Doc. 9035

18 April 2001

New agricultural policy

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Behrendt and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

European agriculture has come under criticism: a succession of crises in animal husbandry (BSE, dioxin, foot and mouth disease), accusations leveled against animal feed (meat and bone meal, antibiotics, hormones), farming and fishing methods that fail to respect the environment and natural resources (water and soil pollution, over-exploitation, threat to biodiversity, altered ecosystems and landscapes), GMOs, repercussions on the food chain, growing consumer concern, and so on.

European citizens are querying the current farming model, geared to production, which no longer corresponds to their needs and involves risks, linked to industrial agri-food production methods, which are no longer considered acceptable. Certain objectives of European agricultural policies, of an essentially quantitative, social and protectionist nature, will probably have to be adapted to the new situation in the sector.

Agricultural production in Europe is having to cope with surpluses at a time when the European citizen/consumer is clamoring increasingly for better quality products and improved management of the natural and financial resources deployed for the purposes of agricultural policies. The measures taken in favor of the farming population also need to be reviewed in the light of new criteria (multifunctionality, part-time work, agribusinesses). As for globalization and trade liberalization, these are phenomena which Europe cannot shun altogether, in spite of its different traditions, specific approaches and necessary exceptions in the fields of food and agriculture.

Europe is also preparing to embark upon a major enlargement of the European Union, its “acquis” and its policies (including the CAP) to the countries of central and eastern Europe. Care should be taken that these countries, while adjusting to the community “acquis”, have options other than intensive, industrial farming that nevertheless enable them to remain competitive. The Common Agricultural Policy will itself be undergoing the new reforms needed to adapt it to the new situation.

The Parliamentary Assembly must accompany these reforms and developments with its own thinking and proposals. It now considers that there is a need, inter alia:

- to foster more sustainable agriculture that places greater emphasis on growing more natural, better, healthier products, for example by developing controlled origin and quality labels and guaranteeing improved traceability;

- to examine the comparative advantages of biological and industrial agriculture and inform consumers;

- to develop biological agriculture and include it in rural development programmes, for example through improved support measures by the EAGGF (European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund);

- to foster rural development that is more heedful of the need to protect the environment, natural resources and landscapes;

- to set more stringent standards of environmental protection and animal health and welfare as conditions of entitlement to financial support under agricultural policy;

- to take steps to avoid replacing the meat and bone meal now banned in cattle feed with imported, possibly genetically modified soya bean products;

- to foster rapid adaptation of the agricultural sector in the countries of central and eastern Europe, starting with those which are candidates for membership of the European Union, in order to guarantee all the citizens of Europe the same conditions of quality, environment and health.

Signed : ¹

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Agudo, Spain, SOC

Aliyev B., Azerbaijan, SOC

Coifan, Romania, LDR

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Graas, Luxembourg, LDR

Kelemen, Romania, EPP/CD

Lotz, Hungary, LDR

Meale, United Kingdom, SOC

Mikaelsson, Sweden, UEL

Mocioi, Romania, EDG

Robol, Italy, EPP/CD

Schmied, Switzerland, LDR

Toshev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group