Common agricultural policy (CAP): adjustment rate to direct payments in respect of the year 2013

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted the report by Luis Manuel CAPOULAS SANTOS (S&D, PT) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on fixing an adjustment rate to direct payments provided for in Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 in respect of calendar year 2013.

The parliamentary committee recommends that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading according to the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission’s proposal.

The report notes that pending the adoption of a regulation laying down the multiannual financial framework, the level of the applicable ceiling for the year 2014 remains uncertain. Until there is clarity on the level of the applicable ceiling, it is not possible to determine whether an adjustment of the direct payments for 2013 is necessary and, if so, what the rate should be.

Given the context, Members consider that Parliament should not accept a cut in direct payments which is based on the Conclusions of the 7-8 February European Council, including its proposal of placing the crises reserve under Heading 2.

At present, the cut to direct payments should be based on the ceiling for 2014 proposed by the Commission in its own MFF proposal, which is consistent with the European Parliament's negotiating mandate, approved in plenary on 13 March 2013, on the Direct Payments Regulation.

This is why the committee is tabling an amendment where the cut to direct payments for claims made in 2013 would amount to 0.748005%, rather than the 4.981759% put forward by the Commission.

In the event of a non-agreement on the multiannual financial framework 2014-2020, no financial discipline for the 2014 financial year shall apply, since the total amount shall be calculated on the basis of the 2013 budget figures plus 2% inflation.