On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities, repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/522, (EU) 2021/694, , (EU) 2021/697, (EU) 2021/783, and amending Regulations (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588, (EU)
AGRI-AD-782312
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development · Rapporteur: Carlo Fidanza
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The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development gives its opinion on the proposed regulation establishing the European Competitiveness Fund, including a defence research and innovation programme. It proposes amendments to place food security, food sovereignty and the agri-food sector at the centre of the Fund.¶¶¶ It asks for dedicated, ring-fenced resources for agriculture, food production and food security, including minimum shares for water resilience, rural development, skills and digitalisation in agriculture.¶¶¶ It wants the Fund to support water resilience, farm digitalisation, strategic storage of agricultural products and inputs, generational renewal, and a European agricultural reinsurance guarantee mechanism.¶¶¶ It proposes a dedicated agriculture window complementary to the Common Agricultural Policy, and asks that support reach farmers, cooperatives, rural SMEs and outermost regions through simpler procedures and balanced geographical distribution.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development proposes amendments to the Commission proposal to place food security, food sovereignty and the agri-food sector at the centre of the European Competitiveness Fund, with dedicated and ring-fenced resources, support for water resilience, digitalisation, storage and generational renewal, and a dedicated agriculture window complementary to the Common Agricultural Policy.¶¶¶
Key points
- Food security and food sovereignty should be recognised as strategic Union priorities within the Competitiveness Fund, with dedicated and clearly identified resources.¶¶¶
- The Fund should finance water resilience: storage capacity, sustainable water management, efficient irrigation and sufficient water of adequate quality.¶¶¶
- It should support digitalisation of agriculture through precision farming, digital services, decision-support systems and data infrastructures, with at least 20% of the digital window for agricultural digitalisation.¶¶¶
- Dedicated resources should go to strategic storage capacities for agricultural products and essential raw materials, and at least 15% of the resilience window should be ring-fenced for strategic food security measures.¶¶¶
- At least half of the budget under the Health, Biotech, Agriculture, Food Production, Food Security and Bioeconomy window should go to agriculture, food production and food security.¶¶
- Within that allocation, at least 25% should go to water resilience in agriculture, at least 15% to rural development and at least 5% to skills development.
- A dedicated agriculture window should be set up under the Fund, complementary to the Common Agricultural Policy, with an indicative budget allocation.¶
- The Fund should support young farmers and new entrants through access to finance, investment, innovation, skills and advisory services, including farm succession.¶
- A European agricultural reinsurance guarantee mechanism should be established to strengthen risk-sharing and income stabilisation against climatic, market and sanitary risks.¶¶
- Support should reach farmers, cooperatives, producer organisations and rural SMEs through simplified procedures, proportionate reporting and balanced geographical distribution.¶¶¶
- The Commission should ensure the Fund and the Common Agricultural Policy are coherent and complementary, particularly for modernising and strengthening the agri-food chain.¶¶
- Specific measures may be taken for the outermost regions, including adaptations and derogations, and the minimum EU co-financing rate there should be 85%.¶¶
Who is affected
- Farmers and agri-food businesses: dedicated funding, innovation support and simpler procedures.¶¶¶
- Young farmers and new entrants: support for entry, succession, skills and finance.¶
- Agricultural SMEs, cooperatives and producer organisations: easier access to funding and advisory services.¶¶¶
- Outermost regions: specific measures, adaptations and an 85% minimum EU co-financing rate.¶¶
- Rural and remote areas: targeted measures to prevent digital and territorial fragmentation.¶¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 20 393 000 000 for the Health, Biotech, Agriculture, Food Production, Food Security and Bioeconomy objectives.¶
- At least 50% of that amount dedicated to agriculture, food production and food security.
- At least 25% dedicated to water resilience investments in agriculture.
- At least 15% dedicated to rural development, including support for food production.
- At least 5% dedicated to skills development activities.
- EUR 51 493 000 000 for the Digital Leadership objectives, with at least 20% for digitalisation in agriculture.¶
- EUR 125 204 000 000 for the Resilience and Security objectives, with at least 15% ring-fenced for strategic food security measures.¶
- Minimum EU co-financing rate of 85% for actions in the outermost regions.¶
Legal basis: Article 43(2), Article 168(5), Article 172, Article 173(3), Article 175, Article 182(4), Article 183, Article 188, Article 189(2), Article 192(1), Article 194(2), Article 212(2), Article 322(1)(a) and Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.¶