21.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC98/25
Opiniononthereformofthecommonagriculturalpolicy(CAP):
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)onagriculturalproductionmethodscompatible
withtherequirementsoftheprotectionoftheenvironmentandthemaintenanceofthe
countryside
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)institutingaCommunityaidschemeforforestry
measuresinagriculture
—ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)institutingaCommunityaidschemeforearly
retirementfromfarming
(92/C98/12)
On15November1991,theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposals.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon7February1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrBentoGon9alves .
Atits294thPlenarySession(meetingof26February1992),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyamajorityvotewithtwoabstentions .
I.GENERALASPECTS
1.Purposeofthemeasures
1.1.TheCommissionproposalsareintendedto
accompanyandcomplementthechangestobemadein
commonmarketorganization ,andincludemeasures
affectingareasalreadycoveredbyCommunitypolicies,
viz.agri-environment ,afforestation ,andearlyretire­
ment.3.Strengtheningofeconomicandsocialcohesion
3.1.Thewidevariationsinagriculturalstructures
withintheCommunityandtheobviousdifferencesin
thedegreeofruraldevelopmentbetweenMemberStates
[asindicatedintheCommissionCommunication on
'TheFutureofRuralSociety'^)]wouldsuggestthat
thetypesofactionenvisagedinthepresentdocument
shouldbedrawnupwithgreatcare:itisvitalto
strengtheneconomicandsocialcohesion,withdue
regardforthevariousaspectsofharmoniousCom­
munitydevelopment .
4.Needforconvergentandadaptablemeasures
4.1.Forthcomingreformofthestructuralfundsmust
includegradualandprogressiverationalization ofboth
productiveandenvironmental aspects,andassistance
shouldbesoughttothisend.
4.1.1.Theindirectrepercussionsofrestrictivecom­
monagriculturalpolicy(CAP)reformmeasureson
sectorsupstreamanddownstreamofagriculturecannot
beignored.
4.1.1.1.Thesesectorswillrequiresuitableadjust­
mentmeasures .
4.1.2.Atthesametime,caremustbetakentoensure
thattheinitialmeasuresarenotunsuitedtolargeareas
ofCommunitycountryside,provingineffectiveoreven
counter-productive .1.2.Thisobjectiveistobeseeninthecontextofthe
difficultsituationregardingbothagriculturalmarkets
andinternational relationsinthefarmsector;the
measuresrequiredwillundoubtedlyhavetocaterfor
thepresentsituationand,aboveall,beforward-looking
andamounttoarealreformpackage.
2.Lackofclaritywithregardtotheplannedchanges'
contentandscope
2.1.Inmanyrespectsthecontent,thrustandscope
oftheplannedmeasuresarepoorlydefinedandthe
intendedtimescaleisvague. (i)Doc.COM(88)501final.

NoC98/26 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.4.92
fromthoseconcerningtheproductionofcropsinclud­
ingforage)couldusefullybeincluded.4.2.Theappropriateness andimpactofthemeasures
discussedinthisOpinionthereforedependtoalarge
extentontheircompatibilitywiththeon-goingprocess
ofCAPreformandontheiradaptabilitytochangesin
structuralfundpolicy.Suchmeasuresshouldapply
horizontallyinallMemberStates.
4.3.Thetopicsdealtwithinthepresentdocument
arepartandparceloftheCAPreformpursuedbythe
Commission .TheCommitteemaintainsitscriticism
[cf.theCommitteeOpinionontheDevelopmentand
FutureoftheCAPI1)]thattheCAPreformmeasures
aretoofragmentary .Ifthesemeasuresaredealtwith
inisolation,theCAPreformmaybeunevenlybalanced
andhencehaveanadverseeffect.9.Communitypart-financing
9.1.Itisfeltthattheword'may'inthelastintent
ofArticle7(2),referringtoCommunitypart-financing
ofaid,shouldbereplacedwithamorebindingformula,
althoughcurrentCommunityregulationsmustbeborne
inmind.The50%and75%ratesindicatedinthis
indentshouldbetakenastheminimumrates.
10.Monitoringandfurthermeasures
10.1.Monitoringisanextremelydifficultandsensi­
tivetask,andshouldnotbethesoleresponsibility
oftheMemberStates.IntheCommittee'sview,the
Commissionshoulddrawupasetofstandardprinciples
andshouldalsoestablishabasisforinspectionsand
theimplementation offurthermeasures.II.PROPOSAL FORACOUNCILREGULATION
(EEC)ONAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
METHODS COMPATIBLE WITH
THEREQUIREMENTS OFTHEPROTECTION
OFTHEENVIRONMENT ANDTHE
MAINTENANCE OFTHECOUNTRYSIDE
11.Consultation oftheEconomicandSocialCom­
mittee
11.1.ThethreeyearreportreferredtoinArticle9(2)
shouldbepresentedtotheCommitteeinthesameway
asitistobepresentedtotheEuropeanParliament .5.Homogeneous areas
5.1.Theterm'areawhichishomogeneous'[Art.
3(2)]needstobedefinedmoreclearlyifthevarious
schemesaretoaddresstheproblemsspecifictoeach
areamoreconsistently,withoutprejudicetocurrentaid
fordisadvantaged anduplandregions,andtheimpact
ofthemeasuresistobeproperlyassessedaposteriori.
III.PROPOSALFORACOUNCILREGULATION
(EEC)INSTITUTING ACOMMUNITY AID
SCHEMEFORFORESTRY MEASURES
INAGRICULTURE6.Trainingoffanners
6.1.Itshouldbenotedfirstandforemostthatthe
aidschemeistoincludethetrainingoffarmers,bearing
inmindtheirneedtohaveknowledgeoffarmingprac­
ticescompatiblewiththeenvironment . 12.Generalaspects
12.1.Thesemeasuresareofkeyimportance,asthey
areaimedatpromotinganareaofproductioninwhich
thereisalargeCommunitydeficit,particularlyas
regardstimber.7.Industrialcooperation
7.1.Fairandsensiblemethodsmustbedevisedfor
pinpointingtheincidenceofthevariouscausesof
excessiveintensification ,particularlywithregardto
fertilizersandplantprotectionproducts—anareain
whichthecooperationofthechemicalsindustrywould
behighlydesirable.13.Specificcomments
13.1.Article2
13.1.1.Notallaspectsoftheproposalaresufficiently
comprehensive orbalanced.Oneaspectwhichneedsto
beassuredisagriculture'sabilitytocompletewith
otheractivities—includingforestry—indemandsfor
availableland.8.Furtherformsofextensincation
8.1.Withregardtofurtherformsofextensification ,
referredtoinArticle2(l)(b),othermeasures (apart
(J)OJNoC40,17.2.1992,p.56.13.1.2.Withoutquestioningthegeneralvalueof
afforestationwithfast-growingvarieties,especially

21.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC98/27
IV.PROPOSALFORACOUNCILREGULATION
(EEC)INSTITUTING ACOMMUNITY AID
SCHEMEFOREARLYRETIREMENT
FROMFARMINGeucalyptusandcertainconifers,morefertilelandshould
bepreservedforthesakeofbalance.Thisshouldbe
doneinparticularinruralareaslackinginaddedvalue,
whicharethreatenedwithdepopulation ,areexposed
tohighforestfirerisksorofferfewalternativesto
agriculture .
17.Generalcomments
14.Clarificationofbeneficiaries
17.1.Thisproposalishighlyimportantinsocial
anddemographictermsandforthemodernization of
agriculture.Somedoubtsmusthoweverberaisedbythe
existingsystem'sfailuretoachieveclearanduniversal
success:thesystemappliestoonlyasmallnumberof
personsandconsequentlylackswidespreadeffect.
17.2.VariationsinMemberStates'socialsecurity
systemsmakeitdifficulttoframesimplelegalpro­
visionswhichwouldconstituteareasonableresponse
tothecurrentsituationsandbeinkeepingwiththe
objectivesset.14.1.TheCommitteeconsidersArticle2(2)(a)tobe
ofgreateconomic,socialandevenpoliticalimportance,
butfeelsthatitistoogenerallyworded.
a)FarmtenancysystemsvarywidelyamongMember
States:aneffortshouldbemadetoreconcilethe
actualandpotentialinterestsoflandownersand
tenants,andtoensurethatcommitments arising
frominvestmentco-financedbytheCommunityand
theMemberStatearefulfilled.
b)WhiletheCommitteeagreesthatafforestation
schemespromotedbythepublicauthoritiesshould
receiveCommunityaid,theopportunityofferedby
Article2(3)shouldbeextendedtoothers,including
mixedbodies,suchasregionaldevelopmentassoci­
ations,cooperativebodiesandbodiesadministering
fallowland.(Thedefinitionofsuchlegalbodies
willdependonthelandofeachMemberState.)
c)Theimportanceofcommunally-owned land
throughouttheCommunityneedstobeemphasized .17.3.TheCommitteebelievesthatthisquestionwill
becomestillmorecomplexinthefutureasaresultof
thegrowthinworkermobilityinthewakeoftheSingle
Act,andtheincreasingtrendinsomeMemberStates
forfarmerstoengageinpart-timefarmingorresortto
non-farmingservices.
17.4.Thisisencouragingtheemergenceofan
increasinglyheterogenousnetworkoffarmbusinesses
andfarmworkers ,intermsofbothbusinessaimsand
degreeofdependenceonfarming.Therewillalsobe
anincreaseinthenumberoffarmworkersworkingon
morethanoneholding.15.Article4
15.1.Inadoptingtheirmulti-annualzonalpro­
grammes,MemberStatesmusttakeaccountofwidely
differingenvironmental conditions :Article4(2)does
notprovideenoughinformationonthecontentofsuch
programmes .17.5.GroundsthereforeexistfortheCommissionto
injectadegreeofflexibilityintosomeoftherigid
provisionscontainedintheproposals.However,there
shouldbeeffectivecoordinationofnationalearlyretire­
mentschemeswithaviewtotheirstandardization .
15.2.Amorebalancedapproachcouldprovemore
effectiveandcreateconditionsfavourabletofairercom­
petitionbetweenMemberStates.
18.Specificcomments
16.Combiningtheforestryaidwithothermeasures
18.1.Article5
16.1.TheCommittee,unliketheCommission ,
thinksthatthereisacaseinsomeinstancesforcombin­
ingtheafforestationaidschemewiththeschemesfor
earlyretirementandenvironmental protection.This
accumulationofaidmakessense,inbotheconomicand
socialterms,inmanyruralareasoftheCommunity .18.1.1.TheCommitteebelievesthattheproposed
conditionsofeligibilityshouldbereviewedandmade
moreflexible,inorderalsotocoverworkershaving
beenemployedonmorethanoneholdingorinseasonal

NoC98/28 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.4.92
work[cf.Art.5(2),firstindentandArt.5(3),third
indent].TheCommitteethinksalsothatthereisno
justificationtolimiteligibilitytotwoworkersperfarm
[finalparagraphofArt.3(2)].
18.1.2.Sincetheprimaryaimoftheproposalisto
releaselandratherthantoestablishanewtypeofearly
retirement,therearegroundsfortransferringsuchland
firstandforemosttoyoungfarmersinordertomake
farmscompetitive .ProgressinCommunityagriculture
willlargelydependonyoungfarmersandtheiruseof
modernmanagementtechniques .V.CONCLUSIONS
19.TheCommitteewelcomestheCommission's
proposalsbutwouldaskthatconsiderationshouldbe
giventotheconcretesuggestionscontainedinitsOpin­
ionandtothefollowingconclusions :
a)Certainprovisionsshouldbemademoreflexible,
andgraduatedinfavouroftheregionsmostdepen­
dentonagriculture,soastotakedueaccountof
thedistinctivefeaturesofnationalagriculturaland
socialstructures .
b)TheCommissionshouldtakestepstomakethe
measuresinthethreeareas'(environment ,afforest­
ationandearlyretirement)morecompatibleand
complementary bothperseandinrelationtothe
changestobebroughtaboutbythereformofthe
structuralfunds:thiswillrequiremorefunds(*).
TheCommitteeconsidersthatthefundsearmarked
forafforestationcoveraninsufficientarea.
c)Thevariousnationalearlyretirementschemes
shouldbeeffectivelycoordinatedwithaviewto
convergenceoftheschemesinforceineachMember
State.
d)Apermanent,institutionalized structureshouldbe
establishedtobackupandassessthemeasures,and
gaugehowtheyaffectthedifferentregions.Itisthe
Committee'sviewthatsince,amongotherconsider­
ations,thepreservationofruralsocietyisatstake
andsuccessdependsverymuchontheinformation
ofpotentialbeneficiaries ,suchastructuremusthave
anactiveinputfromfarming,cooperativeandtrade
unionorganizations .18.2.Releasingofland(Art.6)
18.2.1.Releasedlandwillhavetobeincludedin
reparcellingorotherownership-transfer operations,as
providedforinArticle6(6).Theseoperationswillmake
adecisivecontributiontothefutureofEuropeanagri­
cultureandwillstrengthenruralsociety.
18.2.2.TheCommission shouldendeavourtomake
theschememorecompatiblewiththeafforestationaid
schemeinorderthatproperadvantagemaybetaken
ofthetwoinitiatives .Thecentralaimistoenablethose
whowishtoremainonthelandtodoso.
18.2.3.Itisnowclearthatsofartheruralexodus
hasnotbeenhaltedeverywhereintheCommunity .
Demographic indicatorsincertainregionspointto
large-scaleabandonment ,depopulation ordeserti­
fication.Whiletheunderlyingreasonsforthese
phenomenamaydiffer,theyalldemandsomesortof
correctiveaction. (')Seedoc.COM(91)415final,SummaryTableVI/G/5.
DoneatBrussels,26February1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH