Changes from plenary report to adopted text

RemovedLETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS

RemovedMr Norbert Lins

RemovedChair

RemovedCommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development

RemovedBRUSSELS

RemovedSubject: Opinion on a Regulation laying down certain transitional provisions for the support by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) in the year 2021 (COM(2019)0581 – C90162/2019 – 2019/0254(COD))

RemovedDear Chair,

RemovedThe Committee on Agriculture and Rural development (AGRI) is preparing a report on a Commission proposal for a Regulation laying down certain transitional provisions for the support by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) in the year 2021 (2019/0254(COD)).

RemovedThe Committee on Budgets decided to submit an opinion in the form of a letter:

RemovedA. Whereas the Commission submitted a set of budgetary and sectoral legislative proposals in May/June 2018 in view of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, including new regulations for a reformed European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD);

RemovedB. Whereas a successful transition to the next generation of expenditure programmes and support schemes under the financial programming period 2021-2027 will depend on the timely adoption of the overarching MFF legislation as well as the basic acts for the reformed financing instruments;

RemovedC. Whereas considerable progress has been made in the legislative negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament on most on the sectoral legislation; whereas, however, the negotiations on the reformed Common Agricultural Policy have been suffering severe procedural delays;

RemovedD. Whereas the Council appears to be making only very slow progress towards an agreement on the financial package for the next MFF;

RemovedE. Whereas the recipients and final beneficiaries of EU money who actually implement the policies and underlying programmes should not be harmed by legislative delays and legal uncertainties;

RemovedF. Whereas, beyond a valid legal basis, a number of operational and strategic plans must be prepared even before the first of January 2021 in order for the new policies to be launched;

RemovedG. Whereas, against this backdrop, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on 10 October 2019 ‘Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and own resources: time to meet citizens’ expectations’ which calls for a safety net to protect the beneficiaries of EU programmes and urges the Commission to start preparing an MFF contingency plan with the aim of ensuring the continuity of funding in the event that it is necessary to extend the current MFF;

RemovedH. Whereas continued support to farmers under the direct payment schemes in 2021 should proceed without legal inconsistencies; whereas amendments are necessary to allow for the application of internal convergence and the prolongation of the Single area payment scheme for 2021; whereas the amounts of 2021 for several programmes have to be updated;

RemovedI. Whereas, in the absence of well-defined national envelopes beyond 2020, Member States would risk not being able to undertake new legal commitments in the area of Rural Development;

RemovedJ. Whereas, in the absence of certain technical adaptations, inconsistencies would occur in relation to the crisis reserve, deadlines linked to the extension of rural development programme and pre-financing provisions;

RemovedAcknowledging the delays in the legal procedures and striving to ensure a viable transition from one financial framework period to the next, and aware of the risks for Member States and final beneficiaries that could arise from legal uncertainties, the Committee on Budgets therefore:

Removed1. Supports the objectives of the transitional package as proposed by the Commission, in particular the continuity of CAP support under both pillars in 2021 under the current rules in case of further delays in the negotiations on the agricultural reform package for the period 2021-2027;

Removed2. Calls for the swift adoption of the transitional regulation;

Removed3. Requests transparent and timely information on any resulting changes in the CAP legal bases that have an impact on the annual budgetary procedures 2020 and beyond;

Removed4. Expects these transitional measures to be without prejudice to and not to lead to additional delays in the sectoral legislative process towards the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

RemovedYours sincerely,

RemovedJohan Van Overtveldt

Removed28.4.2020