Common agricultural policy CAP: direct support schemes and support schemes for farmers, as regards set aside for year 2008 (derog. Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003)

The European Parliament responded to a request for urgent procedure from the Council and Commission and adopted a resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation derogating from Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, as regards set aside for year 2008. The European Commission had proposed to set at 0% the obligatory set-aside rate for autumn 2007 and spring 2008 sowings, in response to the increasingly tight situation on the cereals market. The request was approved subject to the following amendments :

- Parliament proposed to allow the use of land set aside for agricultural purposes for the year 2009 as well as 2008 ;

- a clause was inserted stating that, to assist the development of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Commission shall assess the environmental impact of abandoning set aside. A new recital states that the set aside system has positive effects on soil quality and biodiversity. The consequences of abandoning set aside and the means by which the positive effects thereof may be preserved should therefore be examined.