A4-0005/95

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3813/92 on the unit of account and the conversion rates to be applied for the purposes of the common agricultural policy (COM(94)0498 - C4-0232/94 - 94/0265(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital -1 (new)

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Whereas Article 39 of the Treaty underlines the need to ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural community;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 3a (new)

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Whereas the switch-over mechanism is estimated to have increased prices by 20 % in the years 1982-1994; whereas it is important to return to a more market based system;

(Amendments 3 and 9)

Recital 8a (new)

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Whereas the conclusions of the Edinburgh European Council referred to the possibility of use of the monetary reserve; whereas it may prove necessary to use the monetary reserve in the Community budget if agricultural expenditure exceeds the guideline as a result in changes of the EMS central rate; whereas, to that end, the Commission must initiate the procedures laid down in paragraph 15 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 29 October 1993, since the transfer proposal submitted by the Commission is deemed to have been adopted if it fails to secure the agreement of the two arms of the budgetary authority, as expressed through the adoption of a common position;

(Amendment 4)

ARTICLE 1(6)

Article 4(2)(a) (Regulation (EEC) No. 3813/92)

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(a) the absolute value of its monetary gap is greater than the threshold referred to in paragraph 5, less 0.5 points; or

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(a) the absolute value of its monetary gap is greater than the threshold referred to in paragraph 5; or

(Amendment 5)

ARTICLE 1(9)

Article 7, first and last paragraphs (Regulation (EEC) No. 3813/92)

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9. In Article 7, the last paragraph is deleted and the first paragraph is replaced by the following:

'Should there be an appreciable fall in the agricultural conversion rate applicable to an amount of a structural or environmental nature, the aid or amounts concerned shall be increased in ecus in accordance with the prodcedure laid down in Article 12.'

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Deleted

(Amendment 6)

ARTICLE 1(10)

Article 8(1), first subparagraph, introduction (Regulation (EEC) No. 3813/92)

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1. Member States may grant farmers compensatory aid for three years where:

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1. Member States may grant farmers compensatory aid for four years where:

(Amendment 7)

ARTICLE 1(10)

Article 8(1), first subparagraph (b) and second subparagraph

(Regulation (EEC) No. 3813/92)

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(b) where the agricultural conversion rate applicable to:

- flat-rate aid calculated per hectare or per livestock unit, or

- a compensatory premium per sheep or goat

falls by an appreciable amount.

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Deleted

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Each successive annual instalment shall be reduced, in relation to the previous instalment, by at least one-third of the amount granted in the first year.

(Amendment 8)

ARTICLE 1(10)

Article 8(3) (Regulation (EEC) No. 3813/92)

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3. In the case referred to in paragraph 1 (b):

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Deleted

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- the aid shall be granted to farmers affected by the reduction of the amounts in question,

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- the first annual instalment of aid shall be determined so as to neutralize the reduction in the amounts in question in national currency occasioned by the fall in the agricultural conversion rate,

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- where the rate which triggered the granting of aid is below that applied subsequently to the amounts in question the annual instalments of aid beginning after the date on which the new rate is applied shall be cancelled or reduced in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12,

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- the Commission, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12, shall establish the maximum amounts which can be granted for each instalment of aid.

(Amendment 11)

ARTICLE 1(10)

Article 8(4), first subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 3813/92)

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4. The Community contribution to the financing of the compensatory aid shall amount to:

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4. The Community contribution to the financing of the compensatory aid actually granted to farmers shall be 100%.

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- 75% of the aid actually granted to farmers in regions covered by Objective 1 as referred to in Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88,

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- 50% of the amounts actually granted in other cases.

(Amendment 12)

ARTICLE 1(11)

Article 9 (Regulation (EEC) No 3813/92)

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In the case referred to in Article 4(6), the Commission shall decide in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 11(1) which national measures to support certain markets or direct national compensation may be authorized for a period of not more than one year in order to prevent significant falls in farmers' incomes for agrimonetary reasons.

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In the event of an appreciable revaluation, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, shall adopt all necessary measures; where required, primarily in order to ensure continuing compliance with obligations under the GATT agreements and budgetary discipline, such measures may include derogations from the provisions of this Regulation relating to:

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- aid or

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- the amount by which monetary gaps may be reduced.

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Derogations for the above purposes, however, shall not serve to widen the range of the thresholds.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3813/92 on the unit of account and the conversion rates to be applied for the purposes of the common agricultural policy (COM(94)0498 - C4-0232/94 - 94/0265 (CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(94)0498 - 94/0265(CNS) ((OJ C 360, 17.12.1994, p. 17.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 42 and 43 of the EC Treaty (C4-0232/94),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0005/95),

1. Approves the Commission proposal subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

3. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission's proposal;

4. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.