(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2008)0051),

–   having regard to Article 37(2), third subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0062/2008),

–   having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A6-0164/2008),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.  Considers that any amount provided for must be compatible with the ceiling of Heading 2 of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2007-2013, and points out that the annual amount will be decided within the annual budgetary procedure and will be assessed in a multiannual context;

3.  Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

4.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

6.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

Text proposed by the Commission   Amendment Amendment 1 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Title Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 as regards the transfer of tobacco aid to the Community Tobacco Fund for the years 2008 and 2009 and Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 with regard to financing of the Community Tobacco Fund Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 as regards the transfer of tobacco aid to the Community Tobacco Fund for the period 2009-2012 and Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 with regard to financing of the Community Tobacco Fund Amendment 2 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Recital 1 (1)  According to Article 110j of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending certain Regulations tobacco aid is granted to the producers of raw tobacco for the harvest years 2006 to 2009. (1)  According to Article 110j of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 of 29 September 2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers and amending certain Regulations tobacco aid is granted to the producers of raw tobacco until the harvest year 2012. Amendment 3 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Recital 1 a (new) (1a)  Bearing in mind the many reforms introduced since 2004, particularly in the fruit and vegetable sector, producers of raw tobacco should not be discriminated against in relation to other European farmers. Amendment 4 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Recital 3 (3)  Actions funded by the Community Tobacco Fund have proved to be very successful as well as a positive example of cooperation between agriculture and health policies. In order to ensure the continuation of those actions, and taking into account that the Fund has always been funded by transfer from the tobacco aid, it is appropriate to transfer an amount equal to 5% of the tobacco aid granted for the calendar years 2008 and 2009 to the Community Tobacco Fund. (3)  Actions funded by the Community Tobacco Fund have proved to be very successful as well as a positive example of cooperation between agriculture and health policies. In order to ensure the continuation of those actions, and taking into account that the Fund has always been funded by transfer from the tobacco aid, it is appropriate to transfer an amount equal to 6% of the tobacco aid granted for the calendar years 2009 to 2012 to the Community Tobacco Fund. Amendment 5 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 1 - point -1 (new) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 Article 110j Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 is amended as follows: -1)  Article 110j shall be replaced by the following: "Article 110j Scope of application For the harvest years up until 2012, aid may be granted to farmers producing raw tobacco falling within CN code 2401, under the conditions laid down in this Chapter." Amendment 6 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 1 - point -1 a (new) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 Article 110l table -1a)  In Article 110l, the table shall be replaced by the following: (in EUR M) 2009-2012 Germany t.b.a. Spain t.b.a. France t.b.a. Italy (except Apulia) t.b.a. Portugal t.b.a. Amendment 7 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 1 Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 Article 110m Article 110m of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 is replaced by the following: -1b)  Article 110m is replaced by the following: "Article 110m Transfer to the Community Tobacco Fund "Article 110m Transfer to the Community Tobacco Fund An amount equal to 4% for the calendar year 2006 and 5% for the calendar years 2007, 2008 and 2009 of the aid granted in accordance with this Chapter shall finance actions of information under the Community Tobacco Fund provided for in Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92." An amount equal to 4% for the calendar year 2006, 5% for the calendar year 2007 and 6% for the calendar years 2009 to 2012 of the aid granted in accordance with this Chapter shall finance actions of information under the Community Tobacco Fund provided for in Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92." Amendment 8 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 1 - point -1 c (new) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 Article 143e -1c)  Article 143e shall be deleted. Amendment 9 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 1 - point -1 d (new) Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 Annex VII – Point I – Paragraph 2 -1d)  Annex VII, point I, second paragraph, shall be deleted. Amendment 10 Proposal for a regulation - amending act Article 2 Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 Article 104 – paragraph 2 – point b "b) for the calendar years 2006 to 2009, in accordance with Article 110m of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003." "b) for the calendar years 2006 and 2007 and 2009 to 2012, in accordance with Article 110m of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003."