Cifarelli, M

Archive of European Integration

2 April 1973 ) • "" J. l. I English Edition 4~C-r European Communiti~s EURO PEAN PARLIAMENT Working Documents 1973-1974 DOCUMENT 11/73 Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (Doc. 333/72) for a directive m)gricultnre in mountain areas and in certain other poorer farming areas Rapporteur: Mr M. CIFARELLI PE 32.448/fin. Pursuant to Article 43 of the EEC Treaty the President of the Council requested the European Parliament to deliver an opinion on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council for a directive on agriculture in mountain areas and in certain other poorer farming areas. On 12 March 1973 the President of the European Parliament referred this proposal to the Committee on Agriculture, as the committee responsible, and to the committee on Budgets, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Committee on Regional Policy and Transport for their opinions. The committee on Agriculture appointed Mr Cifarelli rapporteur. At its meeting of 22 and 23 March 1973 the committee discussed the proposal and unanimously adopted the following motion for a resolution. The following were present: Mr Houdet, chairman~ Mr Vetrone, deputy chairman; Mr Cifarelli, rapporteur; Mr Briot, Mr Durieux, Mr Frehsee, Mr FrUh, Mr Heger, Mr John Hill, Mr Hilliard, Mr de Koning, Mr Lefebvre, Mr Liogier, Mr LUcker, Mr McDonald, Mr Martens, Lord St. Oswald and Mr Scott-Hopkins. - 3 - PE 32.448/fin. The Committee on Agriculture hereby submits the following motion for a resolution to the European Parliament: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION embodying the opinion of the European Parliament on the proposal from the Conunission of the European Communities to the Council for a directive on agricultura.in mountain areas and in certain other poorer farming areas The European Parliament, - having regard to the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (COM (73) 202 fin.); - having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 43 of the EEC Treaty (Doc. 333/72}, - having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture (Doc. 11/73) , ~ in view of the fact that the special difficulties which exist for agric-ulture in some areas of the Community have brought about a continuous worsening in the income and living conditions of farmers and that the negative effects of this worsening situation ha~ repercussions on the general situation of local communitiee, .~ recognizing that the consequent exodus of the agricultural and rural population, and particularly of the young, may well bring about the depopulation of such areas and the final deterioration of the countryside by reason of the abandorunent of cultivation and of the use of the soil, 1. Is of the opinion that if it is in the general interest of society for a minimum population to remain in such areas in order to ensure, by its activities, the conservation of the countryside, suitable means must then be sought for offsetting the natural handicaps which prevent farmers in in such areas from making a living similar to that of workers elsewhere; . I 2. Points out that, as part of its common agricultural policy, by means of the standards already laid down for the reform of agri~ culture and in particular for the modernization of farms, the Community should give financial assistance to such farms as are capable of provid-ing an income to farmers corresponding to that of other people in compar-able social and professional classes; - 5 - PE 32.44a/fin J. conside~s, therefore, that, with a view to pursuing this objective, sta:~aa:--ds will hc·.,,e to be adapted to take account of the position of t.1<ise ;;p 0 cial and ~learly d~fined poorer areas: ?. '.\1ere::::ore r1pproves the general lines of the proposed directive, pointing out t!rn t on ,,a::: ious occasions in the past it has considered the special :"'osition of such areas of the Community, in the first place laying down, o~ its i~itiative, the need for special measures1 , and in the second J.')~_a,:.: pointi:-ig out the need for specific financial help by the Community 2 to far.mi· in such naturally unfavourable areas 5. Hopes, however, that the existence of certain infrastructures in the pcorer areas, as so rightly stated, will not prevent the immediate action cfo,:;irr?d for maintaining the farmers in such regions and thus ensuring the conservation of the countryside: 6. Is of the opinion also that the proposed criteria for the delimitation of the poorer areas do not always correspond with the physical and climatic conditions and consequently with the income level of all those areas which :i_t; is felt necessary to include in the field of application of the direc-·::ive: 7. Wonders whether the compensation fixed according to the gravity of exist-ing handicaps will do enough to ensure that the farmers with small-sized holdings will remain permanently in the area; 8. Is convinced that in poorer mountain areas some typical kinds of quality production should be maintained, since they may represent an important factor in the farmers' income: 9. HopP.s that the Member States, in accordance with the present directive and the financial participation by the Community provided for, will apply the necessary administrative measures and regulations as quickly as pos-sible so that within the shortest possible time the process of 1 Report of the Committee on Agriculture on the proposal for a directive on the modernization of farms (Doc. 176/71, Art. 13 (a)). 2 Opi~ion of the Committee on Agriculture on the communication from the Com-mission to the Council on environmental policy (Doc. 74/72). - 6 - PE 32. 448/fin. of deterioration and depopulation of the poorer areas will be checked, while bearing in mind that some of the activities provided for will only show their full effects in the medium term; 10. Invites the Commission to present proposals for measures capable of pro-viding encouragement for forest farms, in view of their ecological im-portance; 11. Invites the Commission to examine the problems which may arise, especially in regard to Article 6, second subparagraph, of the directive, in national parks or nature conservancy areas situated in the regions referred to in Article 4(2) as a result of the specific handicaps affecting agricultural production by virtue of regulations adopted in connection with environ-mental policy; 12. Finally draws attention to the essential need - in addition to the meas-ures provided for in this directive - for rapid implementation of an active Community policy on regional development in order to deal with the socio-economic problems of the areas in question; 13. Invites the Commission to provide an analysis of the situation resulting from the application of the present provisions in the annual report pro-vided for in Article 22 of Directive No. 72/159/EEC; 14. Requests the Commission to adopt the following amendments pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 149 of the EEC Treaty; 15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission of the European Communities. - 7 - PE 32.448/fin. TEXT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 1 AMENDED.TEXT PROPOSAL FOR A DIRECTIVE on agriculture in mountain areas and in certain other poorer farming areas Preamble and recital unchanged Article 1 With a view to improving the position of farm incomes and to ensuring the continuation of farming in mountain areas and in certain other poorer areas in which farming is necessary for the purpose of maintaining a minimum population level and conser-ving the countryside, such areas being determined in accordance with the provisions of Article 2, Member states are authorized to introduce a special system of aids to farms designed to eccourage farming and the development of farms having regard to the perma-nent natur&l handicaps affecting agriculture in these areas. Article 2 1. The Member States shall send the Conunission notice delineating the boundaries of areas in which they propose to apply the special sys-tem of aids provided for in Article 1, and which, in the light of the conditions laid down in Articles 1 3 and 4, are eligible for inclus-ion in the Community list of poorer farming areas. The Member For complete text see COM (73) 202 fin. - 8 -Article 1 With a view to improving the position of farm incomes and to ensuring the continuation of farming in mountain .areas and in certain other poorer areas in which farming is necessary for the purpose of maintaining a minimum population level, particular-ly of persons engaged in agriculture, in order to conserve the countryside, such areas being determined in accor-dance with the provisions of Article 2, Member States are authorized to introduce a special system of aids to farms designed to encourage farm-ing and the development of farms having regard to the permanent natural handicaps affecting agriculture in these areas. Article 2 1. unchanged PE 32.448/fin. TEXT PROPOSED BY TIIE COMMISSION OF TIIE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES States shall at the same time submit all relevant information concerning the characteristics of those areas. 2. The Council, acting under Article 43 of the Treaty, shall draw up a Conununity list of poorer farming areas within the meaning of Articles 3 and 4 in which the Member States are to introduce the special system of aids provi. ded for in Article 1. 3. The conununity list of poorer farm-ing areas may be revised yearly. Article 3 Poorer farming areas in mountain country in which farming is needed for the purpose of conserving the countryside are areas consisting of local government districts of parts thereof and satisfying the following conditions 1 1. They must have adequate infrastruc-ture, especially in regard to access roads to farms, electricity and drinking water supply. Should such infrastructure be lacking, its provision must be envisaged in public investment progranunes. 2. The average income from farming in such areas must be less than two thirds of the national average income from farming. 3. The local government districts or parts thereof making up such areas - 9 -AMENDED TEXT . ------------2. unchanged 3. The Conununity list of poorer farming areas may be revised yearly, in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 1_. Article 3 unchanged 1. unchanged 2. unchanged 3. unchanged PE 32.448/fin. TEXT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES must satisfy the following conditions: - either there must be over the greater part of the district in question slopes too steep for the use of machinery or requir-ing the use of special machinery; or - there must be difficult climatic conditions, the effect of which is to reduce substantially the growing season (i.e. to less than six months), and slopes such as to limit the use which can be made of the land.and to add to the cost of working it. AMENDED TEXT - either there must be over the greater part of the district in question slopes too steep for the use of machinery or requiring the use of special high-cost machinery; or - there must be difficult climatic conditions, the effect of which is to reduce substantially the growing season (six words deleted), and slopes such as to limit the use which can be made of the land and to add to the cost of working it. Articles 4 to 7 unchanged Article 8 1. Member States shall fix the level of compensation according to the severity of the permanent natural handicaps affecting farming and having regard to the limits set out below. No grant shall be of less than 20 units of account per livestock unit (hereinafter abbre-viated to 'l.u.') or per hectare. (a) In the case of cattle, sheep and goats, compensation shall be cal-culated in relation to livestock numbers, but excluding cows whose milk is intended' for marketing. Compensation may not exceed 50 units of account per hectare of fodder crop area per farm. A table for converting cattle, sheep and goats into livestock units is annexed to this directive. Article 8 1. unchanged - 10 - PE 32.448/fin. TEXT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (b) In the case of enterprises other than cattle, sheep and goats, compensation shall be calculated in relation to the area farmed, less the area required for cattle, sheep or goat production and less any areas of wheat, and less any serried areas of more than 50 acres per farm of apples, pears or peaches. Compensation may not exceed 50 units of account per hectare. 2. The Council shall each year, act-ing under Article 43 of the Treaty, lay down maxima for grants of compensation as above. 3. Member States shall, when adopting rules for the implementation of this Article, provide themselves with the means to check effectively the figures used as the basis of calculation for compensation paid. AMENDED TEXT lA. By derogation, and solely in the case of poorer farming areas in mountain country, cows whose milk is intended for marketing and the whole area given over entirely to the production of apples and pears shall be taken into account in calculating compensation. 2. unchanged 3. unchanged Articles 9 and 10 unchanged Article 11 Member States shall grant aids to joint investment schemes in respect of fodder production, and to land improvement and joint capital equip-ment schemes in respect of pasture-land and mountain grazing. Article 11 Member States shall grant aids to joint investment schemes in respect of fodder production, for winter keep and for specified crops either grown or 1:ought by farmers for the feeding of cattle or sheep in the - 11 - PE 32.448/fin. TEXT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION OF TIIE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Article 12 1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 14 of Directive 72/159/ EEC other than those of paragraph 2(b), Member States may grant in-vestment aids to farms which do not satisfy the conditions of Articles 2 and 4 of that directive as amended by Articles 9(3) and 10(1) of this directive. 2. The granting of such aids shall, however, be subject to the follow-ing limits: - the maximum investment qualify.ing for aid shall be 8 OOO units of account per farm; no aid, in whatever form granted, may exceed 50% of the amount of the relevant investment, or the equivalent of a capital subsidy of 3 OOO units of account. AMENDED TEXT areas in question, and to land improvement and joint capital equipment schemes in respect of pasture land and mountain grazing. Article 12 1. unchanged 2. The granting of such aids shall, however, be subject to the limits fixed by the Member States as regards their maximum amount. No aid, in whatever form granted, may exceed 50% of the amount of the relevant investment. Articles 13 to 19 unchanged - 12 - PE 32.448/fin 

Report
drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Agriculture
on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the
Council (Doc. 333/72) for a directive on agriculture in mountain areas and in
certain other poorer farming areas. EP Working Document, Document 1973-1974 11/73, 2 April 1973

http://aei.pitt.edu/97192/1/1973%2D74.73.11.pdf

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