The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Article 33 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,

–  having regard to its Legislative Resolution of 26 September 2007 on set-aside for the year 2008,

–  having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas there have been significant increases in the prices of basic foodstuffs globally, including throughout Europe and especially in the new Member States,

B.   whereas the prices of cereals, milk, fruit and vegetables have almost doubled over the last year in many European countries, such as Italy, Poland, Ireland and Lithuania; whereas, for example, in Poland since 2003 the price of bread has increased by 22.6 %, that of apples by 83.8% and that of potatoes by 95.5%, while in Italy in the past month the price of bread has risen by 79%,

C.   whereas farmers are affected by severe weather conditions such as frost damage, floods and droughts,

D.   whereas the concept of European agriculture should be explicitly enhanced and defended for its social, economic and cultural value, while recognising the specific features of the agricultural sector in some EU Member States,

E.   whereas the milk sector is very important to European agriculture, since it represents 14% of agricultural production,

F.   whereas, in particular, decisions regarding imports of genetically modified (GM) feed have the potential to severely damage the agricultural sector,

G.   whereas the population in the developing world is growing and demand for food is rising,

H.   whereas Article 33 of the EC Treaty states that ensuring the availability of supplies and ensuring that supplies reach consumers at reasonable prices are objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy,

I.   whereas EU policy is to restrict agricultural production and this policy seems to be more and more contrary to consumers' needs,

1.   Stresses the need to safeguard the European agricultural model in order to maintain the stability of national agricultural markets and protect them from international price fluctuations, and to uphold the models of production and land use which are typical features of European agriculture;

2.   Stresses the right of peoples and nations to safeguard their food autonomy and the survival of the rural world, in particular by being able to protect themselves from dependency-creating imports;

3.   Calls on the Commission, as a matter of urgency, to temporarily increase milk quotas in order to stabilise prices on the internal market;

4.   Welcomes the recent decision by EU Agriculture Ministers to adopt the Commission's proposal to suspend set-aside obligations for 2008;

5.   Calls on the Commission and Member States to analyse the discrepancies between prices received by producers and those charged by the major retailers;

6.   Calls on the Commission to verify its administrative policy of limiting agricultural production in the EU;

7.   Calls on the Commission to ensure that third-country producers are subject to the same stringent controls as EU producers;

8.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.