On a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world

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AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development submits the following to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Aa. whereas the new goals of the EU and of the MFF must not come at the expense of key EU policies, namely structural and cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy (CAP); whereas in recent years, CAP spending has decreased to only 0.36 % of the EU’s GDP, despite it playing a crucial role in EU agriculture and in ensuring food security, competitiveness and economic stability in open and volatile markets, and in view of growing planetary challenges, notably extreme weather and climate events, which have caused economic losses of over EUR 650 billion since 1980; whereas rural areas must be strengthened through the CAP, including by the promotion of sustainable and extensive farming;

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Recital F a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Fa. whereas the automatic 2 % deflator was agreed in 2020 in a non-inflationary context; whereas inflation rates under the current MFF have been well above 2 %, and their cumulative impact has led to a significant reduction in the EU budget’s purchasing power and a loss in value of the financial allocations under the MFF headings, including the CAP; whereas there is a need to finance effective tools against the various sources of inflation, including food inflation;

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Considers that, in view of the structural challenges facing the Union, the post-2027 MFF should adjust its spending focus to ensure that the Union can meet its strategic policy aims as detailed below;

5. Considers that, in view of the structural challenges facing the Union, the post-2027 MFF should adjust its spending focus, without neglecting the strategic key areas of cohesion policy and the CAP, to ensure that the Union can meet its strategic policy aims as detailed below;

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Stresses that the Union budget must be carefully coordinated with national spending and designed such that it can de-risk, mobilise and leverage private investment effectively, enabling start-ups and SMEs to access funds more readily; calls, therefore, for programmes such as InvestEU, which ensure additionality and follow a market-based, demand-driven approach, to be significantly reinforced in the next MFF; considers that budgetary guarantees are an effective use of resources and calls for them to be simplified;

9. Stresses that the Union budget must be carefully coordinated with national spending and designed such that it can de-risk, mobilise and leverage private investment effectively, enabling start-ups and SMEs in all sectors to access funds more readily; calls, therefore, for the provision of effective transformation funding through programmes such as InvestEU and others, which ensure additionality and follow a market-based, demand-driven approach, to be significantly reinforced in the next MFF; considers that budgetary guarantees are an effective use of resources and calls for them to be simplified;

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11a. Stresses the need for increased funding for research, development and innovation in the agriculture and agri-food sectors in the EU’s next research and innovation programme, in particular to promote precision farming, new genomic techniques and biocontrol solutions, where possible, as alternatives to pesticides, and to encourage the use of robotics and drones, digitisation for the modernisation of sustainable irrigation systems and water reuse to increase water availability for food production; emphasises the vital role of innovation in climate change mitigation strategies and in ensuring the resilience of food production systems;

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Stresses that the next MFF should include much greater funding for energy, transport and digital infrastructure, with priority given to cross-border connections and national links with European added value; considers that such infrastructure goes hand in hand with a deepening of the single market;

12. Stresses that the next MFF should include increased and simplified funding for energy and energy efficiency, transport and infrastructure, in particular digital and sustainable infrastructure, including water retention and storage infrastructure and modern irrigation facilities, in order to increase water efficiency and help to prevent floods, combat drought, address water loss, overcome the urgent challenges of water availability for use in agriculture and make the EU more resilient to climate change, with priority given to cross-border connections and national links with European added value; considers that such infrastructure goes hand in hand with a deepening of the single market; highlights that infrastructure supporting food production strengthens rural areas, the EU’s food sovereignty and its competitive edge;

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Emphasises that food security is a vital component of strategic autonomy and that the next MFF must continue to support the Union’s farming and fisheries sectors, including small and young farmers and fishers, and help the sectors to better protect the climate and biodiversity; highlights the crucial role of the common agricultural policy in increasing productivity through technical progress, ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers and guaranteeing food security; calls for adequate funding for the common agricultural policy in the next MFF;

17. Emphasises that food security and food sovereignty are vital components of strategic autonomy and that the next MFF must continue to effectively support the competitiveness and resilience of the Union’s farming and fisheries sectors, including small and family farms and young farmers and fishers; affirms that a modern and simplified CAP is crucial for increasing productivity through technical progress, ensuring a fair standard of living for farmers, food security and the production of safe, high-quality and affordable food for Europeans, while contributing to the social and economic vitality of rural areas, in particular the most vulnerable ones, fostering generational renewal and helping the farming sector to transition towards more sustainable practices, including the protection of the climate and biodiversity through spending and investment, which are, among other things, made resilient and adapted to extreme weather events, without compromising farmers’ activities; calls for an increased and dedicated budget for the CAP in the next MFF, safeguarding it from possible cuts, in order to maintain its integrity and commonality, as well as the coherence and interconnection between its first and second pillar, and therefore opposes the idea of integrating the CAP into a single fund for each Member State; calls for additional dedicated funding sources to be explored where appropriate, including outside of the CAP, in order to cope with natural disasters and provide incentives to farmers and foresters to contribute to climate change mitigation, biodiversity recovery and nature protection, without measures causing a regression in EU agricultural production;

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17a. Stresses that the new global challenges facing EU farmers, including the present geopolitical situation, climate change and rising input prices, require sound financial allocation in the next CAP; emphasises that, in order to address these challenges, taking into account the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis, and to avoid reductions to farmers’ support, the CAP urgently needs an increased budget in the next MFF that is indexed to inflation through annual re-evaluation; underlines, in that respect, that direct payments in the current form generate clear EU added value and should continue to strengthen income security, production and protection against price volatility, better targeting persons actively engaged in agricultural production and the provision of public goods, while respecting realistic and balanced EU environmental and social standards; calls for a fair and efficient distribution of CAP support within and among the Member States; calls for the continuation and reinforcement of measures that maintain production in vulnerable areas and guarantee the viability of rural communities and the adequacy of public infrastructure, specifically regarding digitalisation and particularly through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and the renewed involvement of local and regional authorities in the management of such measures; stresses the need to increase and reform the agricultural reserve in order to respond effectively and rapidly to future crises that the European agricultural sector will have to deal with, and to establish new tools for managing natural, market and sanitary risks, such as an EU reinsurance scheme to better mitigate the effects of future crises and provide greater stability for farmers; emphasises that specific solutions must be found for the farmers in eastern Europe who are most affected by the cascade effects of Russia’s war against Ukraine, such as high input prices, inflation and market disturbances; urges the Commission to continue to set up the necessary financial and legal framework for the food supply chain in order to strengthen the position of farmers and better combat unfair trading practices; calls on the Commission to support EU farmers by promoting agri-food products inside and outside the Union through a dynamic and stronger EU promotion policy; regrets the funding cuts made to the programme on the promotion of agricultural products during the review of the current MFF; emphasises that the next MFF must include dedicated funds for agri-tourism, female entrepreneurship, vocational training and technological innovation in agriculture;

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17b. Stresses the vital importance of the scheme of specific measures for agriculture in favour of the outermost regions of the Union (POSEI) and the smaller Aegean islands scheme for maintaining agricultural activity and supplying food and agricultural products in the outermost regions and the smaller Aegean islands; calls for the maintenance of their autonomy and an increase in their financial resources; regrets that the levels of support offered by these schemes have not been adjusted for inflation and urges the Commission to rectify this situation;

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17d. Calls on the Commission to strengthen animal health measures in the agricultural sector by coordinating the purchase and supply of veterinary vaccines at EU level through a preparedness mechanism, and by fostering the development of these vaccines in the EU; calls for adequate funding for this mechanism;

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18a. Emphasises that focusing on the European Competitiveness Fund could lead to excessive support being given to more advanced economies and less attention being given to less developed regions, widening the gap between the most and least prosperous regions of the EU; calls, therefore, for the promotion of a balance between competitiveness and economic inclusion, and for the European Competitiveness Fund to be linked to compliance with criteria for reducing regional and social inequalities;

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Stresses that cohesion policy funding must tackle the key challenges the Union faces, such as demographic change and depopulation, and target the regions and people most in need; highlights, in particular, the importance of enhanced support to address the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people;

19. Stresses that cohesion policy funding must tackle the key challenges the Union faces, such as demographic change, the digital and sustainable transition, resilience and depopulation, and target the regions and people most in need by promoting employment, innovation, growth and local development, particularly in rural areas, and by providing investment support for farmers and businesses; highlights, in particular, the importance of enhanced support to address the EU-wide housing crisis affecting millions of families and young people; recalls the importance of a robust and productive agricultural sector for EU regions and rural economies; calls for a significant increase in the minimum share of the European Social Fund Plus allocated to food banks;

Amendment 13

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Recalls that the Union is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which requires a decarbonisation of the economy through the deployment of clean technologies, improved energy and transport infrastructure and more energy-efficient housing; notes that the Commission estimates additional investment needs to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at 1.5 % of GDP per year compared to the decade 2011-2020 and that, while the Union budget alone cannot cover the gap, it must remain a vital contributor;

22. Recalls that the Union is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, which requires a decarbonisation of the economy through the deployment of clean technologies, improved energy and transport infrastructure and more energy-efficient housing; notes that the Commission estimates additional investment needs to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at 1.5 % of GDP per year compared to the decade 2011-2020 and that, while the Union budget alone cannot cover the gap, it must remain a vital contributor; emphasises the strategic importance of investing in and valuing rural areas for the energy, digital and sustainable transition, while recognising their central role in mitigating the impact of climate change and increasing environmental resilience; emphasises that EU farmers should not bear the entire burden of the decarbonisation of agriculture; calls for incentives to support farmers’ decarbonisation efforts, particularly through a supply chain approach, in order to maximise the EU’s agricultural capacity for absorbing carbon emissions, improving biodiversity and increasing water quality and soil health;

Amendment 14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

25. Recalls that security is the foundation for the Union’s prosperity and social model and that the next MFF must invest significantly more in safeguarding the Union against the myriad threats it faces;

25. Recalls that security is the foundation for the Union’s prosperity and social model and that the next MFF must invest significantly more in safeguarding the Union against the myriad threats it faces; emphasises that the 30 October 2024 report by Sauli Niinistö, entitled ‘Safer Together – Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness’, recognises food as one of the most critical areas in the provision of essential services to citizens and highlights its importance for the resilience and security of the EU with regard to emerging challenges, including supply chain and trade disruptions, and hybrid threats; supports the proposal to develop an EU-wide strategic stockpiling regime, including of strategic food stocks; notes that food systems are a key pillar of European security and that any increase to the EU’s defence and security budget should be accompanied by a corresponding increase in funding for food security and sovereignty, including funding that strengthens European agricultural production and reduces vulnerabilities caused by an over-reliance on agri-food imports;

Amendment 15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35a. Calls on the Commission to better recognise the strategic importance of agriculture and food and to reflect this in its trade policies; stresses that full reciprocity of production standards, in particular as regards plant protection products and animal welfare, should be enforced for imported products through trade agreements and EU legislation to ensure a level playing field and to meet societal demands; takes note of the Commission’s announcement that it will create a reserve of EUR 1 billion to compensate EU farmers for any possible negative effects borne by them as a result of the implementation of the EU-Mercosur agreement; insists that this reserve should be in addition to the increased funding of the CAP;

Amendment 16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 44

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

44. Underlines that pre-accession support to Ukraine has to be distinct from financial assistance for reconstruction and post-war recovery, where needs are far more substantial and require a concerted international effort, of which support through the Union budget should be an important part;

44. Underlines that pre-accession support to Ukraine has to be distinct from financial assistance for reconstruction and post-war recovery, where needs are far more substantial and require a concerted international effort, of which support through the Union budget should be an important part; stresses the need to establish dedicated frameworks for trade cooperation with EU accession countries to ensure effective alignment with EU standards, without undermining the competitiveness of EU operators;

Amendment 17

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected in the event of enlargement; underlines that the next MFF will also have to reform key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, and plan for appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures;

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause should be maintained in the next framework, in order to urgently adapt the EU budget in the event of enlargement; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected, particularly regarding the CAP; underlines that the next MFF should also provide key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, with appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures, carefully assessing the specific impacts of enlargement on different sectors, while safeguarding the viability of rural communities and the profitability of EU farming;

Amendment 18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 47

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

47. Stresses that instability in neighbouring regions, poverty, underlying trends in economic development and demographic changes continue to generate migration flows towards the Union, placing significant pressure on asylum and migration systems; underlines that the post-2027 MFF must support the full implementation of the Union’s Asylum and Migration Pact, in line with fundamental rights and EU values; underlines, moreover, that, in line with the Pact, cooperation with third countries on migration must abide by EU law and respect international standards;

47. Stresses that instability in neighbouring regions, poverty, underlying trends in economic development and demographic changes continue to generate migration flows towards the Union, placing significant pressure on asylum and migration systems; underlines that the post-2027 MFF must support the establishment of safeguards at the Union’s external borders;

Amendment 19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60. Stresses that the next MFF must be designed so as to simplify the lives of beneficiaries, harmonise rules wherever possible and cut unnecessary red tape and must be implemented as close to people as possible;

60. Stresses that the next MFF must be designed so as to simplify the lives of beneficiaries, harmonise rules wherever possible and reduce unnecessary red tape and the burden of carrying out controls, and must be implemented as close to people as possible; calls, in this context, for the CAP to be simplified and made less bureaucratic, as a matter of urgency, by streamlining and facilitating administrative processes, while maintaining ambitious production standards, to ensure more effective and accessible use of the supports available;

Amendment 20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 88

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

88. Emphasises Parliament’s commitment to play its role fully throughout the process; believes that the design of the MFF should be bottom-up and based on the extensive involvement of stakeholders; underlines, furthermore, the need for a strategic dialogue among the three institutions in the run-up to the MFF proposals;

88. Emphasises Parliament’s commitment to play its role fully throughout the process, while demanding that it have a more significant role in the allocation of funds, ensuring transparency and consistency with EU objectives; believes that the design of the MFF should be bottom-up and based on the extensive involvement of stakeholders; underlines, furthermore, the need for a strategic dialogue among the three institutions in the run-up to the MFF proposals, with a view to reaching rapid agreement on a reliable and ambitious MFF;

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the opinion:

Entity and/or person

Farm Europe

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted

27.3.2025

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

33

0

12

Members present for the final vote

Stefano Bonaccini, Daniel Buda, Waldemar Buda, Barry Cowen, Ivan David, Csaba Dömötör, Luke Ming Flanagan, Maria Grapini, Cristina Guarda, Martin Häusling, Stefan Köhler, Tomáš Kubín, Norbert Lins, Cristina Maestre, Dario Nardella, Maria Noichl, Bert-Jan Ruissen, Arash Saeidi, Eric Sargiacomo, Raffaele Stancanelli, Anna Strolenberg

Substitutes present for the final vote

Peter Agius, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Benoit Cassart, Annalisa Corrado, Lena Düpont, Charles Goerens, Pär Holmgren, Ilia Lazarov, Gabriel Mato, Ciaran Mullooly, Elena Sancho Murillo, Francesco Ventola, Michal Wiezik

Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

Pascal Arimont, Stefano Cavedagna, Mélanie Disdier, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Virginie Joron, Ondřej Krutílek, András Tivadar Kulja, Jeroen Lenaers, Jüri Ratas, Julie Rechagneux, Andreas Schwab

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

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