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Believes it is important to have a derogation for young farmers set at the current limit of 10% for land purchase as laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 480/2014 of 3 March 2014 on Structural Funds and in the Guidelines for State aid;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Calls for more aid to be directed towards isolated or less populated areas, or areas affected by insufficient generational renewal;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Asks the Commission to support the sharing the best practices on access to land in the member states;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Calls on the Commission to produce an evaluation of the direct and indirect impact of land and farmland repurchase by non-EU residents on the availability and price of farmland;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Proposes
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Proposes legislative action to enable the establishment of national programmes aimed at facilitating land mobility and succession planning services
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Proposes legislative action to
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas generational renewal in agriculture is a problem combining two aspects, namely difficulties experienced by the younger generation in entering farming and difficulties in leaving it for the current generation of farmers, and whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls on all the Member States to introduce assistance for the transfer of farms in an effort to support farm managers over the age of 55 and without successors, who can find themselves in a precarious situation when the time comes to retire, on the condition that they hand over all or part of their farm to one or more young person(s);
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Encourages Member States to set up and/or strengthen non-profit land mobility agencies with state participation and under state supervision, equipped with a land fund and a pre-emptive right for the purpose of improving agricultural structure, which can be entrusted with accompanying the settlement of young farmers and new entrants;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Urges the Member States to set up mechanisms to guarantee shared ownership of agricultural holdings with a special emphasis on young women in order to ensure their rights are upheld;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a proper definition of an active farmer
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a proper definition of
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a proper definition of an active farmer and the laying-down of simple requirements for effective monitoring will help generational renewal, drive structural change and aid land mobility;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a proper definition of an active farmer, taking account of the work factor, will help generational
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 5 a (new) Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and may jeopardise our food security and the way that farmers have provided us with food for centuries;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a proper definition of an active farmer will help generational renewal
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Considers that a more detailed definition of 'young farmer' is needed to distinguish between those who take over the family farm on which they grew up and to which they have already contributed through their own work, those who enter the sector from outside by purchasing a farm and those who start farming from scratch; stresses that these three categories of 'young farmer' all have features in common but face different kinds of problems requiring targeted instruments; considers furthermore that a clear distinction needs to be made between support for young farmers and support for new entrants;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Stresses that the definition of active farmer should include criteria other than the level of agricultural production, so as not to exclude part-time farmers or those who have diversified their activities, and that are providing ecological and social goods (biodiversity, environment, climate, water, soil fertility, animal welfare, regional food supply, and job creation);
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Takes the view that this definition must not result in any administrative burdens over and above those arising from the latest reform, or limit access to farming for young people by imposing excessive conditions;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 b (new) 10b. Points out that at present it is those taking over management of existing farms who benefit the most from aid for new entrants and young farmers;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 Amendment 206 #
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement, so that lands do not all fall into the hands of neighbouring farms; points out the need for legal structures such as the 'Groupements Agricoles d'Exploitation en Commun' (GAEC), which can help young people to set up business together and ease transfer between generations;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any in
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any adequate incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses, together with ownership of payment entitlements, on to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and constitutes a major barrier to access to good-quality, healthy food, something that is already a luxury for a significant part of the population;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations particularly so in Member States where payments are based on historical data; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass on their farms, experience and knowledge to young and new farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations, including through succession planning tools; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement;
Amendment 213 #
11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for a retirement, conditional on the transfer of the farm to a young person;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that in many Member States the generational renewal and the access of young people to agricultural land is hindered by late succession; considers that the current CAP no longer lacks any incentives for older farmers to pass their businesses to younger generations; recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Calls on Member States to raise pensions for farmers to the level of average pensions of employees, and to ensure that farmers’ pensions are above the poverty line as a minimum;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Recommends that steps be taken to enable young farmers and older farmers to live and work alongside one another for a specific period, with a financial incentive being offered to each for this;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and the EU's independence with regard to food;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Considers it wrong to limit the possibilities of farmers receiving both a state pension and farm subsidies at the same time;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Recommends that the Member States consider introducing a minimum national pension that may not be lower than the poverty line;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Considers that young farmers throughout the Union should have access to loans under the same conditions and interest rates, and that these should not vary; calls, in this regard, on the Commission, together with the European Investment Bank, to establish appropriate support measures and lending facilities for young farmers;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Asks for the promotion of new models of collaboration between generations of farmers through partnership, share-farming, agricultural machinery cooperatives, long-term leasing and other long-term arrangements, farm-to-farm arrangements and funds for national or regional organisations engaged in promoting and facilitating matching services between young and old farmers (such as land mobility services);
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Asks for the promotion of new models of collaboration between generations of farmers through partnership,
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls for the establishment of land banks charting unused land available for young farmers;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. notes the difference in the situation between generation renewal within the family and new entrants; believes that vocational training and courses must be adapted to those who plan to take over the family business or to those who plan to start a new business, according to their needs;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 b (new) 13b. stresses that young women should be encouraged to take on the responsibility of management in agriculture and should be given adequate support in terms of access to land, credit and further knowledge of rules and regulations;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that the
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that the Member States and the regions should be given more power to regulate
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and European food security;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that the Member States and the regions
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that the Member States and the regions should be given more power to regulate farmland and set restrictions to that end, particularly with a view to tackling Europe’s land-grabbing and concentration phenomenon, including the trend towards share purchases by corporate groups with subsidiaries, which is limiting young farmers’ options when starting out;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Believes that the Member States and the regions should be given more power to regulate farmland and set restrictions to that end, particularly with a view to tackling Europe’s
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Calls on the Commission, together with the Member States and stakeholders, to further develop the recently adopted communication on the land market criterion system to ensure that EU law genuinely maintains a level playing field for all potential buyers of land - including positive discrimination in favour of EU farmers - and that it becomes absolutely clear to the EU Member States, in the context of the four fundamental freedoms, what land market regulation measures are permitted so as to enable farmers to obtain land more easily to use for agricultural and forestry purposes; calls on the Commission to suspend the current infringement proceedings aimed at assessing the compatibility with EU law of Member States' law on the sale of agricultural land until the final communication containing the aforementioned criteria is published;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Takes the view that national land, urban and land-use planning (e.g. transport infrastructure) policies should take account of the practices of land waste and abandonment, and bring this land back into the agricultural sector so as to make more farmable land available to young farmers setting up;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Welcomes the Commission Interpretative Communication on the Acquisition of Farmland and European Union Law, but points out that the Communication does not reflect sufficiently on how to regulate share purchases by corporate groups which are often active transnationally; calls on the Commission to update the Communication in this respect;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Highlights the importance of coherence between local, national and EU measures for young farmers; calls on Member States to facilitate generational renewal through, for example, inheritance and taxation laws, rules on access to land, territorial planning and farm succession strategies;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Calls on the Member States to provide women with fair access to land with a view to encouraging them to settle in rural areas and play a full and active role in the agricultural sector;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Stresses that the current policy of supporting biofuels is a serious obstacle to fairer land distribution;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Calls on the Commission to finance a study on the current state of land concentration in Europe that takes into account the phenomenon of corporate groups with subsidiaries that acquire and control land via share deals, and that analyses the risks that land concentration poses, not only as concerns access to land for young farmers and new entrants, but also as concerns food supply, employment, the environment, soil quality and rural development in general;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability of rural areas and the food sufficiency of the European Union;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Takes the view that the EU should have land quality laws, given that land quality is deteriorating as a result of unsuitable agricultural development; this land deterioration affects the land market and land prices, but also reduces the production capacity of lands passed on to future generations of farmer;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 c (new) 14c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to collect data on the acquisition of land by means of share purchases and on transactions involving large areas of land, and to ensure that corporate groups with subsidiaries which receive agricultural payments are recorded and identifiable both in the EU Farm Structure Survey and in the EU database on CAP beneficiaries;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 d (new) 14d. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to adopt legal protection measures to protect young farmers’ holdings and projects from the development of urban projects or infrastructures that may damage their investments;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 d (new) 14d. Recommends interconnection of the collected data with the Business Registers Interconnection System (BRIS);
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Believes that a proper definition of active farmer
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the shortage of young people pursuing careers in farming is jeopardising the economic and social sustainability and growth of rural areas;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Believes that a proper definition of
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Believes that a proper definition of active farmer will help generational renewal
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. The same conditions and standard of living should be ensured for young people living in rural areas as well as for those living in urban areas. In order to avoid discrimination and to prevent the abandonment of rural areas, it should be provided: Wi-Fi connection, access to health, education, training and innovation, better roads;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Points out that the legal environment in Member States as regards land transaction law, inheritance law, tax law and social insurance law, for instance, plays a key role in connection with assistance for young farmers;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 5 Training
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Notes that there is a need to modernise the vocational training provided in rural regions with the active involvement of national advisory services; believes that access to the European Social Fund (ESF) should be facilitated and an increased budget given to vocational training in rural areas;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Notes that there is a need to modernise the vocational training provided in rural regions that is funded separate from the CAP budget; believes that access to the European Social Fund (ESF) should be facilitated and an increased budget given to vocational training in rural areas;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Notes that there is a need to modernise and give greater value to the vocational training provided in rural regions; believes that access to the European Social Fund (ESF) should be facilitated and an increased budget given to vocational training in rural areas;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Notes that there is a need to
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Underlines the most recent EU initiative, The European Solidarity Corps, which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in the field of natural resources, and across different areas such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas the most recent reform of the CAP has confirmed and introduced a series of tools which can be combined and adapted to national circumstances in the Member States, particularly the mandatory payment for young farmers under the first pillar (EUR 6.9 billion payable to 180 000 young farmers) and, under the second pillar, measures such as start-up aid, access to finance and credit, or the possibility of establishing a thematic sub-programme for young farmers (EUR 2.6 billion);
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Recommends advocating that these young people join cooperatives, which would necessarily provide them with important advice on marketing, production and other aspects related to their farm;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Encourages the setting-up of an "Erasmus" type scheme associated with vocational training to improve young farmers' skills and experience;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 b (new) 16b. Stresses the need for a review of criteria with a view to fostering young people's incorporation into a society over which they have no control, with the aid young people receive being proportional to their importance in society;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more
Amendment 264 #
17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities for potential and confirmed young farmers, including farming, technological and entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, networking, communication and financial
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities for potential and confirmed young farmers, including farming, technological and entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, networking, communication
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities and access to advisory services for potential and confirmed young farmers, including farming, technological and entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, networking, communication and financial expertise; exchange of best practices and innovative solutions at the farm level;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities for potential and confirmed young farmers, including agribusiness start-up skills and farming,
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities for potential and confirmed young farmers, including farming, technological, new technological and entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, networking, communication and financial expertise;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas in the EU not all Member States have a genuine policy relating to setting-up in agriculture and not all of them use all the instruments that the CAP offers to support young farmers, especially the second-pillar measure on ‘business start-up aid for young farmers';
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make information available to young farmers and new entrants on innovative and non- conventional approaches that are best suited to starting a new farm, such as the development of new business models based on end-users, the development of more sustainable farming systems, the development of new organisational models (e.g. share farming, pre-financing, crowdsourcing), the increase of connections between farming and the local community, and the adaptation of traditional knowledge to develop business innovations (e.g. artisanal food production);
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls, in order to minimise the number of companies going out of business, for a mechanism monitoring or advising or businesses with a view to providing continued support for young people in decision-making, for at least the first three years of their companies' activity;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to encourage initiatives such as the French 'Demain je serai paysan', which aims to promote farming as a career among young people and to give them all the information they need to get the relevant training and set up their farms;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Commission to set up an EU-wide young-farmer exchange programme, similar to the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, to enable an efficient and effective transfer of knowledge;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Commission to support the exchange of experiences and know-how among young farmers in the EU through an Erasmus-style programme;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Asks for training not to be dispensed by companies that will subsequently sell the relevant technology and the production model;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Believes however for this to succeed there must be substantial investment in broadband in rural areas;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Takes the view that a welcoming environment should be created for young people in the farming industry, via collective and solidary-based structures such as the joint farming groups of an agricultural enterprise (farmers' societies), cooperatives for the use of communal agricultural equipment , cooperatives for the processing and marketing of agricultural products, labour-sharing groups, replacement services, mutual assistance groups, agricultural extension and innovation groups, farmers' and consumers' associations, networks between agricultural and non-agricultural actors (LEADER) ...; these kinds of organisation help professionals to share experience, advice and certain expenses, which is important for the budget and revenue of young people, who often have to pay significant start-up costs;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas young women taking over the responsibility of management of a farming business represent only a small part of young farmers, but are however not a homogenous group and thus have different needs while starting this career;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Points to the importance of young people in rural areas having access to the same services and infrastructure (e.g. high-speed bandwidth, schools and pre- schooling, roads, etc.) as young people living in towns; deems it essential therefore to ensure that young farmers in rural areas are in a position to develop their farms and support their families;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls for women's entrepreneurial spirit and initiatives to be encouraged, in particular through the promotion of female ownership, networks of female young farmers, new entrants and entrepreneurs, and provision in the financial sector for facilitating access for rural businesswomen to investment and credit, thus enabling them to develop businesses from which they can make a stable living;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Asks for training to provide an alternative to industrial agriculture and livestock-raising, which gives rise to a high degree of indebtedness, requires intensive investment and offers no control over the activity;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 c (new) 17c. Takes the view that generational renewal depends on the attractiveness of the farming profession, but in particular on its capacity to generate an income for those who wish to make a living from it; for agriculture to be viable, the CAP must allow for a certain level of market regulation, in particular when the markets are not functioning well and are causing crises; the current deregulation of markets is having a negative impact on the development of agriculture, is turning young people away from agriculture, and is having a serious impact on the young people who have already set up farms and have huge debts as a result of their start- up costs.
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 5 a (new) Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that developing
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that developing modern agricultural practices and new business models will make agriculture more attractive to young farmers; stresses the need to support innovative digital farming technology and urges the Commission to ensure that any future CAP reflects this;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that developing modern agro-ecological agricultural practices will make agriculture more attractive to young farmers; stresses the need to support innovative and non-conventional approaches such as agro-ecology, new business models based on end-users and digital farming technology, and urges the Commission to ensure that any future CAP reflects this;
Amendment 288 #
18. Considers that developing modern agricultural practices will make agriculture more attractive to young farmers; stresses the need to support innovative digital farming technology and smart solutions and urges the Commission to ensure that any future CAP reflects this;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that developing modern agricultural practices will make agriculture more attractive to young farmers; highlights that young farmers must be trained and skilled in the latest technologies to tackle, in particular, current and future environmental challenges; stresses the need to support innovative digital farming technology and urges the Commission to ensure that any future CAP reflects this;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B b (new) Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Considers it necessary, therefore, to provide critical support to young people wishing to introduce innovative production techniques and processes, such as precision agriculture and conservation systems, which aim to enhance the cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability of the farming sector;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Asks the Commission to step up research into the use of technologies and farming practices enabling sustainable farming with a low environmental impact, and points out that innovations may be adopted individually or collectively;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Deplores the fact that many Member States under pressure from austerity policies have closed part of their national network of public laboratories, thus reducing crucial responses for the rural community in a number of key areas.
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Asks the Commission and the Member States for a firm commitment to direct marketing channels that allow young farmers to sell their products in local markets in a more sustainable way and with a greater benefit;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Points out that, for smallholder farming and rural areas to develop further in a sustainable way, a generational change is required;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Calls on the Commission to develop a 'Rural Agenda’, which must include coordinated measures under the various European, national, regional and local rural development policies;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Highlights that farmers require access to infrastructure and services including healthcare, education and high speed broadband;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Highlights that CAP needs smart approaches, as these new solutions make rural life and villages attractive to young people;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Measures to arrest the rural exodus Considers it necessary to offer young farmers long-term prospects so as to arrest the rural exodus, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to look into new initiatives for establishing the infrastructure necessary to support new entrepreneurs and their families in rural areas.
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Stresses that creating new jobs and safeguarding them, promoting innovation, and digitisation in the area of agricultural training are essential for the competitiveness of European farming;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas in the EU only about 6 % of all people in charge of farms are younger than 35 years old and more than half are aged over 55, and whereas the disparities between Member States are wide;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas generational renewal should be one of the key priorities for the future Common Agricultural Policy, providing a common policy framework for national tailor-made strategies, and whereas supporting young farmers is a prerequisite for preserving agriculture across the EU and for keeping rural areas alive;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Calls on the Member States and their various levels of government to provide affordable, high-quality public facilities and services for daily life in rural areas, especially in the fields of health care, education and assistance;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Recommends, in this respect, that consideration be given to harmonising measures under rural development programmes and the first pillar of the CAP, European cohesion policy measures and measures at national, regional and local level in order to improve the effectiveness of the measures;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Calls on the Commission to orient direct payments towards small-scale holdings and agro-ecological farming in the upcoming CAP-reform, as this will disproportionately benefit younger and new entrant farmers;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Points out that rural areas should also have services that alleviate the pressures of farming such as professional counselling, financial advice and advice on farm management;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18c. Stresses the need to provide broadband connections in rural and remote areas; welcomes the various initiatives in the area of 'smart villages', the ultimate objective of which must be to create new job opportunities and provide employment for young people in rural areas, either in the form of supplementary activities on farms or in non-farm activities (social care, mobility, healthcare, tourism, energy); considers that ever greater productivity in agriculture and the falling prices of agricultural produce will make it increasingly difficult to generate sufficient income in the basic agricultural activity, especially on small farms;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18c. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach to facilitate young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services and training, and take into account intergenerational renewal for the benefit of young and older farmers; stresses that this should make farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive occupation to young farmers and wider society.
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Points out that this should include childcare infrastructure, health services, educational centres, institutions for care and assistance for the elderly and dependent persons, staff-replacement services for workers on sick or maternity leave, cultural services, public transport, post offices and internet access;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18c. Notes that strong support for young farmers and the development of new economic activities in the European agricultural sector are essential for the future of rural areas and must be furthered as part of the new, post-2020 CAP;
Amendment 309 #
18c. The environment and sustainability Calls on the Commission to ensure greater consistency between environmental measures and their harmonisation; reiterates that young farmers need measures that are clear and easy to put into practice.
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas supporting young farmers is a prerequisite for preserving agriculture across the EU and for keeping rural areas alive on the basis of a large number of diversified farms on a human scale, which create wealth and jobs, facilitating the integration of young people into working life, irrespective of whether the young people in question originally come from farming backgrounds;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 d (new) 18d. Believes that, in order to preserve settlement of rural areas and ensure a similar standard of living for people living there compared with urban areas, regulatory and administrative barriers urgently need to be removed so as to enable farm operators to carry out supplementary agricultural and non- agricultural activities, mainly in the social care, healthcare, tourism, mobility of the elderly and energy sectors, thereby providing an appropriate income for farm operators and their families and reducing the risk of rural depopulation.
Amendment 311 #
18c. Urges the Member States and regional authorities to improve public transport and provide a secure supply of energy and reliable broadband infrastructure and services in rural areas; stresses the importance of digital development in rural areas and of taking a comprehensive approach.
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 d (new) 18d. Calls for a new dialogue with society about the future of the agrifood industry so as to produce a realistic picture of what farming involves and improve knowledge of what it means to be a farmer and how food is produced.
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas supporting
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas supporting young farmers is an indispensable prerequisite for preserving agriculture across the EU and for keeping rural areas alive and attractive, fostering the diversity of farms and promoting sustainable family farming;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas new entrants such as young farmers are particularly vulnerable to price volatility and whereas they encounter additional difficulties in gaining access to funding from banks or other credit programmes, due to a lack of financial assets to be used as security;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas young farmers represent a considerable potential for innovation and diversification in that they are more inclined to enter new markets and to develop new production methods, which may, in particular, help to tackle the environmental challenges facing agriculture;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas more highly trained young people have greater skills which enable them to make the best use of new farming techniques and technologies and have greater managerial ability;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas EU support for young farmers should be better targeted in order to ensure generational renewal and combat the decline in and concentration of holdings;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas despite the EU support measures, there are still challenges to be faced related to the young farmers installation and the generational renewal in European agricultural sector;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the young farmers pose more openness to implement the technological advancements and innovations in the agriculture sector;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas everywhere, for more than 50 years, agricultural development supported by the CAP has favoured enlargement, concentration of holdings and strong capitalisation of production assets, making it difficult for some holdings to be passed on and/or accessible to young people, owing to the amounts of capital required in order to take them over;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas, amongst new entrants, women are identified as primary farmer at greater rates than in the agricultural sector in general;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the demographic picture in some regions of the EU is much misbalanced with little or no young people living there;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas young farmers and new entrants represent important sources of innovation and entrepreneurship within agriculture, bringing benefits such as the introduction of new knowledge or techniques, the development of new business models based on end-users, the development of more sustainable farming systems, the development of new organisational models (e.g. share farming, pre-financing, crowd sourcing), the increase of connections between farming and the local community, and the adaptation of traditional knowledge to develop business innovations (e.g. artisanal food production);
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas a major part of the mountain regions face particular difficulties due to lower investment rates, specific conditions and difficult relief, which discourages young people from remaining or starting business in these regions;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas new entrants tend to operate smaller farms and therefore struggle to access inputs at competitive prices and to produce the quantities to achieve economies of scale;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C c (new) Cc. whereas this sets as a prerequisite considering a more flexible approach for national and/or regional authorities when considering the application of the mechanism “Young farmer” in the countries with such regions;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C c (new) Cc. whereas access to land has been identified as the most important barrier to young farmers and new entrants;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C e (new) Ce. whereas their access to land is obstructed by, on the one hand, the loss of agricultural land through soil sealing, urban development, tourism, infrastructure projects, changes of use and the spread of desertification caused by climate change, and, on the other hand, by the concentration of land in the hands of corporate groups with subsidiaries and investors from outside the farming sector;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C f (new) Cf. whereas acquisition of land by means of share purchases and transactions involving large areas of land and speculative price rises pose serious and increasingly alarming problems for new entrants and young farmers in many Member States;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C g (new) Cg. whereas the current supports, whilst facilitating access to finance or capital, do not address the substantial issue of gaining access to land in order to establish a new farm;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the ageing of the agricultural workforce is especially acute in livestock-raising sectors, particularly sheep and goat farming, owing to existing limits on its profitability;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C h (new) Ch. whereas 80% of CAP subsidies are distributed to only 20% of EU farms, and the actual distribution of subsidies could be even more unequal, as the available statistics do not make it possible to establish anything about the ownership and control of farms;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the ‘Young Farmers Manifesto’, launched in 2015 by European Council of Young Farmers, calls for: access to land and credit through public support measures; regulation to curb unfair trading practices in the food supply chain; measures to reduce income volatility for young farmers; support for investment and access to land in order to safeguard and protect soils and optimise land use by young farmers for food production;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas young farmers are the key to a sustainable, diversified and inclusive agricultural sector and promoting their access to farming will help safeguard future food production and protect the environment and rural landscapes;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the extreme price volatility of agricultural products is a major disincentive to those who would like to set up a farming business, often leading them to focus on niche products with safer profit margins;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas farmers are faced with low incomes, long working hours, a risky and uncertain occupation, poor living conditions in many rural areas and privatised services;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. Considers that the income of young farmers can only be stabilised by applying price controls to their products, and that such arrangements must involve the agri-food industry and large-scale retailers;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas European law recognises the concepts of 'young farmers' and 'farmers commencing their agricultural activity’;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas the deregulation of production, the elimination of market instruments from the CAP, the orientation of production towards exports and intensification has depressed incomes in the sector and led to rural depopulation;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas the concentration of land is a process which is intensifying considerably; whereas between 2005 and 2015 the number of farms decreased by around 3.8 million while their average size grew by 36%;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the Cork 2.0 Declaration of 6 September 2016 expresses concerns about rural exodus and youth drain, and the need to ensure that rural areas and communities (countryside, farms, villages, and small towns) remain attractive places to live and work by improving access to services
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas these figures have not changed significantly over the last decade and whereas the demographic structure of farmers and generational renewal situations vary widely from one Member State to another;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas generational renewal depends above all on a real desire on the part of (European and national) elected politicians and the relevant professionals, and particularly on older people; whereas that desire presupposes an ambitious and coherent overall policy - which is not genuinely the case today - involving both CAP tools and various national policy instruments in areas as diverse as land, financing, land tenure modes and farm structure policies, taxation, law of succession, pension schemes, training, etc.
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas the maintenance of local public services (postal, medical, social, educational, cultural and transport) is essential to maintaining an attractive environment; whereas young people living in rural areas should have access to the same services as those in urban areas so as not to increase further the rural exodus and the territorial divide;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas support for young farmers, by both stopping them from dropping out and encouraging them to set up business, can be a benefit for upland rural areas, the population of which is, on the whole, constantly ageing, and can promote economic recovery in both the agri-food sector and related industries;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas nowadays, young European farmers are competing in a rapidly evolving agricultural sector; whereas innovation, research and precision agriculture have the potential to improve agricultural yields whilst at the same time allowing for better management of resources;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas the number of applications submitted for the measure regarding the setting up of young people in farming under the second pillar of the CAP, has, in some Member States, exceeded the value of the total farming start-ups provided for in the 2014-2020 programming period;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas the ageing of the rural population cannot be separated from the CAP and its successive revisions, which have led to a steady reduction in farmers' income, increasing market volatility and unfair distribution of aid;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas young farmers, who like all other farmers in the EU, produce and place their products on the single European market, do not enjoy the same business or borrowing conditions in the various Member States;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas there are initiatives such as 'EU Action for Smart Villages';
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E b (new) Eb. whereas rural areas need to be kept populated, both with younger people of working age as well as older people;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas in the 2007-2013 period, the number of young farmers in the EU as a whole decreased from 3.3 to 2.3 million, and the area of farms cultivated by young farmers decreased during that period from 57 to 53 million hectares;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph –1 (new) Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue and the maximum level of national funding allocation be increased beyond 2
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue and
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue and the maximum level of national funding allocation be increased beyond 2 % in order to encourage generational renewal and the setting up of young people outside the family (who often experience additional difficulties);
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Recommends that the support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue and the maximum level of national funding allocation be increased beyond 2 % of direct payments in order to encourage generational renewal;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Proposes making it mandatory for Member States to implement as part of their rural development programmes start-up support measures for young farmers (young farmer grants) and measures to support farm modernisation, as provided for under the second pillar of the CAP, in order to enhance the financial support for people taking up farming;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the ageing of the farming population in the Member States is a major problem;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Recommends that provision be made, within the EU VAT rate reform, for the option of applying the minimum rate for agricultural capital goods covered by the investment plan for young farmers, in order to facilitate investments that are eligible for rural development measures;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Reminds that young farmers are particularly engaged in organic and agro- ecological agriculture and activities to develop short supply chains, and calls for focused support for these activities, as it would disproportionately benefit young farmers;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Highlights that the introduction of a mandatory start up aid measure should be considered in any future CAP;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Recommends that supports should be accompanied by qualified and independent advisory servicesfinan;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Recommends that distinctive supports are offered to young farmers and new entrants, including lifting the age limit for new entrants, since entrants at a range of ages bring innovations and new resources into agriculture;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Recommends that the age limit for new entrants should be abolished, and the age limit for young farmers be set at 44, to better suit the current farming demographic and allow better evaluation by adjusting to Eurostat age groups;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 Amendment 87 #
2.
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recommends that the limit
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas, in the light of demographic changes such as depopulation and the ageing of the population in rural areas, it is essential to create opportunities for agriculture as a modern and attractive industry to encourage young people to pursue careers in farming;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recommends that the
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recommends that the limit placed on access to supports (currently five years from the establishment of the business) and the intervention logic should be reviewed in order to define more precisely and tangibly the objectives and the expected results and to encourage generational turnover;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recommends that the limit placed on access to supports (currently five years from the establishment of the business) as well as other criteria such as age and previous involvement in agriculture should be reviewed in order to encourage generational turnover;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Recommends that the limit placed on access to supports (currently five years from the establishment of the business) should be reviewed in order to encourage generational turnover and that a minimum quota for aid for young farmers should be introduced;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 – point 1 (new) (1) Expects the Commission to present a clear intervention logic for agricultural generational change instruments, based on a sound assessment of young farmers' needs, including an analysis of the reasons why young people interested in taking up farming face barriers and an analysis of the extent to which such obstacles have become widespread depending on the particular geographical areas, agricultural sectors or other specific farm characteristics;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Welcomes the option for young farmers, provided for by the so-called Omnibus regulation, to receive rural development aid for their first farming business, even where they set up business jointly with other farmers, whether they be older than 40, with a view to greater generational turnover, or young farmers, by multiplying the support;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Considers that measures for young farmers should be linked to the young farmer's age and should not be restricted by the number of years since the establishment of the farm being cultivated by the young farmer;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls for all farmers under the age of 40 to be entitled to draw on surplus direct payments, without any restriction as to date of entry or area of holding;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Notes that CAP instruments for young farmers should be targeted to young farmers' specific needs, including their economic and social needs;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that support for young farmers should be granted from the moment they enter into the system and up until the age of 40;
source: 616.744
2018/02/01
ENVI
82 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph –1 (new) -1. having regard to the European Parliament resolution on the ‘State of play of farmland concentration in the EU: how to facilitate the access to land for farmers', adopted on 27 April 2017
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to support a new generation of environmentally conscious and global minded young farmers in tackling the many challenges ahead, such as climate change, preserving natural resources (soil, water and air),
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Is disappointed, however, that these highly laudable objectives are unfortunately in clear contradiction with the current CAP framework as laid down in Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in accordance with which the first objective of the CAP is 'to increase agricultural productivity by promoting technical progress and by ensuring the rational development of agricultural production and the optimum utilisation of the factors of production, in particular labour';
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Recalls that farming affects the state of the environment and the functioning of ecosystems at local level and more widely, both negatively and positively. Negative impact on ecosystems is apparent in the form of deterioration in the status of waters, the destruction of habitats and the degradation of species. Positive impact is apparent in the form of habitats which are diverse in terms of species and habitat types, an open agricultural landscape, a cultural environment and pleasant surroundings in which to live;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Takes the view that developing modern and environmentally friendly farming practices, and bolstering short marketing circuits that strengthen the position of producers in the value chain and foster food quality, will make farming more attractive for young farmers; .
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls on the Commission to ensure greater consistency between environmental measures and their harmonisation; reiterates that young farmers need measures that are clear and easy to put into practice;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Stresses the need to take into account the diversity of territory, in particular the difficult areas, which require particular support;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Recalls that the European Court of Auditors Special Report No 21/2017 of 12 December 2017 on CAP greening measures intended to make agricultural practices less harmful to soil, water, air, biodiversity and health found that 'greening led to changes in farming practices on only around 5 % of all EU farmland';
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes that arable land has particularly been set aside in less densely populated areas, causing environmental problems, while at the same time, on the other hand, it is impossible for young farmers to gain access to land for agricultural use;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Calls on the Commission to step up research into the use of agricultural technologies and practices that enable sustainable farming with a low environmental impact;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Recalls that, in order to achieve sustainable agriculture, young farmers must be able to invest and acquire agricultural land, as well as to obtain new or second-hand machinery, as well as optimise their farming technique;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph –1 a (new) -1 a. whereas, amongst new entrants, women are identified as primary farmer at greater rates than in the agricultural sector in general;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be improved in the future
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be improved in the future as the CAP, in the opinion of many observers, is too remote from the environmental objectives which the Member States should now pursue in their agricultural policy, particularly owing to a production-led approach which conflicts with the basic recommendations on sustainable agriculture; notes that these tools must be targeted to young farmers’ specific needs, including their economic and social needs, and promote projects with the highest added value for farmers;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be improved and simplified in the future; notes that these tools must be targeted to young farmers’ specific needs, including their economic and social needs, and promote projects with the highest added value for farmers, in addition to which young farmers should be able to diversify their farming;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers should be improved in the future; notes that these tools must be targeted to young farmers’ specific needs, including their economic and social needs, and promote projects with the highest added value for farmers and which protect the environment;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Highlights that current common agricultural policy (CAP) instruments for young farmers and new entrants should be improved in the future; notes that these tools must be targeted to young farmers’ and new entrants specific needs, including their economic and social needs, and promote projects with the highest added value for farmers;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and finance research and innovation in innovative environmental practices and the development of renewable energy on farms, and to promote the exchange of best practices among farmers;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recommends that support to the ‘Young Farmer Scheme’ should continue and the maximum level of national funding allocation be increased beyond 2 % of direct payments in order to encourage generational renewal;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Takes the view that the number of years in which a farm can benefit from support should be reviewed and increased to at least seven years, rather than five, in order to encourage generational turnover;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to support the emergence of a new generation of environmentally conscious young farmers in order to tackl
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that, in view of the overpopulation of the major urban centres in the European Union, generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity; notes that this requires access to infrastructure and services, including healthcare, social
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity; notes that
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity; is of the opinion that the age of young farmers should to be taken into account with regard to generational renewal and that a transfer of farms at an earlier stage should be encouraged; notes that this requires access to infrastructure and services, including healthcare, social services, education, transport and high- speed broadband;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity; notes that this requires to take a long term perspective, in particular with regard to the access to infrastructure and services,
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas and family-run holdings across Europe that foster jobs and sustainable business activity; notes that this requires access to infrastructure and services, including healthcare, social services, education, transport and high-
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Stresses that generational renewal is key to maintaining vibrant rural areas across Europe that foster jobs
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points out that greater and stronger organisation of farmers, through the establishment of cooperatives and formation of producer organisations (POs) in sectors regulated at EU level by the COM, may help farming become more profitable and help protect farmers' income, particularly that of young farmers, by accompanying production choices and making the most of the features of rural areas; adds that a structural reform of POs, to make them stronger, more responsible and more efficient, and greater aggregation, can make an effective contribution, first and foremost, to protecting and increasing the sector's profitability over time;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Stresses that young farmers and new entrants represent important sources of innovation and entrepreneurship within agriculture, bringing benefits such as the introduction of new knowledge, the development of new business models based on end-users, the development of more sustainable farming systems, the development of new organisational models (e.g. share farming, pre-financing, crowd sourcing), the increase of connections between farming and the local community, and the adaptation of traditional knowledge to develop business innovations (e.g. artisanal food production)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to support a new generation of environmentally conscious young farmers in tackling the many challenges ahead, such as climate change, preserving natural resources (soil, water and air), increasing biodiversity and promoting sustainable agricultural production; points out that statistics for the years 2010-2011 show that in France one farmer committed suicide every two days; adds that this trend will continue if the situation of farmers does not improve;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points out that unfair trading practices in the food supply chain, whose imposition enables the buyer and/or processor or trader to exploit their significant negotiating power in relation to their suppliers, pose a serious threat to the stability of farmers' businesses, discourage the young from taking over their parents' farms, and prevent greater inclusion of young farmers in the generational renewal of rural areas; urges the Commission to adopt appropriate rules at European level;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points to the importance of young people in rural areas having access to the same services and infrastructure (e.g. high-speed broadband, schools and pre- schooling, roads, etc.) as young people living in towns; deems it essential therefore to ensure that young farmers in rural areas are in a position to develop their farms and support their families;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3 b. Taking into consideration that access to land has been identified as the most important barrier to young farmers and new entrants;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental challenges, including the use of the latest technological developments in farming; Considers that the level of education of young farmers will play a key role in meeting future challenges and should therefore be rewarded with a higher financial contribution;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental challenges, including the use of the latest technological developments in farming, given the significant differences between Member States as regards the level of excellence of this training in tools and the mastery of the skills necessary for sustainable agriculture;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental and quality challenges, including the use of the latest technological developments in farming; calls, in this context, for the development and communication of knowledge and for innovation;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to provide significant support to a new generation of environmentally conscious young farmers in tackling the many challenges ahead, such as climate change, preserving natural resources (soil, water and air), increasing biodiversity and promoting sustainable agricultural production along the entire production chain, by developing production techniques that increase the quality of products and their health and nutraceutical properties;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental challenges, including the use of the latest technological developments in farming; important for successful solutions and innovation is that the administrative burden should not increase;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental challenges, including the use of the latest technological developments in farming; therefore advanced training and exchange between young farmers across the European Union is needed;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that young farmers must be trained and skilled to enable them to find the ever-more complex solutions required to face current and future environmental challenges, including developing of agro-ecological practices or the use of the latest technological developments in farming;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take measures to secure farmers' incomes in the face of various climate, health and economic risks and thus make farms more resilient, in particular by introducing new risk management tools and strengthening the existing ones;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Considers it necessary to modernise the vocational training provided in rural regions; believes that access to the European Social Fund (ESF) should be facilitated and an increased budget given to vocational training in rural areas;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer more training opportunities for potential and confirmed young farmers, including agribusiness start-up skills and farming, technological and entrepreneurial skills such as marketing, networking, communication and financial expertise;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Highlights the importance of coherence between local, national and EU measures for young farmers; calls on Member States to facilitate generational renewal, including through
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Highlights the importance of coherence between local, national and EU measures for young farmers; calls on Member States to facilitate generational renewal, including through inheritance and taxation laws, rules on access to land, particularly public land, through transparent procedures, territorial planning and farm succession strategies; notes that the current CAP payments system contributes to higher land rental costs and purchase prices and does not adequately protect young farmers from agricultural price volatility, to which they are more exposed for clear reasons relating to their size and the financial instruments available to them;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Highlights the importance of coherence between local, national and EU measures for young farmers; calls on Member States to facilitate generational renewal, including through inheritance and taxation laws, rules on access to land, territorial planning and farm succession strategies; notes that the current CAP payments system, and decoupled payments in particular, contributes to higher
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Highlights the importance of coherence between local, national and EU measures for young farmers; calls on Member States to facilitate generational renewal, including through inheritance and taxation laws, rules on access to land, territorial planning and farm succession strategies; notes that the current CAP payments system
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Notes that European law recognises the concepts of 'young farmers' and 'farmers commencing their agricultural activity’1a; considers it necessary, in order to stimulate the potential of both groups in order to facilitate generational renewal and improve life in rural areas, to draw a greater distinction between the criteria for establishing incentives between the two groups (young farmers on the basis of age, and farmers commencing their agricultural activity on the basis of years since the establishment of their farm); considers that measures for young farmers should be linked to the young farmer's age and should not be restricted by the number of years since the establishment of the farm being cultivated by the young farmer; _________________ 1aArticle 30 of 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 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Believes that it is the role of the Commission to align social, tax and environmental standards in agriculture in the Member States in order, ultimately, to have these standards harmonised and stabilised at European level;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Strongly recommends providing aid for ceasing agricultural production per Member State in order to assist generational renewal, so as to provide farmers with an income before they become eligible for a retirement pension, thereby encouraging them to pass their farms on to a younger generation;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Recommends reconsidering the implementation of measures that would motivate older holders to pass their farms to young farmers, such as the ‘farm-exit scheme’ and other incentives for retirement;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5 a. Asks the Commission and the Member States for a firm commitment to direct marketing channels that allow young farmers to sell their products in local markets in amore sustainable way and with a greater benefit;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Takes note of the fact that average farm incomes are lower than average incomes for other sectors and activities in the EU2a; feels, therefore, that the current CAP lacks the instruments necessary to ensure decent incomes conducive to a dignified life for older farmers, as there are no adequate instruments to encourage the transfer of businesses from the older generation of farmers to the younger generation; recommends that the Member States consider introducing a minimum national pension that may not be lower than the poverty line; _________________ 2a https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/sites/agri culture/files/statistics/facts- figures/agricultural-farm-income.pdf
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, facilitating young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services and training; stresses that this should make farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive occupation to young farmers and wider society; stresses that young farmers’ work should be recognised in civil society as being of public benefit, and that young farmers should also receive acknowledgement for it.
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, facilitating young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services and training; believes, also, that it should move away from the solely production-led goals still advocated today by the CAP; stresses that this should make farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive occupation to young farmers and wider society.
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to support a new generation of environmentally conscious young farmers in moving towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient society and tackling the many challenges ahead, such as climate change, preserving natural resources (soil, water and air), increasing biodiversity and promoting sustainable agricultural production and production of quality products which are also safe;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, promoting good environmental practices and facilitating young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services, a
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, facilitating young farmers’ access to land, bank finance and other credit schemes, advisory services and training; stresses that this should make farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive occupation to young farmers and wider society.
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, facilitating young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services and training; stresses that this should make farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive and sustainable occupation to young farmers and wider society.
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that any successful strategy for generational renewal and supporting young farmers should take a holistic approach, facilitating young farmers’ access to land, finance, advisory services and training; stresses that this should make sustainable farming, which is vital for humanity, an attractive occupation to young farmers and wider society.
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes that young farmers, like all other farmers in the EU, produce and place their products on the single European market while respecting common rules on cross-compliance3a, and yet they do not enjoy the same business or borrowing conditions in the various Member States; Considers that young farmers throughout the Union should have access to loans under the same conditions and interest rates, and that these should not vary; calls, in this regard, on the Commission, together with the European Investment Bank, to establish appropriate support measures and lending facilities for young farmers; _________________ 3aArticle 93 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/2008.
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Draws attention to the specific characteristics of the outermost regions of the European Union, which have a unique environment, climate and health situation that is very different to that of the European continent, and calls therefore, as provided for under Article 349 TFEU, for greater account to be taken of these regions and of the specific needs and assets of the outermost regions in the implementation and development of CAP instruments for young farmers, including in terms of access to funding;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Emphasises that small and family undertakings operating under difficult conditions and seeking additional sources of revenue should be supported to an even greater extent, for example through the funding of advisory services or innovative business models.
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers it important to foster the extension of networks of researchers, academics, managers and young European farmers who are interested in identifying new models of economic development to find innovative solutions to the social and market needs that are emerging from the new rural business world;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Recommends that generational renewal must also take account of intergenerational renewal for the benefit of young and older farmers; notes the importance of farmers drawing up a farm succession plan and notes the need for a transitional payment to facilitate this succession;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Takes note of the social insurance system in Germany as a positive example, as it contributes significantly to increase the share of farmers that hand over their farm to the next generation as well as to the access to expensive loans for young farmers;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector, particularly in view of the ageing of the European farming population, to support a new generation of environmentally conscious young farmers in tackling the many challenges ahead, such as climate change, preserving natural resources (
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6 a. Calls on the Commission to orient direct payments towards small-scale holdings and agro-ecological farming in the upcoming CAP-reform, as this will disproportionately benefit younger and new entrant farmers
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6 b. Highlights that the introduction of a mandatory start up aid measure for young farmers should be considered in any future CAP;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6 c. Encourages the setting up of an Erasmus type scheme to improve young farmers' skills and experience; believes that such a programme should be focused on vocational training and would benefit young farmers and also promote the young farmer scheme;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Believes that it is crucial for the EU farming sector to
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History
(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)
2018-09-12Show (9) Changes | Timetravel
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2017-07-07Show (6) Changes | Timetravel
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2017-07-02Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
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2017-06-24Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
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2017-06-20Show (5) Changes
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