(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2011) 0625) and the amendments to the proposal (COM(2012)0552),

–  having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 42 and Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C7‑0336/2011),

–  having regard to the 1979 Act of Accession, and in particular paragraph 6 of Protocol No 4 on cotton attached thereto,

–  having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to opinion 1/2012 of the Court of Auditors of 8 March 2012(1),

–  having regard to the opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee of 25 April 2012 and 12 December 2012(2),

–  having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 4 May 2012(3),

–  having regard to its decision of 13 March 2013 on the opening of, and on the mandate for, interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal(4),

–  having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 7 October 2013 to approve Parliament's position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinions of the Committee on Development, the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Budgetary Control, the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Regional Development (A7-0362/2013),

1.  Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2.  Takes note of the Commission statements annexed to this resolution;

3.  Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend its proposal substantially or replace it with another text;

4.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission, and the national parliaments.

(1) Not yet published in the Official Journal. (2) OJ C 191, 29.6.2012, p. 116, and OJ C 44, 15.2.2013, p. 159. (3) OJ L 225, 27.7.2012, p. 174. (4) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0084.

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013.)

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on Article 9(2) of the Direct Payments Regulation

Article 9(2) of the proposal for a regulation on direct payments does not preclude the possibility for a farmer to rent buildings or parts of buildings to third parties or to possess a stable, provided that these activities do not constitute the farmer’s main activity.

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on coupled support

For agricultural products, notably for those not eligible to coupled support according to Article 38(1) of the Direct Payments Regulation, the Commission shall closely follow their market evolution and, in case of severe market crisis, may resort to any appropriate measures at its disposal to improve the market situation.