Agenda 2000: direct support schemes to farmers under the common agricultural policy

The proposal was approved with a number of amendments and the matter was then referred back to Committee pursuant to Rule 60 (2) after the draft resolution was rejected. The Parliament's Rapporteur was Mr. Graefe Zu Baringdorf (D, Green). The main amendments were as follows : - a new Article 1 (a) regarding a list of support schemes to be covered by the Regulation that shall be proposed by the Commission, and after obtaining the Parliament's opinion, be adopted by the Council. - Article 2 : payments under support schemes shall be made in full to the beneficiaries who have implemented mandatory minimum environmental and animal welfare measures in accordance with good farming practice. - Article 3 - mandatory minimum environmental requirements are laid down : Member States shall draw up and promote a pro-active code for sound and environmentally-friendly agricultural practice in accordance with guidelines to be drawn up by the Commission; - the Council shall adopt, on proposal from the Commission and following the opinion of the EP, a set of mandatory minimum environmental and animal welfare requirements which shall form the basis of future national measures; - holdings run in accordance with sound professional practice shall receive the full amount of support if they fulfill the other conditions laid down by the Regulation; - introduction of specific measures to support the development of non-food products in the form of aid for producers; - Commission to introduce common principles to ensure equal treatment between farmers at EU level for the application of Art. 3; - support for farmers and stockbreeders receiving not more than EUR 15.000 in aid in a calendar year to be increased; - support schemes shall be applied without prejudice to possible review by the Council, after consulting the EP, including upward adjustment, at any moment, in the light of market developments at the end of each marketing year for the production affected; - evaluation of effectiveness of payments under support schemes to be forwarded by the Commission to the European Parliament; - cost-effectiveness of direct support - obligations on EAGGF paying agencies; - Parliament to be entitled during a given period to intervene in connection with the Commission proposals for implementing measures.�