ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE - COMMUNICATION OF THE COMMISSION
Date: 1988-06-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, agricultural policy, environmental impact, environmental protection, farming sector, pesticide, pollution from agricultural sources, reform of the CAP

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

COM(88 ) 338 final .

Brussels / 8 June 1988

ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE

( Commission Communication )

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INTRODUCTION

Agricultural evolution and PAC reform

European Agriculture is traditionally an ally of the environment .
Over the centuries European farmers have shaped , maintained and
protected the vast majority of the land surface of the continent .
Since they have depended upon nature for their livelihood , farmers
have , on the whole , lived and worked in harmony with nature .
They
have depended upon fertile soils , clean waters and a stable ecological
balance .
soil , preventing rural pollution and defending rural ecology .

They have therefore played a key role in maintaining the

To a major extent this remains true .
much of Europe 's land area from exhaustion , pollution or erosion .
zones where depopulation and abandonment of the land threatens
damaging ecological consequences , it is often farming activity which
holds these consequences at bay .

It is still farmers who protect
In

But the picture has begun to change .

In the past 40 years agriculture has , on the one hand , undergone a
technological revolution which has led to more intensive farming
practices , and on the other , it has itself suffered from pressures
coming from other economic activities , such as urbanisation ,
industrial development and transport .

Objectives , such as

The recent review of the CAP , confronted by problems of
over-production , has however led the Community to reflect on the role
of agriculture in the economy and in society .
self-sufficiency in foodstuffs or socio-economic ones such as
maintenance of farmers' incomes have been complemented by objectives
relating to the protection of certain traditional values which
agriculture represents in our society , in particular with respect to
the protection of the environment .
It follows that the measures which
now need to be taken to ensure a better control of production must be
such so as to guarantee that all future progress in the sector is
achieved in harmony with environmental requirements , and that an
environmental equilibrium is eventually re-established in the zones
affected from this point of view .

It is within this framework that the Community has been working on its
agricultural structural policy , in order to establish the measures
which must accompany the reform of market organisation .
successive modifications of R. 797/85 < 1 > on improving the
efficiency of agricultural structures , indicate a will to promote a
number of actions , concentrating on the double objective of avoiding
first the problems caused by intensive agriculture , and second any
negative environmental consequences .

The

•: 1 :« OJ No L 93 , 30.3.85 ,

p.

1

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Moreover , the agreement by Heads of State and of Government of
February 1988 concerning the reform of the CAP , has reinforced the
means of reaching these goals .

So it is that there exists today a context more favourable to the
integration of an environmental dimension in the framework of the
adaptation of production potential to market requirements .

2 .

The Commission 's reflections on environment and agriculture

2.1 . The Green Paper

The Commission further noted

At a time when the Community is

The Commission has on a number of occasions underlined the need for
agricultural policy to take the environment into account .
The Green
Paper of July 1985 noted that " The role of agriculture in a modern
industrialised economy is increasingly perceived to include not only
strategic , economic and social functions , but also the conservation of
the rural environment .
self-sufficient in many agricultural products , and therefore obliged
to manage its productive capacity in a prudent way , environmental
considerations even gain in importance ".
" In the last decades agriculture has undergone a technological
that :
There is
revolution which has profoundly changed farming practices .
growing concern about the effects of such changes on the environment ,
which is expressed not only among the urban population but also among
those engaged in agriculture " and " although environmental
considerations have already been taken into account in the CAP in
recent years ....
be envisaged in the next decade "; the Green Paper accepted that
" agriculture has to be considered as a sector of economic activity
which , like other sectors with potentially harmful activities , should
be subject to reasonable public prescriptions and controls designed to
avoid the deterioration of the environment " as well as that " in
general the principle of " Polluter Pays " would apply and it would not
be normal for farmers to expect to be compensated by the public
authorities for the introduction of such rules ".
underlined that " at least as important as the passive protection of
the environment is a policy designed to protect farming practices ,
which conserve the rural environment , and to protect specific sites ".

It is necessary to consider what .

Furthermore , it was

. measures could

.

- 3 -

2.2 . Programme of action on the environment

In its fourth programme of action on the environment ( 1987-1992 ), the
Commission specially stressed the need to integrate the environmental
dimension into other Community policies , including the agricultural
policy .

Uith this in mind , the Commission considered it necessary to establish
a proper balance between agricultural development and the sometimes
conflicting needs of environmental conservation .
announced proposals aimed at reducing the damage caused by agriculture
to the ecological infrastructure .
These proposals refer in particular
to pollution resulting from intensive animal breeding and to the
excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides , as well as to the
protection of natural habitats .

It has thus

3 .

Reflections of the European Parliament

In its resolution of 19.2.1986 , the European Parliament stressed that
" the reform of the CAP gives an opportunity to establish a coherent
agricultural policy , which also seeks to preserve the environment and
the way of life in rural areas ", and that " ways must be found to meet
the economic and social needs of the farming community , bearing
Moreover , the Parliament ,
environmental considerations in mind ".
moreover , asked for " an overall policy based on quantitative and
qualitative objectives , aiming particularly at :

rational land use and long term land conservation , combined with
protection of natural riches and resources as a whole

the maintenance and development of rural life

the production of good-quality food

closer cooperation between agriculture and industry

changing the general conditions of agricultural policy in such a
way as to foster an agriculture compatible with the environment ".

The European Parliament insisted , in particular , on the necessity for
a European Soils Policy ( planning , fight against soil erosion ,
reafforestation , diversification of agricultural production , the
environmental assessment of large agricultural projects , respect of
the Community directives and international conventions on the
protection of wild fauna ), and on an integrated rural planning policy
based on collaboration between all parties concerned .
It also
considers that the structural agricultural policy initiated by
R-797/85 should be continued , through budgetary improvement and a
better distribution of funds in favour of the " orientation " sector of
EftGGF , the channelling of structural funds into regional programmes
which foresee the remuneration of certain agricultural practices
compatible with the environment , and , most important , the preparation
of precise rules governing the granting of structural funds in favour
of ecological agricultural practices .

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4 .

T he approa ch to the problem by the Ministers of Agriculture and of the
Environment

The Ministers of Agriculture and of the Environment have also stressed
the importance of taking into account the environmental constraints ,
and have accepted the Commission 's position that additional measures
are necessary .

Their conclusions were drawn at the two informal meetings held on
8.9.1987 at Nyborg ( Denmark ) for the Ministers of Agriculture , and on
26.2.88 at Uilbad-Kreuth ( Germany ) for the Ministers of the
Environment .

The debate has allowed us to note that though there is some
convergence between the objective of better production control on the
one hand , and an environmental policy on the other , the Ministers of
Agriculture express different preoccupations resulting from the
diversity of conditions in the regions of the Community .
preoccupations can be noted on this subject : the problems that
intensive agriculture pose for the environment , and rural
desertification which is equally destructive from an environmental
point of view .

Two major

The Agriculture Ministers recognised the need for better Community
co-ordination in the search for an environmental equilibrium in
agriculture , but were more cautious about the need for common rules at
a European level , given the need to find ad-hoc solutions adapted to
the specific diversities of the zones concerned .

The Environment Ministers , too , noted that caution was required in
tackling a problem as complex and delicate as the development of
agriculture in harmony with the environment .

They stressed the need for a policy which would not only prevent but
also correct the excesses of intensive agriculture in certain zones ,
so as to protect the environment from which the farmers themselves
draw their subsistance , without , however , reducing their standard of
living .
Such a policy could , in particular , be based on the
agricultural structural policy ,
“ set-aside” , extensif ication and early
retirement schemes , which should be used to the full in order to help
achieve the objectives of the environmental protection .

The Environment Ministers concluded that the ''environmental " dimension
should be progressively integrated into agriculture , and that the
flexibility necessary to allow for different conditions in the Member
States should not prevent the establishment as well as the respect of
common principles .
Compensation and economic incentives , together
with regulatory measures , should support the effort of farmers to
protect the environment , whilst appropriate assistance should be
provided in the field of training , information and its dissemination .

5 .

The approach of international organisations

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Similar discussions are under may in all Member States as uell as in a
number of international organisations .

For instance , OECD has set up an ad hoc working group on the
environment and agriculture , which has produced a very detailed and
comprehensive report .

Important work has also been undertaken by the Council of Europe and
by the United Nations .
which gives particular thought to environmental problems in
agriculture .

The recent Bruntland Report is an example ,

6 .

The aim of this paper

This paper aims to clarify the Commission 's guidelines on this subject
and is based on the positions expressed by the European Parliament and
by the Ministers of Agriculture and of the Environment ; it uses the
extensive body of work that has already been done within the Community
as well as the international organisations with respect to agriculture
and environment .

It deals in particular with the consequences of recent developments in
agriculture on the environment , with a view to focusing on the
problems and to establishing common principles or guidelines ,
accompanied by priorities for action as well as identifying a first
phase of proposals to the Council .

A workable environmental and agricultural policy for the rural areas
of Europe must take fully into account the wide diversity of European
agriculture , the very different environmental problems that it poses
for the environment and its social and economic situation .

The Commission will examine to the extent possible the costs and
benefits of actions which might be taken , and will take into account
social , economic and environmental aspects , as well as the most recent
scientific data .

The " polluter pays " principle must of course apply to agricultural
activity as it does elsewhere , but this must be done in conjunction
with the other policies tailored to meet the particular needs of the
rural population .

II

SPECIFIC PROBLEMS

6

The changes which have characterized agriculture in recent decades -
mechanisation , use of agrochemicals , the improvement of cultivation
techniques and the intensification of much agricultural production
have led to higher yields but have also led to the creation of
structural surpluses , and very often to environmental damage .

In particular the following specific problems have been indentified :

Deterioration of certain terrestrial habitats and extinction of
wildlife species due to habit disturbance , pollution and drainage
of wetlands .
Although other developments ( tourism , urbanisation ,
industrial pollution ) have also contributed to the problem , it
appears that intensive agricultural practices are the cause of
both fauna and flora extinction ,
Community .

in many regions of the

Water quality problems in many areas of intensive agriculture .
These include eutrophication , nitrate and pesticide pollution
mainly as a result of misuse and /or overuse of chemicals , animal
manures and other organic material .
Community there is a problem concerning nitrate in drinking water
which often exceeds the Commission 's guideline of 25 mg/ 1 , or
even the maximum limit of 50 mg/ 1 , and which is in general on the
increase .

In many regions of the

The same situation exists for
admissible concentration is 0,1 pg/ 1 and 0,5 pg when all products
are considered ( Directive 80 / 778 / CEE < 1 :' ).

pesticides for which the maximum

•: 1 ) 0J No L 229 , 30.8.1980 ,

p.

11

- 7 -

Moreover there is growing concern for the future about the following :

Soil degradation and in particular soil erosion can result not
only from intensive farming but also from the abandonment of
agricultural activity in the less favoured , hilly or mountainous
The total threatened area in the Community is estimated
areas .
at at least 25 million hectares , that is about eight times the
size of the Netherlands .
Erosion is a particularly grave problem
in the Mediterranean countries where losses of top soil reach up
to 2800 kg/ha/year , but Northern countries do not escape the
problem .

Increased ammonia evaporation as a result of intensive livestock
rearing and use of certain types of fertilizers is leading to the
Approximatedy half of the total
deterioration of air quality .
nitrogen in manure is in the form of ammonia .
Where manure is
applied to the soil surface most of this ammonia can be lost to
the atmosphere within a few days if conditions are suitable .

The long term accumulation of heavy metals and acidification
makes soils unsuitable for farming , while pollution of waters
makes irrigation difficult and residues of chemical substances
may lower the quality of agricultural products .

Landscape changes due to undesirable deforestation or
afforestation , field rationalisation , hedgerow removal , wetlands
drainage and the deterioration of other features are destroying
flora and fauna habitat .

It is also worthy of note that modern agricultural techniques can
affect the taste quality of foodstuffs .

III . CURRENT COMMUNITY MEASURES

1 .

The Community has already adopted agricultural measures directly or
indirectly aimed at promoting environmental objectives and reducing
the impact of modern farming on the environment .

5

Those include :

the introduction of a system of Community aids to farmers who
undertake to follow practices compatible with the environment in
sensitive zones

a system of aids to encourage farm investments for the protection
or improvement of the environment , within the farm holding or
beyond ( agro-food industry )

adoption of a series of provisions limiting or prohibiting the
payment of investment aids for intensive livestock production

the application of a Comunity system of compensatory allowances
to help maintain farming activity in mountainous and less
favoured areas where the abandonment of agriculture could be
detrimental to the environment

the prohibition of the use of a number of harmful pesticides

measures for the protection of the Community 's forests against
atmospheric pollution and fires

the introduction of a system of additional Community aids to help
train farmers ,
production and the application of production practices compatible
with environmental requirements

in view of the qualitative re-orientation of

the introduction of a set of measures aimed at encouraging the
extensif ication of production and the set aside as well as the
cessation of farming through an early retirement scheme .

Amongst the above mentioned measures , the encouragement of
agricultural practices compatible with environmental requirements , the
extensif ication of the production and " set-aside " will play a key role
in the development of the land use system in agriculture and have
beneficial effects on the environment .

Moreover it has to be noted that ,
it
was accepted that they may be granted within the framework of a more
flexible system for investment aimed at the protection and improvement
of the environment , subject to its not leading to distortions in
competition ( Article 92-94 of Treaty of Rome ).

in the context of national aids ,

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2 .

3 .

Within the framework of Article 19 of R. 797 /85 on improving the
efficiency of agricultural structures , the Commmission has received
its first applications for financial contributions by the Community
for the introduction of measures for the protection of the environment
in certain rural areas .

Only two countries , Germany and United Kingdom , have presented such
applications to date , and the Commission hopes that Member States make
wider use of the possibilities offered by the measure .

With respect to the application of certain measures having an impact
on the environment , the Commission , following a demand by the Informal
Council of Agricultural Ministers at Nyborg , has prepared an inventory
of regulatory and administrative procedures introduced by the Member
States for the adaptation of intensive agriculture .

This inventory was transmitted to Member States which were invited to
give supplementary information and precisions where necessary .

IU . MEASURES ENUISAGED

1 .

Land Use

Land use in the Community is not static : it is multi-functional and
therefore does not depend exclusively on agriculture , although
agriculture plays a dominant role .

The man/ land relationship , the economic situation , urban and
industrial development , habitat requirements for fauna and flora , are
some of the factors which need to be incorporated into any review of
the problem .

From a purely agricultural point of view , land use is subject to short
and long term changes .

In the short term , adjustments are made in cropping as part of
rotational systems or in response to management , economic or climatic
factors .
In the longer term , changing market conditions and
technological development lead to more general adjustments , while the
total area of agricultural land alters as land is reclaimed , abandoned
Even within agricultural uses there
or lost to non-agricultural uses .
are significant changes such as the reduction of grasslands or the
expansion of oilseed crops and green fodder observed in past years .

10

The environmental implications of land use , especially in the
agricultural context , suggest that planning and incentives aimed at
orienting production and at limiting environmentally undesirable
developments are increasingly necessary .

As concluded by the Ministers for the Environment , the structural
funds constitute a privileged instrument in achieving such aims , as
well as for the integration of the environmental dimension in the
agricultural sector .

Community action in this field should be based on the existing
Environment Impact Assessment Directive < 1 > .
listing project types for which assessment is mandatory or is
optional .
The Commission will propose the modification of this
Directive making it mandatory to carry out environmental impact
assessments where decisions are required concerning large-scale
agricultural projects , such as the restructuring of holdings , changes
Such assessment will be particularly
in the water regime , roads , etc .
Criteria or size thresholds
important in the case of public funding .
should be envisaged for this purpose .

This contains annexes

In addition , the possiblity of discouraging certain types of large
in
scale land use change would be examined .
particular , undertake an early review of large scale agricultural
arterial drainage projects with a view to limiting or even in some
case or regions , prohibiting the use of public aids for this purpose .

The Commission will ,

Furthermore and in line with the Green Paper , the Commission will
examine additional measures to introduce or maintain agricultural
practices compatible with the need for the protection of nature .

In many cases they could be introduced on a voluntary basis , for
example in the form of management contracts between public authorities
and the public concerned .

In some zones , where the environmental balance is particularly
threatened , certain compulsory measures should not be excluded .
this context , the establishment of ecological corridors could be
envisaged , not only for the habitat protection , but also along water
courses or close to ponds , for the protection of water as a natural
resource .

In

Currently , Article 19 of R-797 / 85 offers the possibility of
initiatives by farmers for the protection of the environment on a
voluntary basis .

•: i >

Directive 85 / 337 , 0J No L 175 , 5.7.85 , p . 40

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The Commission is examining the opportunity of making these measures
applicable in those cases where farmers are obliged to introduce
cropping or breeding practices compatible with the environmental
requirements .
imposed recently by the Commission in its detailed rules for applying
the set aside , such as limitations in the use of fertilizers , animal
manure and plant protection products or the obligation for the farmers
to maintain the soil in good condition , could result in a positive
contribution to the environment , if correctly applied .

It can be noted on this subject that the conditions

However , their introduction presupposes a

The same is true of extensif ication measures , the procedures for which
need still to be defined .
thorough examination of possible obstacles which may exist in
legislation concerning taxes on land .
on the table of the Council concerning direct income aids should
favour the survival of small agricultural holdings of the family type ,
the role of which is important for the rural environment and the
overall agricultural economy .

In addition , the measures still

Finally , the establishment of the set-aside and extensification
schemes offer great possibilities for the protection of agricultural
ecosystems .
be used for non-agricultural purposes in the framework of integrated
countryside management programmes , in order to favour initiatives
which could ensure a complementary income for farmers as well as
environmental benefits .

Land made available as a result of these programmes could

The main possibilities in this field are agri-tourism in all its forms
( hunting , fishing , riding .
sporting breeds .

. ) and the extensive rearing of game or

.

.

2 .

Use of Pesticides

The use of pesticides in agriculture , although necessary , can cause
environmental problems which have been recognised for many years .
principal problems are :

The

the effects of residues in food and water on human health and the
risks associated with spray drift from pesticides during
application

the unintended negative effects of pesticides on species , other
than those to which they are applied .

the risk for the farmers themselves resulting from inappropriate
use of pesticides .

12

The general objective of Community policy must be to reduce to a
strict minimum , the use of chemicals for agriculture , not only because
of the known hazards to humans , fauna and flora , but also because of
uncertainty about the long-term and synergetic effects of the release
of such agents into the environment .

The Commission has , therefore , the intention to proceed with the
revision of existing legislation on pesticides ( 1 > .

To achieve this , it will make use of the most recent scientific
findings and will make the appropriate proposals .

Much more attention must be given to the broader effects of pesticides
on the environment as a whole and to wildlife in particular .

In that context , Community action could concern the authorisation of
substances and products as well as of their distribution and
application .

As already announced at the Informal Council of Ministers of
Agriculture of 1987 , the Commission is now considering a revision of
its 1976 proposal on the authorisation of pesticides .

This might include the establishment of a " positive list " of
permissible active ingredients , which would be noted on a complete
analysis of all relevant properties of these meterials . There would
also be appropriate review procedures and controls on labelling .

' 1
Council Directive 78 / 631 on classification , packaging and labelling
of dangerous chemicals , council Directive 79/117 prohibiting the placing
on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain
active substances , Council Directive 76/895 on fixing of maximum levels
for pesticide residues in and on fruit and vegetables , Council Directive
86/ 362 on fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on
cereals and Council Directive 86/363 for pesticide residues in and on
foodstuffs of animal origin , Council Directive 87/519 concerning maximum
levels for substances and undesirable products in animal feed
( pesticides ).

13

Both of these , particularly in the case of the more

In the longer term the Commission will also examine the necessity and
the possibility of controls on the distribution and application of
pesticides .
dangerous products , might be limited to persons with the appropriate
professional qualifications , equipment and facilities .
The most
dangerous products might be sold only on prescription and their
application might be subject to the terms of that prescription .
certain cases , notably application by aircraft , special authorisations
and technical controls might be required .
compatible with a general harmony of practice throughout the Community
the various controls and qualifications would be administered at a
national level and would be integrated into existing national systems .

To the greatest extent

In

Obviously , the cornerstone of all efforts to reduce and rationalise
the use of chemicals in agriculture lies in the constant improvement
of information and of training of the users themselves , who must be
fully aware of their own real interest .

3 .

Intensive animal and plant production

It uses animal feed produced on the farm , and employs

Traditionally , livestock production is integrated into general farming
activity .
animal wastes to improve the soil .
production , exploiting economies of scale and assisted by new
techniques of feeding and management as well as by low-priced imported
feed stuffs have led to a specialisation , which involves large numbers
of animals living on a small area of land , in fact a quasi-industrial
activity .

But modern systems of livestock

When animal wastes produced exceed the absoption capacity of both the
soil and vegetation they create a considerable risk of pollution of
surface and ground waters by nitrates , toxic trace elements and
pathogenic micro-organisms .
smell and noise .
just as they are for other activities of an industrial nature .

Controls should be imposed on this type of activity ,

Production units also cause problems of

Similar problems sometimes arise from the excessive use of chemical
fertilisers in intensive crop production .

Certain Member States are already taking the first steps to control
the effects of intensive agriculture .

4

14

The Council approved in 1987 a system of Community aids for
extensif ication of agricultural production and for farmers in
environmentally sensitive zones , who undertake to follow practices
compatible with the environment ,

But additional Community action seems to be necessary to protect the
environment on a more general scale , while ensuring fair conditions of
competition .

Such action could cover both intensive livestock rearing and intensive
crop production , particularly in zones with considerable pollution or
risk of pollution of surface and ground waters by nitrates of the
Community (" vulnerable zones ").

It will first be necessary to define Community parameters and
procedures for the identification and designation by Member States of
such " vulnerable zones ".

The Commission intends to propose that Member States establish
programmes with a view to achieving early and appropriate cuts in the
quantities of nitrate leaching into the soil and into the water table ,
allowing for a re-establishment of a normal situation in due course .

Such programmes should allow Member States to take into account the
particular characteristics , natural as well as socio-economic , to
introduce a flexibility as to the choice of means for reducing nitrate
leaching , to provide appropriate technical and/or financial assistance
to help farmers adapt to the new agro-economic context , avoiding at
the same time unrealistic requirements on administration and control .

In this context the Member States will do their best to ensure that
the objectives can be reached through the active and voluntary
participation of farmers .

As far as intensive livestock production is concerned the creation of
new large units and important extension of all existing ones should be
subject to prior authorisation on the basis of an environmental impact
assessment specifying particular conditions to be respected .

In the vulnerable zones , the rate of application of animal manures
should be within the take up rate by crops .

In situations where there is a surplus of manure , proof must be given
that it can be disposed of in an environmentally appropriate way , or
the intensity of livestock production should be reduced .

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4 .

Qu a 1 i lu o f Products

In fact , this activity has not only favourable

The possibilities offered by organic farming should not be
underestimated .
effects on the environment but may also assure a diversification in
producers’ sources of revenue ;
it can benefit from the different aid
programmes for production and commercialisation , but in order to
increase the number of outlets ,
framework that can offer guarantees to the consumer of product
authenticity and adequate protection for the producer against unfair
competition .

it requires an appropriate legislative

It would also be useful to take more into account the quality element
in classification of agricultural products given the fact that the
current search for
a better visual appearance incites producers to
the over-use of chemical inputs .

U.

ACCOMPANYING MEASURES

At present , existing Community legislation introducing various systems
of Community aids allows for actions to be taken by farmers aiming at
the protection of the environment
( e.g. aids to farmers who undertake
to follow practices compatible with the environment , aids for
investments for the protection and improvement of the environment ,
aids for hill farming and less favoured areas , aids for set-aside and
extensif ication programmes etc ...).

In the periodic review of the above mentioned systems of aids , their
environmental effects should be assessed and proposals should be made
accordingly in order to optimize these effects .

It is , however , important that Member States make fuller use of the
existing provisions which allow farmers to protect the environment .
The Commission fully encourages and supports such an effort .

In addition , extension services in all Member States should be trained
and equipped in a way as to be able to contribute towards a less
intensive and less polluting agriculture in accordance with what is
done for training the farmers on the basis of Community provisions .
In certain cases , studies should be carried out in order to ensure
better training and orientation of the services concerned .

The establishment of codes of good agricultural practice would be a
helpful tool to be developed .
in those sectors of low input agriculture , such as integrated pest
control or the organic farming , where research is generally less
advanced than for conventional high input agriculture .

There should be more funds for reserach

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UI . CONCLUSIQNS

1 .

General guidel iries

Agricultural activity has for centuries co-existed in harmony with the
environment , but some of the present trends in agriculture are causing
environmental concern and problems which should be better controlled .

The reform of CAP provides an excellent opportunity to efficiently
integrate the economic , social and environmental elements of this
policy .

On the one hand , the rigorous market and price policy , indispensable
for economic and financial reasons , will at the same time discourage
unjustified intensification , which is harmful to the environment .

On the other hand , the reinforcement of social structural measures and
the aid schemes intended to improve and diversify farmers income , will
also permit the promotion of beneficial effects on the environment .

A judicious combination of regulatory and incentive measures , which
should normally lead to economies rather that expenditure , will lead
in the future to an agriculture more friendly to the environment but
not necessarily less efficient .

This combination must , of course , be modulated with regard to regional
and other diversities of European agriculture and has to be
complementary to other Community policies to tackle the great problem
of Europe 's rural areas .

It is clear that in order to be effective , all programmes in this
field have to be widely supported by training and dissemination of
information , as appropriate to specific situations .
promote an agricultural community more aware of the fact that it is in
its own best interest to manage production in a more rational manner
in order to attain a rational equilibrium between its needs and those
of the environment .

This could

Thanks to this training and dissemination of information , the farmer
should become aware that his role is not limited to agricultural
production in itself , but , that it also extends to the maintenance of
the rural environment of which he is the manager .
This implies that
society has to accept the fact that the farmer , as manager of the
environment ,
remuneration .

is rendering a public service which merits an adequate

- 17 -

2 .

Timetable

On the basis of the elements discussed in the previous chapters and
considering the state of the preparatory work already done , the
Commission will as a first step and before the end of 1988 , present
the following proposals :

the revision of the proposal for a Directive concerning the
marketing of plant protection products ( proposal presented in
1976 )

a proposal concerning the production and marketing of
agricultural products and foodstuffs , obtained without the use of
synthetic chemicals .

a proposal for a Directive concerning the protection of fresh
surface and ground waters and coastal waters against pollution
from livestock manure and from overuse of nitrogenous compounds .

the revision of the Directive concerning the assessment of the
effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment ,

In the short term , the Commission intends to promote a thorough study
on the use of economic instruments as a means to reducing consumption
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides , thus decreasing their impact
on the environment ,

in particular on water resources .

In addition and in the framework of the reinforcement of its training
and information actions the Commission will study the possibilities of

reinforcing its financial participation in the application of
existing measures

ensuring the satisfactory coordination of the measures taken by
the Member States

promoting the awareness of farmers of the possibilities offered
by the Community

in the framework of the reform of the

Finally , the Commission , in addition to the proposals mentioned
above , will stress ,
structural funds and in particular of EAGGF - Guidance Section ,
the need to promote alternative economic activities which will
allow farmers to increase their income , whilst respecting the
environmental requirements , protecting the rural environment and
its traditional way of life ( agritourism , hunting , game rearing ,
fishing etc . )