European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Community and the United States of America on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety (10972/2007 - COM(2007)0325 – C6-0275/2008 – 2007/0111(CNS))

P6_TA(2009)0001 A6-0468/2008

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (10972/2007 - COM(2007)0325),

–   having regard to Article 80(2), Article 133(4), Article 300(2), first subparagraph, first sentence, and Article 300(4) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 300(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0275/2008),

–   having regard to Rules 51, 83(7) and 43(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A6-0468/2008),

1.  Approves conclusion of the agreement;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the United States of America.

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the proposal for a Council regulation on the common system of trade for ovalbumin and lactalbumin (codified version) (COM(2008)0488 – C6-0334/2008 – 2008/0155(CNS))

P6_TA(2009)0002 A6-0510/2008

(Consultation procedure – codification)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2008)0488),

–   having regard to Articles 26, 87 to 89, 132 et seq. and 308 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0334/2008),

–   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 December 1994 – Accelerated working method for official codification of legislative texts(1),

–   having regard to Rules 80 and 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0510/2008),

A.   whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the proposal in question contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts without any change in their substance,

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission;

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

(1) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 2.

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the proposal for a Council directive on the common system of taxation applicable to mergers, divisions, partial divisions, transfers of assets and exchanges of shares concerning companies of different Member States and to the transfer of the registered office of an SE or SCE between Member States (codified version) (COM(2008)0492 – C6-0336/2008 – 2008/0158(CNS))

P6_TA(2009)0003 A6-0511/2008

(Consultation procedure – codification)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2008)0492),

–   having regard to Article 94 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0336/2008),

–   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 December 1994 – Accelerated working method for official codification of legislative texts(1),

–   having regard to Rules 80 and 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0511/2008),

A.   whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the proposal in question contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts without any change in their substance,

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission;

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

(1) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 2.

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the draft Council decision amending the Rules of Procedure of the Court of First Instance of the European Communities as regards the language arrangements applicable to appeals against decisions of the European Union Civil Service Tribunal (13301/2008 – C6-0348/2008 – 2008/0806(CNS))

P6_TA(2009)0004 A6-0508/2008

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Council draft (13301/2008),

–   having regard to Article 245, second paragraph, of the EC Treaty and Article 160, second paragraph, of the Euratom Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0348/2008),

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

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A6-0508/2008),

1.  Approves the Council draft;

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

3.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the text submitted for consultation substantially;

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

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on Trade and Economic relations with Western Balkans (2008/2149(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0005 A6-0489/2008

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Council Regulation (EC) No 1946/2005 of 14 November 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 2007/2000 introducing exceptional trade measures for countries and territories participating in or linked to the European Union"s Stabilisation and Association process(1),

–   having regard to the Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 of 17 July 2006 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)(2),

–   having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council of 19-20 June 2003, at which the promise was made to all Western Balkan states that they would join the European Union,

–   having regard to the European Council decision of 16 December 2005 to grant the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia the status of candidate country for EU membership and the Presidency Conclusions of the European Councils of 15-16 June 2006, of 14-15 December 2006 and of 19-20 June 2008,

–   having regard to the decision adopted by the European Council on 3 October 2005 to open accession negotiations with Croatia,

–   having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 5 March 2008 on "Western Balkans: Enhancing the European perspective" (COM(2008)0127),

–   having regard to Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council of 10 June 1999,

–   having regard to its resolution of 29 March 2007 on the future of Kosovo and the role of the EU(3),

–   having regard to its position of 12 October 2006 on the proposal for a Council decision on providing exceptional Community financial assistance to Kosovo(4),

–   having regard to its resolution of 23 April 2008 on the 2007 Progress Report on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(5),

–   having regard to its resolution of 10 April 2008 on Croatia's 2007 progress report(6),

–   having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 15 March 2007 on Bosnia-Herzegovina(7),

–   having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 25 October 2007 on relations between the European Union and Serbia(8),

–   having regard to its position of 6 September 2006 on the proposal for a Council and Commission decision concerning the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Albania, of the other part(9),

–   having regard to its position of 13 December 2007 on the proposal for a Council and Commission decision on the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Montenegro, of the other part(10),

–   having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 31 January 2007 on the Extension of the major trans-European transport axes to the neighbouring countries - Guidelines for transport in Europe and neighbouring regions (COM(2007)0032),

–   having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 5 March 2008 concerning the progress of exploratory talks regarding cooperation in the field of transport with the neighbouring countries (COM(2008)0125),

–   having regard to the Treaty establishing the EU-South Eastern Europe Energy Community which was signed in Athens on 25 October 2005,

–   having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 6 November 2007 on the Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2007-2008 (COM(2007)0663),

–   having regard to its resolutions of 16 March 2006 on the Commission's 2005 enlargement strategy paper(11) and of 13 December 2006 on the Commission's Communication on the Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2006-2007(12),

–   having regard to all other previous resolutions on the countries of the Western Balkans,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on International Trade and the opinions of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Regional Development (A6-0489/2008),

A.   whereas the Thessaloniki European Council clearly formulated "the European perspective' of the Western Balkan states and indicated that the Stabilisation and Association Process would constitute the overall framework for European relations with the Western Balkan countries,

B.   whereas Croatia is currently engaged in accession negotiations with the European Union and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia obtained candidate status in 2005,

C.   whereas EU trade concessions and EU financial assistance have played a central role in the Western Balkans" Stabilisation and Association Process,

D.   whereas Croatia is well on the way to full membership of the European Union, with prospects of concluding the negotiations in 2009, has continued to meet the Copenhagen political and economic criteria and has been recognised as having a functioning market economy, which could serve as a positive example to the other countries in the region,

E.   whereas on 17 February 2008 the Kosovo Assembly adopted a resolution which declared Kosovo to be independent; whereas the Council agreed on 18 February 2008 that Member States would decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo; whereas overall EU assistance to Kosovo is estimated at over EUR 1 000 000 000 for the period 2007-2010 covering support to Kosovo's political and economic development and financing the EU contribution to the international presence in Kosovo,

F.   whereas economic prosperity and full integration into the internal market and world trade system are essential for long-term stability and for sustainable economic and social growth in the whole Western Balkan region,

G.   whereas sensitively phased-in market opening in the Western Balkan countries, including a country-by-country approach, fostering mainly the establishment of a regional market, is expected to contribute significantly to the process of political and economic stabilisation in the region,

H.   whereas increased economic cooperation in the Western Balkan region also offers positive prospects for growth for the economies of the South-Eastern EU Member States and will foster their deeper integration into the single market,

I.   whereas the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) consolidated 32 bilateral free trade agreements in the Southern European Region into a single comprehensive regional free trade agreement that enhances the existing level of liberalisation in the region through a single network of equitable, transparent and predictable rules,

J.   whereas the economic growth of the Western Balkans varies significantly, ranging in 2006 from 3% in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to 10,3% for Montenegro; whereas the unemployment rates vary, in 2007 ranging from high unemployment rates such as in Kosovo (40%) down to lower rates such as in Montenegro (11,9%),

K.   whereas the economies of the Western Balkans are highly dependent on foreign trade and whereas total imports and exports account for a substantial share of their GDP; whereas 61 % of the region's trade flows are to the European Union, though they account for only 2 % of the EU's foreign trade,

L.   whereas transport infrastructure and facilitation is crucial for economic development, social cohesion and integration,

M.   whereas stronger support to the Western Balkans" small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is needed to guarantee sustainable economic growth, job creation and exports,

N.   whereas the service sector, especially tourism, is playing an important role in the economies of the Western Balkan countries,

O.   whereas small markets, like those which exist in some Western Balkan countries, are particularly prone to cartels, restrictive practices or the abuse of market power which may have a strong impact on regional economic growth, the unemployment rate and social development,

P.   whereas the economies of the Western Balkans are very heterogeneous and have different characteristics, for example Albania, Croatia and Montenegro differ from the other Western Balkan economies in so far as the tourism sector is crucial for them,

Q.   whereas all countries of the Western Balkans have concluded Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAAs) with the EU,

General considerations

1.  Welcomes the progress made in the Stabilisation and Association Process and, in particular, the recent signing of the SAAs with Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Serbia; calls on the Member States to conclude the ratification process for all the SAAs as soon as possible; welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the Interim Agreements and calls on the Western Balkan countries to continue their efforts in this field; stresses the importance of further enhancing the multilateral dimension of the Stabilisation and Association Process with a view to fully resuming regional cooperation in all fields;

2.  Reiterates "the European perspective" of the countries of the Western Balkans which was clearly formulated during the Thessaloniki European Council; points out, however, that the future accession of the Western Balkan countries to the European Union is strictly conditional on the fulfilment of all the conditions and requirements set by the European Union, including the Copenhagen membership criteria and the successful fulfilment of the Stabilisation and Association Process, which includes regional cooperation, good neighbourly relations and full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia;

3.  Stresses that a serious prospect of EU membership for the Western Balkan states can act as a catalyst to encourage their population and governments to move away from regressive nationalism, sectarian violence and towards a future of integration with the rest of Europe; moreover, it will improve the relatively weak image of the Western Balkans within the European Union due to the recent wars and political controversies of the last decades, which will in turn stimulate EU companies to increase their business in the region;

4.  Encourages the European Union to continuously demonstrate its engagement with the Western Balkans, especially in this politically delicate period; urges the Council and the Commission to realise that it is not in the interest of both the European Union and the Western Balkans to create a "black hole" in Kosovo; asks the EU Institutions, therefore, to be actively engaged in order to avoid tensions;

5.  Considers that it is essential for the overall approach adopted towards the Western Balkans to take account of differences between the countries of the region as regards their respective levels of economic development and compliance with the Community acquis and World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules; stresses, therefore, the importance of a strictly individual path towards EU membership for each of the Western Balkan countries, based inter alia on their individual fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria as well as the conditions and requirements set by the European Union;

6.  Welcomes the visa facilitation and readmission agreements which entered into force in January 2008 and the dialogue on roadmaps for gradual liberalisation of the visa regime for the countries of the Western Balkans; considers that there is a real need to improve and establish well-functioning customs regimes in order to facilitate trade flows and ensure closer economic, scientific, technological and trade cooperation; welcomes the Commission's decision to offer an increasing number of scholarships for students from the Western Balkans under the Erasmus Mundus programme;

WTO and CEFTA

7.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to implement all appropriate measures to encourage deeper integration of the Western Balkans into the world trade and economic system, in particular through WTO accession for the countries in the region which are not yet members; notes favourably that Albania, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are already members of the WTO; underlines that the liberalisation of trade must go hand in hand with reducing poverty and unemployment rates, promoting economic and social rights and respecting the environment;

8.  Underlines the stimulus of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations for the economic growth in the area and the essential role that the CEFTA plays in this process; stresses that CEFTA may also play an important role in the further integration of the region into the European Union by strengthening economic and trade relations between the European Union and the Western Balkans; considers, therefore, that CEFTA contributes significantly to the preparation of the Western Balkan countries" accession to the European Union;

9.  Calls on the Western Balkan governments to further explore the possibility of greater trade liberalisation measures in areas, which have hitherto been exempted, and to establish mechanisms to combat systematically any infringements of international intellectual and industrial property rights; calls also on these governments to align themselves with the community acquis and take action to end any practices and measures amounting to non-tariff trade barriers;

European assistance and Western Balkans" ownership of the reform process

10.  Supports the Western Balkan countries" efforts for reform and regional cooperation through their IPA; underlines the fact that the countries of the Western Balkans are the only "owners" of their reform process; urges the Western Balkan countries to take responsibility for formulating a sufficient number of ambitious projects in order to be able to use the available European funds without being too passive and dependent on European initiatives;

11.  Emphasises the role of the regions in economic and social development and for this reason, the importance of the IPA for assisting the Western Balkan countries in the process of democratisation, of economic and social change and of alignment with European standards and for bringing these countries closer to the structures of the European Union;

12.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to endow the IPA with the additional financial resources needed to develop projects tailored to real needs and to provide effective and focused assistance at local and regional levels; emphasises the importance of people-to-people projects, which can be particularly effective in making local people aware of the added value delivered by the European Union;

13.  Welcomes the fact that one of the priorities of the IPA is to contribute to developing institutional and administrative capacities in the Western Balkans, at both the national and the regional level; urges the Commission to reinforce this type of activity in order to stimulate the development of governance and to prepare these countries and regions for the proper take-up of the structural funds and to promote their adaptation to EU standards with a view to their possible future accession; calls on the Commission to guarantee a high level of transparency in connection with the development of institutions and to take suitable measures to prevent corruption;

14.  Calls on the Council and the Commission to supply the states in the region with economic and administrative technical assistance by duly qualified persons, in cooperation with the international and regional organisations dealing with Western Balkan economic issues, in order to strengthen local public structures, establish a more efficient and diversified economic base and improve the penetration of local products into foreign markets, and into the European Union in particular;

15.  Suggests that Member States offer the Western Balkan countries so-called government-to-government programmes which give these countries specific assistance, training and coaching in their national departments on areas that are explicitly requested by the authorities of the Western Balkan states; underlines that these programmes can play an important role in implementing the EU acquis in the region while they offer the Western Balkan states the possibility to specify the exact forms of assistance they need;

16.  Calls on the Commission to duly submit in good time for approval to the Parliament any new proposals aiming to provide exceptional budgetary assistance to the Western Balkan countries; stresses that further financial assistance to the Western Balkans (and notably to Kosovo) should be conditional on the establishment, with the support of international financial institutions, of a comprehensive and realistic long-term economic development plan;

17.  Takes the view that the local and regional authorities play a decisive role in bringing about sustainable economic development and in reinforcing civil society by giving specific shape to the national and community priorities through projects creating partnerships with players in the public and private spheres;

18.  Stresses the importance of cross-border and international cooperation in developing joint projects and establishing lasting links both among the regions of the Western Balkans and between the latter and regions in the Member States; stresses also that the benefits of such cooperation are not just economic in nature, but also have a political and human dimension, fostering a closer relationship between peoples and between governments and guaranteeing long-term stability and prosperity in the region;

19.  Encourages EU regions to take the initiative in implementing cross-border projects with the Western Balkan region in order to establish close and long-term cooperation at regional level, and in promoting exchanges of experience and good practice in the framework of the European regional cooperation networks; takes the view that cooperation in the region can be fostered by strengthening the Regional Cooperation Council;

Economic policies, energy, transport and environment

20.  Urges the countries in the region, acting in close co-operation with the Commission and other relevant international financial institutions, to maintain and expand their gains in macroeconomic stability, which is a precondition for lasting economic growth, through sound fiscal and monetary policies; further urges the countries to accelerate the pace of structural reforms, especially in the areas of tax policy and customs and administration, by promoting the principles of transparency and accountability and supporting sound management in the public sector;

21.  Stresses the need to grant more support to the region's private sector development and infrastructure investment through, inter alia, intensified cooperation with the European Investment Bank, as well as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other International Financial Institutions;

22.  Considers it essential for the economic development of the region to create a favourable investment climate and calls on the Commission and Western Balkan states to work towards intensifying economic reforms by developing strategic development plans to implement investment projects of significance to the region as a whole;

23.  Commends the Western Balkan governments on the progress that they have so far made in the economic area, while maintaining macroeconomic stability; welcomes the implementation by governments of tax policies and fiscal discipline policies that have resulted in increased state budget revenues;

24.  Stresses the importance of pursuing the development of energy cooperation in the region, especially with the development of renewable energy resources, establishing open, reliable and competitive markets and improving the general conditions for the expansion of the energy infrastructure in the region including the enhanced interconnection capacities between the neighbouring EU Member States and partner countries; emphasises the important role played by the Energy Community towards this goal;

25.  Considers that the development of the port of Rijeka in Croatia is an extremely important project for the European Union; believes it to be in the interest of the European Union that this development should proceed as soon as possible;

26.  Stresses that environmental protection is an important element of sustainable development in the Western Balkan region; considers it imperative that the Commission and the Western Balkan governments promote sound environmental policies and strategies in line with EU environmental legislation;

27.  Considers it important that the Western Balkan states apply the common European maritime policy principles and guidelines, and stresses the need for efficient and environmentally friendly use of the Danube River, in compliance with EU legislation, as an important transport corridor and a source of valuable resources; supports in this respect the regional initiatives underway and organisations (and in particular the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River – ICPDR) working towards environmental protection, better use of inland waterway transport capacity and a higher level of disaster prevention for the Danube river;

28.  Recalls that it is necessary to increase agricultural trade with Croatia too, so that when Croatia accedes it can align itself as smoothly as possible with the common agricultural policy;

29.  Acknowledges the specific geography of the region and its strategic situation, which make the area the natural transit point for trade in goods, in particular primary energy products (crude oil and natural gas), between Europe and Asia; welcomes the launch of major sub-regional transport projects such as the "South-Eastern axis" which will facilitate the inclusion in real terms of the Western Balkan countries in the wider energy pipeline network linking the European Union with Turkey and the countries of the Caucasus; calls on the Commission and the Western Balkan countries to make sufficient financial resources available for infrastructure modernisation, with particular reference to the logistics sector, and to carry out the necessary reforms to make the sector more competitive and dynamic;

30.  Emphasises that in retail trade the administrative obstacles which prevent the emergence of more competitive food traders must be removed, as the ineffectiveness of the food trade hampers the attempts by European producers to reach the market;

31.  Stresses the need to give more support to the development of SMEs on the basis of the European Charter for Small Enterprises, which has been endorsed by all Western Balkan countries; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure access for SMEs to EU Structural Funds and to provide better financing for SME-related projects; calls on the Commission to set up an institutional framework to enhance cooperation between the Community and the private sector in the countries of the Western Balkans which will ensure the appropriate use of Community funds;

32.  Stresses the need to expand the scope of cooperation in the field of education and science between the European Union and the Western Balkan countries which will create the conditions for stable economic development and growth in the region, thus encouraging integration of the Western Balkans into the common economic area, the common area on research and education, as well as their participation in the labour market in accordance with EU rules and requirements;

33.  Given that the international financial crisis has reached Europe and may have an indirect effect on trade and foreign investment in the Western Balkans, calls on the Commission to monitor developments and, if necessary, to adopt adequate measures in order to guarantee the smooth continuation of the Stabilisation and Association Process, which is an important factor for stability in the region and in the best interests of the European Union itself;

Financial services, customs, fight against organised crime and corruption

34.  Considers it essential for the economic development of the countries in the region that they substantially reform their banking and insurance systems, establish an efficient micro-credit system and improve the regulation and supervision of banking activities, thus laying the ground for a gradual opening of their financial markets;

35.  Calls for the states in the region which suffer from corruption in the civil service to take all appropriate measures to combat it and to ensure that their customs services operate in a better, more transparent way, in line with the standards laid down by the EU and the World Customs Organisation;

36.  Stresses the need to increase customs checks and make them more stringent, in order to combat smuggling, counterfeiting and piracy of goods, as such practices, apart from the loss of revenue they entail, present considerable dangers to the health of the inhabitants of both the European Union and the Western Balkan countries;

37.  Welcomes the improved business climate and the measures for reducing the legal and administrative barriers to business start-ups; expresses its concern, however, over the existence of cartels and the abuse of market power by so-called "tycoons" in some of the Western Balkan countries and by undertakings in a dominant market position; urges the governments of the Western Balkan countries to intensify their fight against corruption and to develop an adequate competition policy which must also encompass state undertakings;

38.  Invites the Western Balkan countries to develop employment and fiscal policies so as to address problems of unemployment, relatively high wages and the large size of the informal economy;

39.  Stresses that fair and transparent regional cross-border competition for public procurement is an important building block of a truly integrated regional market; calls on the Western Balkan countries to assess the potential of public procurement for the stabilisation of sustainable economic development and to multiply their efforts towards a more integrated and better functioning regional public contract system applying the principle of non- discrimination between domestic and regional suppliers;

o
o   o

40.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and to the parliaments and governments of the Member States and of the countries concerned.

(1) OJ L 312, 29.11.2005, p. 1. (2) OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 82. (3) OJ C 27 E, 31.1.2008, p. 207. (4) OJ C 308 E, 16.12.2006, p. 141. (5) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0172. (6) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0120. (7) OJ C 301 E, 13.12.2007, p. 224. (8) OJ C 263 E, 16.10.2008, p. 626. (9) OJ C 305 E, 14.12.2006, p.141. (10) OJ C 323 E, 18.12.2008, p. 467. (11) OJ C 291 E, 30.11.2006, p. 402. (12) OJ C 317 E, 23.12.2006, p. 480.

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on the Common Agricultural Policy and Global Food Security (2008/2153(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0006 A6-0505/2008

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to Article 33 of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to its resolution of 25 October 2007 on rising feed and food prices(1), as well as its resolution of 22 May 2008 on rising food prices in the EU and the developing countries(2),

–   having regard to its resolution of 29 November 2007 on advancing African agriculture - Proposal for agricultural development and food security in Africa(3),

–   having regard to the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries (COM(2008)0450),

–   having regard to the communication from the Commission of 20 May 2008 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Tackling the challenge of rising food prices - Directions for EU action (COM(2008)0321),

–   having regard to the Conclusions of the World Food Summit which was held in Rome on the 13-17 November 1996 and the objective of reducing by half the number of people suffering from hunger by 2015,

–   having regard to the Agricultural Outlook 2008-2017 released by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),

–   having regard to the recommendations of the International Assessment of Agriculture Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD),

–   having regard to the outcome of the "Health Check" of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP),

–   having regard to the ongoing WTO negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda,

–   having regard to the Paris Declaration of 2 March 2005 on Aid Effectiveness,

–   having regard to Rule 45 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 Foreign Affairs, the Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, (A6-0505/2008),

A.   whereas, for the first time since the 1970s, the world is facing an acute food crisis, determined by both structural, long-term factors, as well as by other determinants, with world maize prices tripling since 2006 and world wheat prices increasing by more than 180 % within the time span of two years, and an overall global food price increase of around 83 %,

B.   whereas the significant, unforeseen price surge has taken place within a relatively short time, between September 2006 and February 2008; whereas, furthermore, world prices of other foodstuffs have doubled in the past 2 years and are expected to remain high, despite the current fall in prices of some cereals, as shown by the futures market,

C.   whereas the rise in prices of animal feed results in an increases in the cost of production which, in turn, entails the risk that production of stockfarming products will fall when demand for them is rising and is forecast to continue doing so, particularly in the emerging economies,

D.   whereas the FAO and the OECD predict that, while commodity prices may fall from the higher levels of the past year, they are not expected to fall back to pre-2006 levels; whereas, however, dramatic fluctuations in commodity prices may be a more pronounced and regular feature of the global market; whereas higher food prices do not automatically translate into higher farm incomes mainly due to the speed at which farm-input costs increase and the increasing divergence developing between producer and consumer prices,

E.   whereas world food stocks have fallen to critically low levels, from one year's supply of food in stock after World War II to just 57 days' supply in stock in 2007 to only 40 days' supply in 2008,

F.   whereas these and other factors have had immediate and serious consequences for a significant number of people; whereas, globally, the food price crisis has pushed millions more into poverty and hunger; whereas these developments have sparked riots and unrest around the world, further destabilising countries and regions around the globe; whereas, even in the EU, stocks have been depleted in such measure that the emergency food programme has, at present, no more food to distribute,

G.   whereas, according to current estimates from organisations fighting world hunger, in developing countries one person in five is currently undernourished and suffering from chronic hunger and, each day, over 30 000 children in the world die of hunger and poverty,

H.   whereas agriculture provides employment and a livelihood for more than 70 % of the labour force in developing countries, and for more than 80 % in many African countries and, as a consequence, rural development policies are essential in order to tackle poverty and hunger effectively,

I.   whereas women produce between 60 % and 80 % of food in developing countries and are responsible for half of the world's food production; whereas women play an extremely important role in caring for their families; and whereas women have much less access to land and to means of production than men and must therefore be given appropriate help and support,

J.   whereas the present crisis impacts most heavily on low-income households in both the European Union and in the developing world, where the proportion of household income spent on food represents between 60 % and 80 % of total income, in comparison to the EU average of less than 20 %,

K.   whereas Parliament and the Council have called repeatedly for a strong response to the global problem, providing, in particular, the necessary financing for agricultural inputs and assistance in using market-based management instruments,

L.   whereas the EU remains a major food producer, accounting for 17 % of the world's wheat production, 25 % of world's milk production, 20 % of the world's pigmeat production and 30 % of the world's beef production; whereas it is also a major importer of agricultural products, falling significantly short of self-sufficiency in numerous agricultural commodities,

M.   whereas the EU leads the way in setting food production standards at the highest level, concentrating on the farm-to-fork traceability system and guaranteeing the safety of EU-produced food,

N.   whereas the EU is also a leader in environmental protection initiatives, which serve to protect natural resources, but which also lead to additional cost burdens for EU farmers,

O.   whereas the EU is the leading global donor of development and humanitarian aid but, at international level, the share of aid allocated to agriculture, particularly from the EU, has constantly diminished since the 1980s,

P.   whereas, in addition to Member States' contributions, the EU traditionally finances around 10 % of worldwide development cooperation; whereas this is confirmed by the current contribution through EC instruments (around EUR 1.8 billion: EUR 1 billion through the new facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries and the rest through currently available development and humanitarian aid instruments),

Q.   whereas, against a background of pressure on natural resources, global food demand is expected to double by 2050 and global food-production will need to increase,

R.   whereas, according to the FAO, an investment of EUR 30 billion per year would be enough to ensure the food security of a world population which will have reached 9 billion by 2050,

S.   whereas present international and regional agreements have proved incapable of normalising market supply and trade; whereas the recent surge in food prices should be a wake-up call for governments throughout the world that agricultural production is not to be taken for granted,

1.  Affirms that global food security is a question of the utmost urgency for the EU and calls for immediate and continual action to ensure food security for EU citizens and at global level; considers it important to recognise the value of all the world's farming and food cultures; stresses that food should be available at reasonable prices for consumers, while at the same time a fair standard of living for farmers should be ensured;

2.  Stresses the importance of the CAP as the means to secure food production in the EU; believes that the CAP has provided EU citizens with a secure food supply since its inception in 1962, in addition to protection and enhancement of the rural environment and EU food production standards that are the highest in the world; stresses the need for Community agriculture to continue to play that role in the future;

3.  Notes, however, that over the past 25 years the result of the many CAP reforms has been a reduction in agricultural output in the EU, with a shift in emphasis from quantity to market-led, quality production; believes that this policy shift has resulted in a loss of potential market opportunities for EU producers and has lead to an increased reliance on imported food from outside the EU, produced to very different production standards, thereby exposing EU agricultural products to unequal terms of competition;

Situation and causes

4.  Points out that, prior to the most recent hike in food prices, over 860 million people globally experienced chronic hunger; notes that the World Bank predicts that the surge in food prices could push an additional 100 million people into deeper poverty;

5.  Recognises the FAO view that net food-importing countries are hardest hit by rising food prices and that many of these countries are the world's least developed; reaffirms the fact that poverty and dependence on food imports are leading causes of food insecurity; is mindful of the fact that only a small percentage of global food production is actually traded on the international markets, increasingly from a small number of exporting countries;

6.  Notes that harvests for staple cereals for 2007 and 2008 have been good; notes that the immediate problem of food insecurity in 2007 was due to the fall in supply and the increase in basic commodity prices; is deeply concerned by the low levels of global food stocks which, at present, provide only enough grain for the entire world for less than 40 days;

7.  Stresses that efforts to meet people's basic needs, in particular as regards food and water, is often a source of conflict; notes that the growth in the world's population, which is expected to have risen by 3 billion by 2050, will exacerbate such tensions in all regions of the world; calls, accordingly, for this geo-strategic factor to be taken into account in the future formulation of agricultural policies;

8.  Notes with concern the escalating costs of farm inputs (price-increases in fertilisers, seeds etc.) which have translated into a rise in costs for which farmers (particularly in the livestock sector) have not all been equally compensated and which significantly eroded any potential increase in farm incomes arising from the higher commodity and food prices, thus eroding the stimulus to increase production; is concerned that dramatic increases in input prices could result in less usage and potentially reduced output which will exacerbate the food crisis in the EU and in the world;

9.  Notes that commodity markets have seen a sharp fall in prices in the current season, leading to producer concerns and eroding confidence among farmers;

10.  Stresses the importance of a comprehensive analysis of rising food prices, taking into account rising energy prices for end consumers, stronger weather phenomena and increased demand for energy owing to the increased global population, and calls on the Commission to investigate further the possible link between high food prices and rising energy prices, in particular for fuel; further stresses that steps must be taken to reduce the dependence of agriculture on fossil energy sources by using energy more efficiently and developing energy-saving systems of cultivation;

11.  Calls for policy instruments aimed at averting such dramatic and damaging price fluctuations, and which are conscious of the need to provide a fair standard of living for producers; believes that the system of Single Farm Payment provides the opportunity for farmers to switch production according to market needs but may be insufficient to cope with dramatic market-price fluctuations;

12.  Draws attention to the longer term structural causes at play in the recent price increase of agricultural commodities, including steadily increasing global demand and sustained reductions in investment in production agriculture; notes that, among these factors, the increase in the price of energy, and in particular in the oil price, has had a major impact on global agricultural production (due to increasing farm-production and food-distribution costs) and on the occurrence of food crises in the poorer countries (due to food transport costs within these countries);

13.  Notes that 2 % of EU cereal production was diverted to biofuels in 2007, compared with 25 % of US maize production going to ethanol production in that year; calls for a global assessment of this trend and the impact on food prices and for policy coordination at global level to ensure that food supply is not jeopardised by the push for renewable energy production; calls also for the inclusion in international and regional agreements of commitments that the subsidies granted for biofuel production will not jeopardise world food security and will be consistent with applicable rules so as not to affect competition between trading partners; calls, nevertheless, for firm commitment from the EU in promoting second generation biofuels;

14.  Emphasises the need to strike a balance between the production of biofuels and bio-energy on the one hand, and the requisite global food reserves on the other; notes that the increase in biofuel and bio-energy production can have a positive impact on the agri-foods sector, which is currently feeling the effects of the high prices of raw materials necessary to the processing industry, such as fertilisers and diesel oil, etc.; considers that the development of renewable energy sources is therefore a viable economic and social development alternative for rural areas and one that simultaneously offers a sustainable approach to environmental protection, especially if one factors in the EU's 2020 targets for renewable energy; points out, at the same time, however, that measures need to be taken to ward off the adverse effects that the increase in the production of energy crops may have on biodiversity, food prices and land-use patterns;

15.  Notes that the EU has made a considerable contribution to increasing the supply of agricultural commodities by abolishing its set-aside scheme;

16.  Draws attention to rapidly changing consumer eating habits, particularly in emerging countries with a shift towards more meat and protein consumption requiring more grain; notes also the welcome increase in real income in countries such as China and India, which will continue to drive the demand for agricultural goods and processed foods;

17.  Believes that increasing market concentration in the food retail sector needs to be monitored to prevent the development of monopoly situations, as the activities of large retailers may not always be in the best interests of producers, processors or consumers;

18.  Calls for the adoption of alternative solutions that adjust the balance in favour of small producers, who find themselves unable to negotiate with the large retailers; points out that, despite the existence at EU level of an anti-monopoly legislative framework that prevents big producers abusing dominant positions on the EU market, there are as yet no specific regulations for combating the monopolistic practices carried on by some supermarkets and hypermarkets;

EU responses

19.  Believes that the CAP should remain the cornerstone of EU food-security policy now and beyond 2013; considers that functioning ecosystems, fertile soils, stable water resources and a diverse rural economy are essential in the interests of long-term food security; considers also that it is of fundamental importance that the CAP, together with other Community policies, should play a greater part in the world food balance;

20.  Strongly believes, however, that the CAP should be further adapted to meet food-security concerns; is disappointed that, in its legislative proposals of May 2008 for the Health Check of the CAP, the Commission has not fully faced up to the challenge; is opposed to the dismantling of market management measures and cuts in farmers" support payments;

21.  Calls, in light of the 2008-2009 Budget Review, for a stable and constant level of EU and Member States' expenditure on the CAP guaranteeing a fair income for farmers; recalls that farmers need a stable policy environment in order to plan for the future; stresses that the basic principle of such a policy is an income safety net against risks and crises arising either from adverse natural phenomena or from market distortions and an unusually long and widespread fall in prices; points out, in this respect, the fact that agriculture brings a significant added-value to national and EU economies;

22.  Points out that the market alone cannot provide the income security for producers which they need to continue farming because of the high cost of compliance with EU food production, food safety, environmental and animal welfare standards; welcomes, however, the increased market orientation of the CAP; regrets, on the other hand, that the objectives of the 2003 reforms to provide higher market prices and less bureaucracy for farmers have not been fully achieved;

23.  Believes that the numerous cross-compliance rules provide a disincentive to producers and that, where possible, these rules should be made less complex; welcomes, in this respect, the Commission's simplification initiatives;

24.  Is alarmed that proposed EU legislation (for example on plant protection products) may have a dramatic impact by reducing the tools available to farmers to maximise yields and may, in effect, lead to a dramatic reduction in EU farm output; calls for a detailed impact assessment - in particular on the implications for food security - of all proposed measures;

25.  Urges the Commission to look at the impact of climate change mitigation initiatives in the agriculture sector; considers that farming must make its contribution to efforts to combat climate change but must also receive resources in order to tackle the impact of climate change, being one of the most climate-sensitive sectors of the economy, in order not to depress EU farm output and result in its being replaced with imported production;

26.  Believes that there is a need to review EU and other international production and market monitoring systems to provide a more rapid alert mechanism to determine production trends; believes there is a need for a global food inventory regime and a global system of food stocks and that the EU should take the lead in devising such a system; urges the Commission to act with global partners and to come forward with a proposal in this regard;

27.  Calls for effective insurance policies to be made available, protecting against massive price and income fluctuations as well as weather-related impacts on production;

28.  Calls on the Commission to devise an effective EU market monitoring system capable of recording the changes and trends in the prices of agricultural products and the cost of inputs; maintains that such a system must ensure transparency and facilitate cross-border comparisons of similar products;

29.  Considers that an international observatory should be set up within the FAO to facilitate the monitoring of prices of agricultural products, inputs and food at international level;

30.  Notes that, through successive reforms of the CAP, trade distorting elements of EU agriculture policy negatively impacting on farmers in the developing world have been addressed, but that trade relations remain unequal and that efforts still need to be made to construct a fairer system;

31.  Notes, however, that EU policy reforms to meet WTO requirements have led to a reorientation of CAP supports away from production-linked payments, dismantling of market management measures and the opening up of markets, leaving consumers and producers increasingly exposed to world market instability; calls for policies under the CAP to incorporate provisions on food security and for trade agreements to incorporate equal commitments from partners to regulate trade in a way that does not jeopardise world food security; calls on the Commission, at the WTO negotiations, to advocate qualified market access, which will ensure that the high environmental standards of EU farming and the right of every Member State to food security are not undermined by cheap imports;

32.  Notes that the EU is pushing ahead with its commitments to abolish all export refunds by 2013 and that through the Health Check of the CAP further reforms of the market support instruments are being pursued, in line with WTO agreements;

33.  Considers that the financing facility for rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries is a necessary first step to tackle the immediate needs of those most affected by the food crisis; stresses, however, that this facility is a one-off measure designed to target funds from Heading 4 of the General Budget of the EU towards small-scale agriculture in the worst hit countries which will need to be reinforced by further investment; considers that the Commission should audit how the money is spent and ensure that it is always used where the need is greatest, and that regular reporting to Parliament should be carried out; requests, furthermore, that Parliament have regular oversight of implementation, through the regulatory procedure with scrutiny;

34.  Calls on the Commission to reinforce its present programmes designed to ensure food security in Europe and around the world; calls for a reinforcement of the Food Security Thematic Programme (2007-2010), currently endowed with EUR 925 million for the entire programming period; welcomes the proposal for an increase in the budgetary allocation for the Food Distribution Programme for the Most Deprived Persons of the Community presented by the Commission on September 17, 2008; calls on the Commission to adopt a comprehensive strategy on food security issues so as to achieve coherence among all Community policies;

35.  Is alarmed by the current global financial crisis which may result in a reduction in finance available for farming; calls on the Commission to analyse the effects of the financial crisis on the agricultural sector and to consider proposals to ensure the stability of the sector, also in terms of access to loans and credit guarantees;

36.  Points to research which shows that consumers are for the most part unaware of the vital benefits provided through the CAP by way of food security and reasonably priced food(4); calls for citizen information policies and a renewed commitment to simplification, which would result in an increased awareness of the instruments and benefits of the CAP; proposes that the costs of not having a common agricultural policy should be explained to the public;

37.  Believes that the CAP should play a significant role in the EU's foreign affairs and development policies with special regard to the external food security policy; believes that, besides securing the EU's food production, the CAP can contribute to meeting the increased demand for food globally;

38.  Notes that armed conflicts impact very negatively on production of and access to food; expresses its concerns about the serious consequences of conflict-proneness as regards food security, e.g. through mass migrations, paralysis of agricultural production, detrimental impact on vital infrastructure;

39.  Believes that it is crucial to avoid disruptive competitive scrambles for scarce food resources; calls, therefore, for more effective EU coordination with non-governmental organisations, the FAO and other international agencies at a technical level and with the UN at a political level, to promote fair access to global food resources and to increase food production in key developing countries while consistently taking into account biodiversity and sustainable development criteria;

40.  Urges the EU to help countries at risk of conflict to develop strong agricultural policies of their own based on easy access to raw materials, quality education and adequate funding, as well as on reliable infrastructure; believes that EU aid should be targeted at improving self-sufficiency with regard to food for recipient developing countries, which will improve regional food security and access to food for the poorest sections of society;

41.  Notes that some growing economies might be planning to lease large tracts of land in poorer parts of Africa and Asia for the purposes of growing crops and shipping them back to their markets so as to improve their own food security; believes that, together with the FAO, the EU must take this phenomenon seriously as a major threat to food security and to effective agriculture policy in host countries;

Agriculture in the developing world

42.  Stresses that the current food challenges call for food production to be stepped up in order to keep pace with increasing demand, while improving quality, lowering costs and ensuring greater sustainability; considers that, in order to achieve this, public policies need to be overhauled with a view to improving production methods, ,stock management and world market regulation;

43.  Stresses the need for more medium and long-term action to develop agriculture and food production in developing countries, particularly in Africa, taking account of the above-mentioned recommendations of the IAASTD; is of the opinion that agricultural development can serve as the starting point for broad economic development in a country;

44.  Believes that the European Development Fund should be more focused on agriculture, particularly small farms and processing of products on the spot, as the vast majority of the world's poor live in rural areas that are highly dependent on agricultural production; considers, moreover, that efforts should be made to establish rules for agricultural trade, which guarantee food supplies in all countries; believes that developing countries should be accorded trade advantages that support the strengthening of national production; calls on the Commission to take these considerations into account during the WTO negotiations, as well as when negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements with developing countries;

45.  Considers that one serious obstacle to increased agricultural output in developing countries is the lack of access for small farmers to loans and micro-credits for investment in improved seeds, fertilisers and irrigation mechanisms; stresses, further, the issue of loan guarantees that in most cases are not available; calls on the European Investment Bank to look into means to provide programmes for local food producers in developing countries with loan guarantees to support access to credit and micro-credit;

46.  Reaffirms its belief in the need for regionally integrated agricultural markets; calls on the Commission to support regional cooperation and integration; reminds African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States of the success of agricultural integration in Europe and the stability it has provided for over 50 years; therefore encourages regional economic communities of ACP states to step up their activities in the agricultural field and calls on developing countries to reduce trade barriers amongst themselves;

47.  Stresses, further, the fact that agriculture needs to be transformed from a system of subsistence farming to a job-creating rural economy; considers, further, that in order to develop robust agricultural sectors, particular emphasis should be put on measures to support young farmers in the developing world; believes the EU should increase cooperation and support efforts to modernise food chains in developing countries, making them more effective; considers, further, that the EU should support initiatives such as the common seeds programme, started by the African Union and its national and regional partners;

48.  Considers that, if the developing countries are to pursue an effective development policy, they must adopt a national or joint regional strategy for rural development with clear support measures for producers and products; considers, in this context, that EU development aid will not be of a piecemeal nature but will form part of the cofinanced national or joint regional strategy for rural development;

49.  Demands that a permanent food-security fund be created in support of the world's poorest, under Heading 4 of the General Budget of the EU to complement other development measures financed by the EU;

50.  Welcomes global initiatives such as the United Nations High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis and considers that the EU should coordinate its efforts with the Task Force; stresses the importance of the Voluntary Guidelines to support the progressive realisation of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security adopted by members of the FAO in November 2004; proposes, furthermore, that, in order to ensure the availability of food, a worldwide stockholding obligation programme should be created, as well as a better basic storage system for key production inputs (protein, fertilisers, seeds, pesticides), preferably based on private-sector players, including farmers' cooperatives;

51.  Is mindful of EU commitments to the developing world and our current and future WTO obligations; requests that EU support measures assist the goals as stated in the Maputo declaration of 2002 of African governments; calls on Member States to respect their commitments towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals, and in particular the provision of 0.7 % of their Gross National Product to development assistance; is of the opinion, however, that the quality of development assistance is more important than the amounts spent thereon;

52.  Regrets the reduction in the amount of development aid being devoted to agriculture and rural development, which was 17 % in 1980 and only 3 % in 2006; urges the Commission to direct and monitor the contribution of the EU financial support towards achieving agricultural-led growth and to do all in its power to induce governments to spend the amount of 10 % of the national budget on the agricultural sector, as they have committed themselves to (e.g. by setting objectives targeted at national agricultural policies);

53.  Reaffirms that, for ACP States, agriculture is a sector which is more capable than others of generating growth for poor rural people, thereby making a tangible contribution to the attainment of the first Millennium Development Goal on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, and underlines how it is therefore crucial to act immediately and to promote greater investment in agriculture and rural development;

54.  Emphasises that agricultural development must be based primarily on the right to food and the right to produce food, enabling all people to have the right to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food produced using environmentally sound and sustainable methods in an autonomous farming structure;

55.  Calls on the EU to recognise developing countries" right to food sovereignty and to support this with targeted measures, primarily using and developing the available structures and resources – such as seeds, manure and means of production – as well as fostering regional integration;

56.  Calls on the EU to put agriculture back at the centre of its development agenda, giving specific priority to programmes for agricultural development including clear targets for poverty reduction and feasible objectives, particularly measures promoting small-scale agriculture and the production of food for local markets through the use of biodiversity, with a particular focus on capacity-building for small-holder farmers and women;

57.  Calls for the EU to join forces with Members States, ACP Governments, international organisations, regional development banks and private foundations, non-governmental organisations and local authorities, to incorporate new projects and programme interventions for soaring food prices into regional programmes in a better way;

58.  Calls for measures to improve training to enable young people to pursue higher education in agriculture, including training on how to meet EU sanitary and phytosanitary standards, as well as to create job opportunities for agriculture graduates for the purpose of reducing poverty and migration from rural to urban areas, and for the purpose of avoiding "brain drain" – migration from developing countries to developed countries;

59.  Recalls the Food Crisis Prevention Network's 2008 Code of Good Conduct in Food Crisis Prevention and Management, and calls for it to be implemented and observed in the CAP; furthermore supports and urges involving civil society and promoting the interests of women, small-scale farming cooperatives and producer groups in order to ensure food security and food self-sufficiency;

60.  Is very concerned by the fact that, in many instances, military and defence budgets are larger than budgets for agriculture and food;

61.  Believes that smallholders represent the cornerstone of agricultural development; stresses some of the most severe problems facing small farmers in the developing world, such as access to markets, land, training, financing, inputs and technology; reaffirms the importance of developing rural infrastructure and investment in small farms and traditional low-input methods of production suited to the location;

62.  Notes that a lack of trade in foodstuffs is a significant factor in global food production and that, according to the FAO, although global rice production increased in 2007, trade in rice fell in the same year;

63.  Believes that further, unregulated liberalisation of agricultural trade would lead to a further increase in food prices and even higher price volatility; stresses that the worst affected would be the most vulnerable, food-importing developing countries; stresses, furthermore, that world trade rules must under no circumstances undermine the right of countries or regions to support their farming sectors with a view to ensuring food security for their population;

64.  Believes that market opening policies for agricultural products in the framework of the WTO and bilateral free trade agreements have significantly contributed to a loss of food security in many developing countries and in the context of the current global food supply crisis; calls on the Commission to re-assess its free-market approach to agricultural trade accordingly;

65.  Calls on the large food exporting countries (Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, etc.) to act as reliable suppliers of staple foods and to avoid export restrictions, which could have disastrous consequences, especially on poor food-importing developing countries;

66.  Is alarmed by the current world financial crisis which could lead to a reduction in the funding available for public development aid; calls on the Commission to analyse the impact of the financial crisis on the development aid sector and to continue devising proposals with a view to supporting agriculture in the world's poorest countries;

67.  Notes that the global food crisis is among the great threats to peace and security in the world; welcomes, in that respect, the recent efforts of the Commission to investigate ways of tackling the global food security issue; calls on the Member States to support such initiatives at national and local level;

Research and development

68.  Reaffirms its commitment to investment in technology and innovation in agriculture and farm production;

69.  Stresses the importance of publicly funded research which serves to promote food security rather than focusing one-sidedly on industrial interests; calls for investment in research not only into individual new technologies but also into comprehensive farming systems which will serve the aim of long-term food security; stresses in this connection the pioneering role which could be played in this field, for example, by a EU technology platform for ecological agricultural research;

70.  Stresses the importance of research but also of transferring the knowledge gained through research down to farm level through an effective farm extension service, particularly in the developing world; calls for a strengthening of agricultural research and knowledge generation;

71.  Is concerned that the emphasis in the EU on cross-compliance may be to the detriment of farm production research and advice; stresses the need for both;

72.  Calls for an accelerated programme of research and development on sustainable and energy-efficient agriculture, suited to its location; encourages Member States to support research aimed at increasing productivity in respect of applications to agriculture; is mindful of the concerns of EU consumers;

Sustainable world agriculture

73.  Is concerned by the alterations to weather patterns brought about by climate change which, it is predicted, will make droughts and floods more common, with negative impacts on harvest yields and predictability of global agricultural production;

74.  Is concerned that the implementation in the EU of proposals to further reduce greenhouse gases may adversely affect EU food production, particularly livestock production;

75.  Recognises that improved energy efficiency is needed in the agricultural sector, which generates a significant share of total CO2 emissions;

76.  Considers that expansion of biofuels and bioenergy production could impact positively on the agricultural and food processing sector which is suffering from higher prices for inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, and diesel, as well as transport and processing costs;

77.  Recognises that the agricultural sector supports the livelihood of the majority of the population in many developing countries, and therefore encourages these countries to develop mechanisms of stable and transparent agricultural policies that will ensure long-term planning and sustainable development;

78.  Asks the Commission to monitor closely the effects of increased bioenergy production in the EU and in third countries as regards changes in land use, food commodity prices and access to foodstuff;

79.  Reiterates that incentives for sustainable cultivation of energy crops should not jeopardise food production;

80.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote research and development to prevent and adapt to climate change, including, inter alia, research into the next generation of biofuels, in particular the use of high-yield energy crops, environmentally friendly fertilisers that are as effective as possible, new agricultural technologies with minimum negative effects on land use, the development of new plant types that are resistant to changes in climate and related diseases and research into ways to use waste in agriculture;

81.  Believes that there is a need for further agricultural research, in order to increase sustainable farm productivity, and calls on the Member States to exploit fully the opportunities offered in this respect by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, and to adopt measures that will improve agricultural output in a sustainable and energy-efficient way;

o
o   o

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

(1) OJ C 263 E, 16.10.2008, p. 621. (2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2008)0229. (3) OJ C 297 E, 20.11.2008, p. 201. (4) Agri Aware TNS/Mrbi research conducted in Ireland, August 2008.

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on the perspectives for developing civil dialogue under the Treaty of Lisbon (2008/2067(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0007 A6-0475/2008

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon on 13 December 2007,

–   having regard to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community,

–   having regard to its resolution of 20 February 2008 on the Treaty of Lisbon(1),

–   having regard to the various resolutions dealing with civil society that it has adopted during the current parliamentary term,

–   having regard to the workshop held by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs with representatives of civil society organisations on 3 June 2008,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A6-0475/2008),

A.   whereas a democratic European Union that is close to citizens requires close cooperation between the EU institutions and Member States and civil society at European, national, regional and local level,

B.   whereas an openness on the part of EU institutions and national, regional and local authorities to dialogue and cooperation with citizens and civil society organisations is a basic prerequisite for the latter's involvement in lawmaking and governance at all levels,

C.   whereas the Treaty of Lisbon enhances the rights of EU citizens vis-à-vis the Union by making it easier for citizens and representative civil society associations to take part in discussion on a "citizens' Europe",

D.   whereas the current provisions, which have also been included in the Treaty of Lisbon, establish a vital legal framework for the development of civil dialogue at European level; whereas, however, those provisions are not always satisfactorily implemented,

E.   whereas civil society is at different stages of development in the 27 Member States, taking advantage to differing degrees of opportunities for involvement in participatory democracy, the lawmaking process and dialogue with national, regional and local authorities,

F.   whereas the term "civil society" refers to the numerous non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations established by citizens, of their own will, that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests, ideas and ideologies of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations,

G.   whereas the representativeness of civil society organisations is very much a moot point, and whereas the vigour and effectiveness with which some organisations promote their ideas does not always reflect their representativeness,

H.   whereas the various EU institutions have different approaches to civil dialogue,

1.  Welcomes the contribution made by the European Union to the development of civil dialogue, both at European level and at national, regional and local level in the Member States;

2.  Stresses that civil society in Europe plays an important role in the European integration process, since it communicates the positions and demands expressed by EU citizens to the European institutions; highlights the importance of the expertise that civil society makes available to the institutions, and stresses the importance of providing information on and raising awareness about civil dialogue, in particular in connection with promoting the activities and objectives of the EU, building European cooperation networks and strengthening the European identity and identification with Europe within civil society;

3.  Stresses that broader public debate, more effective civil dialogue and greater political awareness are necessary if the EU is to achieve its political goals and objectives;

4.  Emphasises its special attachment to civil dialogue and draws attention to the importance accorded to such dialogue by the Treaty of Lisbon, which has made it an overriding principle across all spheres of EU activity;

5.  Welcomes the enhancement of representative democracy and participatory democracy resulting from the provision made in the Treaty of Lisbon for "citizens' initiatives" enabling one million citizens from a number of Member States to invite the Commission to submit a legislative proposal;

6.  Calls on the EU institutions and the national, regional and local authorities in the Member States to make the fullest possible use of existing legal provisions and best practices in order to step up dialogue with citizens and civil society organisations; considers, in particular, that the European Parliament Information Offices in each Member State should play an active role in the promotion, organisation and management of forums that take place at least annually between Parliament and representatives of civil society in that Member State, and stresses the importance of the regular participation of its Members, both from the Member State concerned and from other Member States, in those forums;

7.  Calls on the EU institutions to involve all interested civil society representatives in the civil dialogue; considers it essential, in this connection, for the voice of young Europeans, who will shape and take responsibility for the European Union of tomorrow, to be heard;

8.  Calls on the EU institutions to ensure that all EU citizens – female, male, young and old, urban and rural – are able to take an active part, with equal rights, in civil dialogue, without being subjected to discrimination, and, in particular, that members of linguistic minorities are able to use their native languages in such forums; takes the view that the EU's role in this area should be to foster the realisation of the principle of gender equality and to set an example in promoting that principle both within the Member States and outside the EU;

9.  Calls on the EU institutions to adopt in an interinstitutional agreement binding guidelines concerning the appointment of civil society representatives, methods for organising consultations and their funding, in accordance with the general principles and minimum standards for consultation of interested parties(2); points out that, to this end, all EU institutions should maintain up-to-date registers of all relevant non-governmental organisations, whether they are active in the Member States and/or focused on the EU institutions;

10.  Calls on the EU institutions to make civil dialogue a horizontal task for all directorates-general in the Commission, all working parties in the Council and all committees in the European Parliament, using transparent procedures and maintaining a genuine balance between the public and private sectors;

11.  Calls on the EU institutions to cooperate more closely in developing civil dialogue and promoting an actively European mindset among EU citizens, with a view to ensuring better communication, information flow and coordination in connection with their public consultation activities; notes that, in this connection, regular meetings between civil society and Commissioners in forums in the Member States would be highly desirable as a way of reducing the perceived gap between the EU and the citizens of Europe;

12.  Calls on the Council to afford easier and simpler access to its proceedings, which is a fundamental precondition for genuine dialogue with civil society;

13.  Stresses the importance of developing a European communication policy as regards providing new ways and means of communicating with EU citizens (using the internet, e-technologies and modern audiovisual technologies);

14.  Calls for the continued implementation of tried and tested EU measures to step up civil society involvement in the European integration process, such as Europe by Satellite, the Citizens' Agora, citizens' issues forums (e.g. Your Europe), internet debates, etc.;

15.  Stresses the importance of the role played by professional European opinion polls in identifying and understanding the needs and expectations of EU citizens with regard to the way in which the Union operates; urges both EU institutions and civil society in the Member States to bear these expectations in mind in their interactions and debates;

16.  Calls on the national, regional and local authorities in the Member States to foster civil dialogue, particularly in those countries and regions and in those sectors where it is not yet fully developed or sufficiently well implemented; further urges those bodies to promote actively the development of regional interactivity of civil society among Member States, and cross-border initiatives; considers that the building-up of Member State clusters should also be explored as a means of promoting exchanges of ideas and experiences within the EU;

17.  Calls on representatives of European society to take an active part in civil dialogue and in the formulation of European programmes and policies, thereby making it possible to influence decision-making processes;

18.  Encourages EU citizens to become more involved in European debates and discussions and to vote in the forthcoming European Parliament elections;

19.  Points out that, for dialogue with citizens at all levels – European, national, regional and local –, appropriate financial resources are required, and calls on the stakeholders in that dialogue and the entities responsible for it to ensure that it is adequately funded;

20.  Stresses that, besides dialogue with civil society, there also needs to be an open, transparent and regular dialogue between the Union and churches and religious communities, as provided for by the Treaty of Lisbon;

21.  Recommends to the EU institutions that they jointly make available information on the representativeness and fields of activity of civil society organisations in Europe, for example in a public, user-friendly database;

22.  Calls on the Commission to submit a fresh proposal for European associations so that European civil society organisations can fall back on a shared legal basis;

23.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the parliaments of the Member States, the Council, the Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

(1) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0055. (2) See the Commission's communication of 11 December 2002 entitled "Towards a reinforced culture of consultation and dialogue – General principles and minimum standards for consultation of interested parties by the Commission" (COM(2002)0704).

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on the transposition, implementation and enforcement of Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and Directive 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising (2008/2114(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0008 A6-0514/2008

The European Parliament,

-   having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the provisions thereof establishing the internal market and guaranteeing undertakings the freedom to provide services in other Member States,

-   having regard to Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market(1) ("the UCP Directive"),

-   having regard to Directive 2006/114/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 concerning misleading and comparative advertising(2) ("the MCA Directive"),

-   having regard to Directive 97/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 1997 amending Directive 84/450/EEC concerning misleading advertising so as to include comparative advertising(3),

-   having regard to Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984 relating to the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning misleading advertising(4),

-   having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws (the Regulation on consumer protection cooperation)(5),

-   having regard to Directive 98/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 1998 on injunctions for the protection of consumers' interests(6), and to the report from the Commission of 18 November 2008 concerning its application (COM(2008)0756),

-   having regard to the Commission's Green Paper of 27 November 2008 on consumer collective redress (COM(2008)0794),

-   having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 13 March 2007 on the EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 (COM(2007)0099),

-   having regard to the more than 400 petitions on misleading directory companies from 24 Member States and 19 third countries received by its Committee on Petitions,

-   having regard to its resolution of 16 December 2008 on misleading directory companies(7),

-   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement on better law-making(8),

-   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-   having regard to the report of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (A6-0514/2008),

A.   whereas the Commission's EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 aims at a "better monitoring of consumer markets and national consumer policies" and at achieving a "timely and uniform transposition of the unfair commercial practices Directive" in particular,

B.   whereas the UCP Directive embodies a new approach in the field of EU consumer law in providing for maximum harmonisation for the protection of consumers against unfair commercial practices,

C.   whereas the MCA Directive codifies Directive 84/450/EEC, and in particular the amendments thereto introduced by Directive 97/55/EC, and narrows its scope to business-to-business (B2B) transactions,

D.   whereas the scope of the UCP Directive is limited to transactions between businesses and consumers and does not cover all commercial practices, but only those which can be considered as unfair; whereas it is limited to commercial practices which are capable of harming the economic interests of consumers, and adjustments of national legislation protecting businesses against the unfair commercial practices of other businesses are not required in its framework,

E.   whereas three Member States have not notified the measures adopted to transpose the UCP Directive to the Commission, namely Germany, Spain and Luxembourg; whereas three requests for a preliminary ruling have been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ) as regards the compatibility of national measures with the UCP Directive; whereas the Commission is of the opinion that inadequate transposition has been detected in some Member States,

F.   whereas the UCP and MCA Directives leave Member States considerable discretion as regards the remedies and penalties for infringement of their provisions,

G.   whereas there is a lack of effective legal remedies for infringement of the MCA Directive, as well as a lack of enforcement of that Directive, as is demonstrated, inter alia, by directory companies engaging in misleading practices,

Introduction

1.  Stresses the importance of the UCP and MCA Directives in making consumers and traders more confident in engaging in cross-border transactions and in ensuring greater legal certainty for businesses in relation to the admissibility of different commercial practices and advertising in the internal market;

2.  Highlights the UCP Directive as landmark legislation in the area of EU consumer law, the transposition, implementation and enforcement of which will be a crucial source for the future development of EU consumer law and for the full development of the potential of the internal market, the development of cross-border trade and e-commerce;

3.  Strongly believes that proper transposition, implementation and enforcement of the UCP and MCA Directives is crucial in order to achieve the aims of those Directives, particularly given the differences in the enforcement systems and implementation techniques of the Member States, the complexity of some of the legal concepts contained in the Directives, multiple and extensive existing national rules regulating unfair commercial practices and advertising and the broad scope of application of the Directives;

4.  Calls on the Commission, with reference to Recital 8 to the UCP Directive, to investigate the need to protect small and medium-sized undertakings against aggressive business practices and, if appropriate, to initiate the requisite follow-up measures;

Codification and transposition

5.  Welcomes the Commission's efforts to assist Member States in transposing the UCP and MCA Directives;

6.  Notes that Article 3a(2) of Directive 84/450/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/55/EC, referring to a "comparison referring to a special offer", was deleted and appears neither in the UCP Directive nor in the MCA Directive; regrets that there is confusion surrounding the consequences of this deletion for business-to-consumer transactions, manifested, in particular, by the divergent approaches of the Member States to the maintenance in national law following the adoption of the UCP Directive of already-existing provisions implementing Article 3a(2) of Directive 84/450/EEC as amended by Directive 97/55/EC; calls on the Member States with the assistance of the Commission to investigate this and to take possible follow-up action;

7.  Considers that the Commission should either submit a proposal for an amendment to the MCA Directive to include a "black list" of practices that are under all circumstances to be considered misleading, or extend the scope of the UCP Directive to cover B2B contracts with specific regard to point 21 of Annex I thereto; requests the Commission to report by December 2009 on the measures taken;

8.  Observes that several Member States have disaggregated the "black list" contained in Annex I to the UCP Directive in transposing and implementing it in their legal systems; considers that splitting-up the "black list" in different pieces of national legislation creates confusion for undertakings and might lead to distortions in the application of the UCP Directive; asks the Commission to work with Member States in adapting their national legislation so that "black lists" are visible and useful for consumers to the greatest extent possible;

9.  Urges Member States to screen their legal systems in order to avoid possible overlaps between rules adopted in transposition of the UCP and the MCA Directives and already-existing national provisions, and thus ensure greater clarity for consumers and businesses regarding the transposition process;

10.  Calls on the Member States to focus their efforts on the proper transposition, implementation and enforcement of the UCP and MCA Directives and to ensure that all relevant national court judgments and ECJ rulings are respected;

11.  Considers that, in cross-border transactions, consumers and businesses are hampered by incorrect or delayed transposition of directives by Member States;

Implementation and enforcement

12.  Notes that some Member States have provided that only certain regulatory bodies may enforce national rules adopted in implementation of the UCP Directive and have not made provision for a direct right of redress for consumers, who thus are not entitled to bring claims for damages resulting from unfair commercial practices; calls on Member States which have not already done so to consider the necessity of giving consumers a direct right of redress in order to ensure that they are sufficiently protected against unfair commercial practices;

13.  Welcomes the results of the Commission's EU Airlines Sweep and EU Ringtones Sweep as a first step towards better monitoring of the implementation and enforcement of internal market legislation; emphasises the need to carry out extended checks in this respect at regular intervals; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, to collect similar data on the implementation of internal market legislation in other key sectors of the internal market;

14.  Encourages the Commission to develop more efficient implementation monitoring tools, such as sweeps, in such a way that the enforcement of consumer protection law can be improved; asks the Commission to consider the feasibility of integrating sweeps into the Consumer Scoreboard monitoring mechanisms;

15.  Calls on all Member States to cooperate fully with the Commission in conducting and following up on Commission sweeps;

16.  Highlights the importance of reasonable, timely and accurate data and information for the adequate monitoring of consumer goods markets; notes the key role of business and consumer organizations in providing such data;

17.  Stresses the importance of cross-border enforcement for the functioning of the internal market; calls on the Commission to further develop the use of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network in such a way that cross-border law enforcement can be improved; underlines the need to further raise awareness of the European Consumer Centres Network;

18.  Calls on the Member States to devote adequate personnel and financial resources to cross-border enforcement;

19.  Calls on the Member States and national judicial authorities to reinforce cross-border cooperation regarding misleading database services;

20.  Welcomes the Commission's initiative to establish a publicly accessible database of national measures adopted in transposition of the UCP Directive, jurisprudence thereon and other relevant material; calls on the Commission to include in this database expert monitoring reports which, on the basis of cases documented in the database, formulate specific recommendations for action to improve enforcement of the law; calls on the Commission furthermore to use this database to set up a "single point of access" website where both undertakings and consumers can retrieve information on the legislation in force in the Member States;

21.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to organise information campaigns to heighten consumers' awareness of their rights, providing them with greater protection against unfair commercial practices and misleading comparative advertising;

22.  Points out that the monitoring of transposition, implementation and enforcement is a resource-intensive exercise; considers, therefore, that the Commission should be given appropriate human resources to police implementation more effectively;

23.  Calls on the Member States to provide sufficient guidance for companies at national level; highlights as a best practice "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations: a basic guide for business" published by the UK Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform in association with the UK Office of Fair Trading;

24.  Insists that the Commission submit on schedule, by 12 June 2011, a comprehensive implementation report pursuant to Article 18 of the UCP Directive which incorporates experience gained from the MCA Directive;

o
o   o

25.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 22. (2) OJ L 376, 27.12.2006, p. 21. (3) OJ L 290, 23.10.1997, p. 18. (4) OJ L 250, 19.9.1984, p. 17. (5) OJ L 364, 9.12.2004, p. 1. (6) OJ L 166, 11.6.1998, p. 51. (7) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0608. (8) OJ C 321, 31.12.2003, p. 1.

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on the CFP and the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (2008/2178(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0009 A6-0485/2008

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982,

–   having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the common fisheries policy (CFP)(1),

–   having regard to the Commission Communication entitled 'The role of the CFP in implementing an ecosystem approach to marine management' (COM(2008)0187),

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 29 and 30 September 2008 on the above-mentioned Commission Communication,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A6-0485/2008),

A.   whereas in any geographical area all living organisms (people, plants, animals and micro-organisms), their physical surroundings (such as soil, water, air) and the natural cycles that sustain them, are all interconnected,

B.   whereas developments, interactions and changes within such ecosystems have direct and often unwanted or unforeseen effects on other elements both inside and outside the system and whereas, likewise, developments occurring outside the system can have an immediate impact on the system,

C.   whereas an ecosystem approach to fisheries currently provides the best basis for a global management and decision-making system which takes into account all of the stakeholders and elements concerned, their requirements and needs, as well as future effects on the system and its interactions,

D.   whereas fishing in the waters of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of each Member State is important for its sovereignty and independence, particularly in terms of food,

E.   whereas our knowledge of the oceans and the factors that influence them is still limited, but is nonetheless sufficient for us to know that many fish stocks, both commercial and non-commercial, are depleted in the EU and elsewhere, and that while this is due to many factors, in most cases the principal cause is over-fishing,

F.   whereas scientific research on the sustainability of fishery resources presupposes the rejection of any assumptions based on preconceived ideas and, consequently, the proposal for an ecosystem-based analysis of the assessment of fishery resources will be truly ecosystem-based only if it is founded on validated scientific data,

G.   whereas such an ecosystem approach has to be dynamic and flexible in its information and decision-making processes, given the need for constant adaptation owing to the emergence of new scientific knowledge and new interrelations,

H.   whereas, according to the Commission Communication entitled 'Reports from Member States on behaviours which seriously infringed the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2006' (COM(2008)0670), serious and worrying infringements of the CFP rules remain frequent, despite attempts to reduce the capacity of the Community fleet,

I.   whereas the assessment of fishery resources is concerned with the sustainability of stocks, and whereas this is fundamental for fishing activity, and safeguarding this sustainability is a matter for the Member States,

J.   whereas the main objective of fisheries policy, accepted by all the States participating in the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002, is to obtain maximum sustainable catches,

K.   whereas the sharp decline in income in the fishing industry is due to the depletion of many fish stocks of commercial value, which has made it necessary to impose restrictions on fishing activity, and to the stagnation/fall in prices at first sale, accompanied by the exponential increase in factors of production (diesel and petrol), a situation which is even worse in countries where these costs are higher, in particular owing to the absence or inadequacy of measures to support the industry by comparison with those adopted by other countries,

L.   whereas the Commission has proposed that a debate be launched on a possible reform of the CFP,

1.  Welcomes the above-mentioned Commission Communication on an ecosystem approach to marine management and emphasises that this initiative represents a contribution towards ensuring the exploitation of fishery resources so as to create sustainable conditions from the social, environmental and economic points of view;

2.  Stresses the need for the ecosystem approach to fisheries management to lead to a dynamic and flexible system of management, mutual learning and research, so as to incorporate further variables that might arise out of unforeseen factors of influence or other scientific disciplines in the future;

3.  In this context, calls on the Commission to include in its proposal methods and tools to allow for the mutual exchange of information and data and a continuous learning process among all stakeholders, in order to enable all of them to further develop the ecosystem approach with the objective of showing and proving the benefit for all;

4.  Points out that fishing is a fundamental activity for guaranteeing food and survival for the human race, and considers that this is the primordial aim of any and every fisheries policy;

5.  Draws attention to the key importance of the fisheries sector in some coastal communities of the EU from the economic, social and cultural points of view;

6.  Reiterates that the CFP should promote the modernisation and sustainable development of the fishing industry, safeguarding its socio-economic viability and the sustainability of fisheries resources, and guaranteeing the supply of fish to the public and food sovereignty and security, the preservation of jobs and improved living conditions for fishermen;

7.  Believes that any and every fisheries policy should take account of a multitude of dimensions - social, environmental and economic - that require an integrated and balanced approach that is incompatible with a vision that creates a hierarchy among them according to an a priori definition of priorities;

8.  Stresses that, taking account of its own objectives, a CFP must not be subordinate to other Community policies that have since been defined; considers, on the contrary, that these later policies must safeguard and integrate the objectives of fisheries policy;

9.  Points out that the sustained development of a given coastal region makes it necessary to enhance the interaction between its environmental, natural and human components and promote the quality of life of its fishing communities; reaffirms that a policy for fisheries must start from the principle of interdependence between the welfare of fishing communities and the sustainability of ecosystems of which they are an integral part;

10.  Emphasises, in this context, that it is necessary to recognise the specific character and importance of small-scale inshore fishing and artisanal fishing;

11.  Stresses, consequently, that seeking to meet the food needs of each Member State, safeguarding the viability of the strategic fishing industry and fishing communities and preserving the sustainability of marine ecosystems are not irreconcilable objectives;

12.  Considers that, in order to maintain fish stocks at an acceptable level worldwide, upper limits must also be set on the number of days fishermen may remain at sea;

13.  Points out that the application of an ecosystem approach to marine management necessarily requires a multidisciplinary and intersectoral action encompassing the various measures and policies that have an impact on marine ecosystems - going far beyond and upstream of policies adopted in the area of fisheries - without which it will not be possible to achieve the objectives of this approach;

14.  Reiterates the need to study and adopt measures in relation to a multitude of factors that have a profound impact on the sustainability of marine ecosystems and the state of fishery resources, and consequently on fishing activity, such as coastal and offshore pollution, industrial and agricultural effluents, alterations to river courses, deep-sea dredging, port activity, maritime transport and tourism;

15.  Stresses that there are significant differences between the various marine areas and their respective fishery resources, and also between the various fleets and fishing gear used and their impact on ecosystems, which requires fisheries management measures, such as technical modifications to nets, the closure of certain fishing areas and the reduction of fishing effort, that are diversified, specific and adapted to each case;

16.  Stresses the need to apply mechanisms to subsidise or compensate fishermen affected by the economic and social repercussions of multiannual recovery and management plans and measures to protect ecosystems;

17.  Points out that the necessarily gradual application of a global, interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach to marine management requires that scientific knowledge be constantly improved and deepened in order to guarantee the adoption of measures based on validated scientific data;

18.  Draws attention to the need for the Commission to include the fisheries sector in a genuine intersectoral plan for the preservation of the marine environment, in line with the provisions of the 'Marine Strategy Framework Directive'(2), the environmental pillar of the new European Maritime Policy;

19.  Stresses that scientific fisheries research is an essential tool for fisheries management that is indispensable for identifying the factors that influence the development of fishery resources, with a view to carrying out a quantitative assessment and developing models that make it possible to forecast their development, but also for improving fishing gear, vessels and working and safety conditions for fishermen, in conjunction with their knowledge and experience;

20.  Proposes that scientific studies be carried out capable of identifying the redistribution of marine species exploited by fisheries because of the impact of the recent change in the physical and chemical parameters of waters due to climate change; considers that these studies should serve as a basis for reformulating a number of existing stock recovery plans, for example the recovery plan for hake and langoustine off the Iberian Peninsula;

21.  Draws attention to the need to develop aquaculture research projects in order to replenish stocks of the most endangered species;

22.  Considers, in this connection, that it is necessary to invest in training for human resources, provide adequate financial resources and promote cooperation between the various public bodies in the Member States;

23.  Points out that scientific research should take account of the social, environmental and economic components of fishing activity; considers it essential to assess the impact of the various fisheries management systems/instruments on employment and income in fishing communities;

24.  Points out that, since fishing is an activity that exploits a self-renewable resource, the first and principal task of fisheries management is directly or indirectly to control total fishing effort in such a way as to achieve the objective of the 2002 Johannesburg Summit mentioned above;

25.  Urges the Commission to reconsider the present system of total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas as the principal instrument for managing marine resources and its usefulness given the present fishing restrictions;

26.  Urges the Commission to study and propose more open control and supervision systems in respect of fisheries landings, illegal catches and the discarding at sea of by-catches;

27.  Considers the above-mentioned measures to be fundamental for an accurate assessment of the state of fisheries resources by the competent scientific bodies;

28.  Recognises that the existing fisheries management instruments, based on TACs, have a direct impact on catches and an indirect impact on fishing effort; stresses, however, that management of fishing effort is needed to allow this method to work more effectively; urges the Commission to study the various instruments for managing fishery resources, while ensuring that the current instruments are not altered until an alternative becomes available that will guarantee the more appropriate exploitation of fishery resources;

29.  Stresses that the distribution of TACs by fleets and fishing gear, respecting the principle of relative stability, falls within the exclusive competence of each Member State; considers that the distribution of quotas in each Member State should take account of the type of gear (trawl and others) and the respective catches;

30.  Expresses its deep concern at the possibility of any change being made to the CFP that promotes the concentration of fishing activity, in particular as regards the right of access to resources;

31.  Points out that the reduction and concentration of quotas among a limited number of operators does not necessarily mean a reduction in fishing effort, but merely the concentration of fishery resource exploitation;

32.  Applauds the positive discrimination regarding aid to renovate the fleet in some outermost regions of the EU and considers it fundamental that this aid be maintained beyond the end of the present financial framework 2007-2013 so that it is possible to ensure, even thereafter, a form of fishing which is sustainable and environmentally-friendly;

33.  Considers it vital to maintain the access derogation to the zone falling within territorial waters at at least 12 miles, as a way of fostering the sustainability of coastal marine ecosystems, traditional fishing activities and the survival of fishing communities; calls for this derogation to be permanent in nature;

34.  Calls for the area corresponding to the EEZs of the outermost regions to be considered an 'exclusive access zone' on a permanent basis in order to guarantee the sustainability of marine ecosystems, fishing activity and local fishing communities;

35.  Considers it insufficient to measure fishing effort in a uniform way, without taking account of the diversity of fleets and gear; considers that controlling fishing effort should take account of the various species, the various fishing gear and the assessed impact of catches on stocks of each species;

36.  Considers that the emphasis placed on fishing effort based on kw/day is useful only in the case of trawl fishing but is not appropriate to other gear;

37.  Considers that area restrictions (closed or protected areas, such as protected marine areas) require a multidisciplinary scientific basis to support them, in particular as regards the influence of the various activities and factors which have a real impact on ecosystems and as regards the real benefits offered by their creation, which should include specific in-depth studies on their environmental and socio-economic impact on fishing communities;

38.  Notes that restrictions on fishing capacity have mainly been brought about by promoting the scrapping of vessels but have not been applied uniformly in the various Member States; stresses, consequently, that matching the various national fleets to fishery resources must take account of the reduction in fishing effort already brought about;

39.  Considers that a policy that encourages the indiscriminate scrapping of vessels without taking account of the specific features of fleets, fishery resources and needs as regards consumption in each Member State, and the socio-economic impact, is inappropriate and unjustified;

40.  Considers, therefore, that one of the first tasks to be carried out in the area of fisheries management is to assess scientifically whether there are any over-large fleets and over-exploited resources, and which they are, so that suitable specific measures can be adopted;

41.  Notes that the precautionary approach to fisheries management is defined in Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 as 'the absence of adequate scientific information should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take management measures to conserve target species, associated or dependent species and non-target species and their environment';

42.  Reaffirms the importance of monitoring fisheries management, which falls within the competence of the Member States;

43.  Calls for support for the installation and modernisation of Member States' own means of surveillance, monitoring and control of their EEZs, taking account of the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the stepping-up of maritime safety and the conservation of marine ecosystems;

44.  Considers it essential to apply the measures already taken against IUU fishing and calls on the Member States to strengthen their control mechanisms;

45.  Urges the Commission to propose measures making imported fishery products placed on the internal market subject to the same requirements as those applying to fishery products in the various Member States;

46.  Reiterates the need constantly to improve fishing gear in order to perfect its selectivity, which will be an important factor in reducing by-catches and their impact on the environment; calls on the Commission to develop specific policy instruments to encourage fishermen to take all available measures to reduce their by-catches as far as possible;

47.  Considers that the introduction of industrial trawl gear led to an increase in fishing mortality which made it necessary to introduce separate controls on this gear, for example by maintaining the restrictions imposed on fishing areas (proximity to or distance from the coast);

48.  Urges the Commission to promote more environmentally sound fishing practices through the use of more selective fishing techniques which are able to reduce by-catches and fuel consumption during fishing periods;

49.  Calls on the Commission to speed up the process of the eco-certification of fish as much as possible, in order to promote cleaner and more environmentally-friendly fisheries;

50.  Stresses that involving the fishing industry in the shaping, application and assessment of the various measures under the CFP is vital for the adoption of more appropriate and effective policies;

51.  Points out that Regional Advisory Councils can play an important role in the CFP decision-making process, since they involve fishermen and researchers responsible for the assessment of fishery resources; considers that their operation should be properly funded;

52.  Stresses that, within the framework of regional policy and good neighbourhood policy, cooperation with non-Community fleets exploiting shared stocks should be increased so as to ensure the viability of such stocks;

53.  Stresses the need to support groups of fishermen and professional organisations that are prepared to share responsibility for the application of the CFP (co-management);

54.  Urges greater decentralisation of the CFP, to allow greater involvement of fishermen, their representative organisations and fishing communities in the CFP and fisheries management, while ensuring that minimum standards are to be met that are consistent and coherent across the Community;

55.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. (2) Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19).

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides (6124/2008 – C6-0323/2008 – 2006/0132(COD))

P6_TA(2009)0010 A6-0443/2008

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Council common position (6124/2008 – C6-0323/2008)(1),

–   having regard to its position at first reading(2) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2006)0373),

–   having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0443/2008),

1.  Approves the common position as amended;

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

Position of the European Parliament adopted at second reading on 13 January 2009 with a view to the adoption of Directive 2009/.../EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position ati second reading corresponds to the final legislative act, Directive ....)

(1) OJ C 254 E, 7.10.2008, p. 1. (2) OJ C 263 E, 16.10.2008, p. 157.

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the Council common position for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC (11119/8/2008 – C6-0326/2008 – 2006/0136(COD))

P6_TA(2009)0011 A6-0444/2008

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Council common position (11119/8/2008 – C6-0326/2008)(1),

–   having regard to its position at first reading(2) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2006)0388),

–   having regard to the amended Commission proposal (COM(2008)0093),

–   having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A6-0444/2008),

1.  Approves the common position as amended;

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

Position of the European Parliament adopted at second reading on 13 January 2009 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EC) No .../2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position ati second reading corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EC) No ....)

(1) OJ C 266 E, 21.10.2008, p. 1. (2) OJ C 263 E, 16.10.2008, p.181.

European Parliament legislative resolution of 13 January 2009 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) (recast) (COM(2008)0458 – C6-0287/2008 – 2008/0153(COD))

P6_TA(2009)0012 A6-0497/2008

(Codecision procedure: recast)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2008)0458),

–   having regard to Article 251(2) and Article 47(2) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6-0287/2008),

–   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts(1),

–   having regard to Rules 80a and 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs(A6-0497/2008),

A.   whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the Legal Services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the proposal in question does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance;

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission and as amended below;

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

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

Position of the European parliament adopted at first reading on 13 January 2009 with a view to the adoption of Directive 2009/.../EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) (recast)

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position at first reading corresponds to the final legislative act, Directive 2009/65/EC.)

(1) OJ C 77, 28.3.2002, p.1.

European Parliament resolution of 13 January 2009 on public finances in the EMU 2007-2008 (2008/2244(INI))

P6_TA(2009)0013 A6-0507/2008

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 24 June 2008 on Public Finances in EMU - 2008 – The role of quality of public finances in the EU governance framework (COM(2008)0387),

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 13 June 2007 on Public Finances in EMU - 2007 – Ensuring the effectiveness of the preventive arm of the SGP (COM(2007)0316),

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 7 May 2008 on EMU@10: successes and challenges after 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union (COM(2008)0238),

–   having regard to its resolution of 26 April 2007 on public finances in the EMU 2006(1),

–   having regard to its resolution of 22 February 2005 on public finances in EMU - 2004(2),

–   having regard to its resolution of 12 July 2007 on the 2007 annual report on the eurozone(3),

–   having regard to its resolution of 14 November 2006 on the 2006 annual report on the euro area(4),

–   having regard to its resolution of 20 February 2008 on the input for the 2008 Spring Council as regards the Lisbon Strategy(5),

–   having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2007 on the European interest: succeeding in the age of globalisation(6),

–   having regard to its resolution of 15 February 2007 on the Situation of the European economy: preparatory report on the broad economic policy guidelines for 2007(7),

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 25 October 2005 on The Contribution of Taxation and Customs Policies to the Lisbon Strategy (COM(2005)0532) and Parliament's resolution of 24 October 2007 thereon(8),

–   having regard to its resolution of 3 July 2003 on gender budgeting - building public budgets from a gender perspective(9),

–   having regard to the resolution of the European Council on economic policy coordination in stage 3 of EMU and on Articles 109 and 109b of the EC Treaty, annexed to the Presidency conclusions following the meeting of the European Council in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 December 1997,

–   having regard to the Presidency conclusions following the meeting of the European Council of 11 and 12 December 2008 and the conclusions of the extraordinary meeting of the Ecofin Council of 16 December 2008 as regards the management of the financial crisis,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Ecofin Council meeting of 4 November 2008 as regards international initiatives in response to the financial crisis and preparations for the international summit on the crisis,

–   having regard to the Commission communication of 29 October 2008 entitled "From financial crisis to recovery: A European framework for action" (COM(2008)0706),

–   having regard to the Presidency conclusions following the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 15 and 16 October 2008 in regard to strengthening the regulation and supervision of the financial markets,

–   having regard to the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Eurogroup, held on 12 October 2008, with a view to adopting a coordinated rescue plan to combat the economic crisis,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Ecofin Council meeting of 7 October 2008 as regards immediate responses to the financial turmoil, and to Parliament's resolution of 22 October 2008 on the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 October 2008(10),

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Ecofin Council meeting of 14 May 2008 as regards ensuring the future efficiency and effectiveness of social expenditure and way forward on the analysis of the quality of public finances,

–   having regard to the conclusion s of the Ecofin Council meeting of 9 October 2007 as regards the quality of public finances: modernisation of public administration,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Ecofin Council meeting of 10 October 2006 as regards the quality of public finances,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A6-0507/2008),

A.   whereas quality public finances (QPFs) targeting sustainable development signal our commitment to future generations, which is particularly important in the current situation of major upheaval on the markets,

B.   whereas there is a need to develop QPF policies, coordinated at Community level, and particularly in the euro area, which are framed and assessed on the basis of standardised common instruments and aimed at supporting growth throughout the period in order to meet the challenges of demographic change, globalisation and climate change,

C.   whereas the aim of public finances should be to support the macro-economic framework, provide public services and goods and counterbalance market failures and external impacts,

D.   whereas a conceptual and operational framework for QPF targeting growth, and making growth the ultimate reference point for the assessment of QPF, are inextricably linked with the consideration that Member States" budgetary and public expenditure policies must be oriented towards the maintenance and innovation of the welfare state, social security protection and the redistribution of resources,

E.   whereas the low level of public investment in the European Union (under 3 % of GDP), and its fragmentary nature, have adverse effects for the objective of sustainable long-term growth, which in fact requires targeted and prioritised public expenditure,

F.   whereas it is necessary and appropriate to approach the analysis and assessment of public finances, and the prospects for their sustainability, from a gender perspective,

Changes in economic trends during 2007 to 2008 - the economic and financial crisis and outlook

1.  Notes that the analysis of the public financial situation in 2007 and the first part of 2008 clearly shows a change in the economic trend and notes that the latest economic forecasts confirm a trend towards recession, coupled with a continued lower rate of inflation and increasing income disparities;

2.  Expresses its concern at the difficult economic and financial situation currently affecting Europe and the world, which is creating an unprecedented level of instability, and notes the new dynamics that are developing in the relationship between the public and private sectors and changes in monetary and economic policy where, in the face of market failures and a lack of rules and supervision, public sector intervention is reassuming a pivotal role, sometimes taking the form of outright nationalisation;

3.  Points out that the crisis in strategic sectors, and especially in the fields of finance and transport, is spurring public investment in takeovers, without care being taken to limit those rescue operations to what is strictly necessary for sustaining and developing the European economy and to ensure they do not respond to purely national interests;

4.  Considers that the Commission and the Member States must provide for an appropriate assessment of the repercussions for public finances of public sector support and participation in major industries and the financial and credit sector; would also consider it useful for those repercussions to be assessed in relation to competition, the functioning of the internal market and the maintenance of a level playing field;

5.  Emphasises that the revised Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) already allows for action to be taken in response to particularly serious situations and that financial consolidation and the objectives set in the stability and convergence plans remain fundamental to the prospects for recovery and growth; fully supports, in this respect, the latest Presidency conclusion following the meeting of the European Council of 11 and 12 December 2008, underlining both the flexibility and the sustainability of public finance in the interest of a quick and sustained economic recovery;

6.  Points to the importance of a coordinated approach at Community level to combat tax evasion and tax havens – in the interests of the public, the taxpayer and public accounts – especially at a time when financial consolidation and levels of public debt are liable to be adversely affected by the considerable public investments being made in support of major financial and industrial players;

7.  Stresses that it is also in the interests of the public, the taxpayer and public budgets to ensure that every intervention and use of public funds for rescuing financial organisations is accompanied by appropriate supervision, concrete improvements in the governance and business conduct of the enterprise or institution, precise limits on the amounts paid to executives and clear accountability vis-à-vis the public authorities; feels it would be helpful, in that context, for the Commission to promote the introduction of guidelines to ensure a consistent and coordinated implementation of the various national action plans;

8.  Takes the view that the wholesale public sector intervention in several Member States to rescue and support the banking and finance industry will have clear repercussions for public finances and personal incomes; considers it necessary, therefore, for the tax burden to be suitably and equitably spread among all taxpayers, entailing, on the one hand, the imposition of an appropriate level of taxation on all financial players and, on the other, provision for a gradual and sharp reduction in the tax burden on mid to low-level salaries and pensions – with tax deductions, revised tax rates and compensation for fiscal drag - in such a way as to reduce poverty, and not just extreme poverty, and to promote consumption and a growth in demand, thereby responding counter-cyclically to the current economic crisis, which presages a recession;

9.  Stresses that European macro-economic policies must provide a swift and coordinated response to the risks of recession and financial instability, and urges the Commission and the Member States – and particularly those in the euro area - to make intelligent and unidirectional use of the flexibility in the SGP and suitable counter-cyclical mechanisms aimed at structural change, efficient allocation of public funds, restructuring of public expenditure and investments for growth in line with the Lisbon objectives, devoting special attention to the role of small and medium-sized enterprises;

10.  Emphasises, in that context, the need, particularly in the euro area, for a common approach on wage policies, which provides for wage increases in line with actual inflation and productivity, since fiscal and wage policies are powerful and effective levers on demand and for economic stability and growth;

11.  Welcomes the fact that decision-making areas are beginning to emerge in which the Euro Group acts as the (prime) political and economic coordination body to pinpoint swift responses and jointly agreed strategies, not just in response to the economic and financial crisis, but also to revitalise macro-economic and joint investment strategies aimed at enhancing prospects for growth, averting serious repercussions on public finances and financial stability in the European Union and helping to achieve a better balance between economic and monetary policies within the European Union;

12.  Considers that it would be useful to establish a compulsory mechanism for consultation and coordination between the Commission and the Member States –particularly members of the Euro Group – prior to the adoption of major economic measures, in particular as regards measures addressing the volatility of prices for energy, raw materials and foodstuffs;

The sustainability of public finances and the effectiveness of the preventive arm of the SGP

13.  Considers the sustainability of public finances to be a pre-condition and priority not only for stability and growth and the formulation of each Member State's macro-economic employment, social and environmental policies, but also for the future of the economy and the European social model intrinsic to the development of the European Union;

14.  Expresses its deep concern over the direct consequences of the current international financial crisis on the sustainability and quality of public finances in the Member States; expresses particular concern over the impact of that crisis on the real economy and balance of payments in the new Member States, which are not within the euro area, and which are witnessing a drastic reduction in direct foreign investment;

15.  Points out that deficit and public debt are having a negative impact on growth in so far as they limit the room for manoeuvre of Member States during periods of crisis; calls on the Member States to make greater efforts to consolidate their budgets and reduce the public debt during periods of growth as a pre-condition for achieving a healthy, competitive and sustainable European economy; points out also that ill-designed measures to reduce the deficit and public debt – such as indiscriminate cuts in public investment – have an adverse effect on long-term growth prospects;

16.  Points out that in the light of new international circumstances due to the present financial crisis and the economic slump which has already begun to affect employment and growth in the euro area, rising deficits are difficult to avoid; suggests, therefore, that Member States make more targeted use of the flexibility provided by the SGP in order to encourage economic recovery and growth; draws attention to the budgetary implications of the current financial crisis, and calls on the Commission to evaluate the effects on Member States' public finances of the public funds used in the rescue plans for national financial institutions; calls on the Commission to examine the effects of the SGP criteria in the current context, when economic growth is slow and several Member States face the prospect of recession, and calls for an evaluation of the effects of the rising cost of credit on the public debt of Member States;

17.  Notes that the revised SGP is functioning properly; considers that its corrective arm has been applied in a satisfactory manner in previous years and stresses the importance of its preventive arm as a vital instrument in respect of the sustainability and convergence of the financial policies of Member States, in particular those in the euro area;

18.  Shares the Commission's views on the importance of the preventive arm of the SGP, on support and reminders for the Member States and on the exchange of best practices; agrees, in particular, that the preventative arm should be based on a medium-term approach to budgetary policies and on coordination at Community level, given that effective action requires joint understanding of the economic and budgetary policy challenges in the European Union and a strong political commitment to addressing these through counter-cyclical interventions that pull in the same direction;

19.  Stresses the importance of the medium-term objective (MTO) as a specific budgetary target hitched to economic, fiscal and incomes policies, which should be achieved through macro-economic dialogue, geared to the specific situation in each Member State and determined on a multiannual basis; urges the Member States to strengthen the credibility and legitimacy of the MTO both at national, through closer involvement of government departments, national parliaments and the social partners (national ownership) and at local level, through sub-national public finance, by establishing regional SGPs and MTOs, taking account of the impact which local public expenditure and investment have on national public finances and on the growth prospects of the various countries;

20.  Considers consistency between multiannual budgetary programmes and the establishing and implementation of annual budgets to be of fundamental importance; calls on the Member States for greater rigour when establishing macro-economic forecasts and closer coordination when establishing the criteria, timescales and objectives for multiannual expenditure frameworks, in order to ensure the increased efficiency and better performance of budgetary and macro-economic policies at Community level;

21.  Points out that Member States need additional structural reforms and more budgetary discipline, as well as anti-cyclical fiscal policies, reducing budgetary deficits in times of economic growth, in order to be better prepared for dealing with negative external shocks;

22.  Stresses the importance of designing macroeconomic plans for tackling external shocks (such as the subprime financial crisis) that take into account not only the situation in the euro area, but also that in the catching-up economies of the European Union;

Public finances - a key feature of a broader and more comprehensive economic approach

23.  Points out that the key objective of having sound and consolidated public finances should be defined on the basis of the obligations under the new SGP and, at the same time, the development, growth and competitive perspective of the Lisbon Strategy, which requires structural reforms, as well as public spending and taxation structures that will support investments (in human capital, research and innovation, education and training, including higher education, health, infrastructure, the environment, security and justice) and the redistribution of income in order to promote social cohesion, growth and employment;

24.  Stresses that public finance objectives, established on the basis of the integrated guidelines in the new Lisbon cycle, should link up stability and convergence plans with national reform plans in a coherent and organic manner; believes that the value added of healthy and growth-oriented European public finances should be reflected – in particular in the euro area - in a European public infrastructure investments policy, formulated and coordinated on the basis of shared objectives, that can be funded not only from national budgets and (partially) the EU budget, but also from new European financial instruments (e.g. Eurobond or the European Investment Fund) aimed at sustaining the growth, productivity and competitiveness of the European Union and the euro area in the international context;

25.  Considers that it would be useful to establish a compulsory mechanism for consultation of the national parliaments, alongside the European Parliament, with an eye on the coordinated development of stability and convergence programmes under the SGP, and of national reform programmes under the integrated Lisbon guidelines, in such a way that these are linked and presented together, possibly in the autumn of each year;

26.  Agrees that demographic change is making structural reform more necessary, in particular as regards pension schemes, public health and long-term care, and points out that it would be too restrictive to focus solely on the ageing population (and falling birth rate) without taking account of the impact of globalisation, including the unstoppable flow of immigrants coming from third countries not only for economic reasons but also as a means of fleeing war and climatic disasters;

27.  Points to the importance of employment and social inclusion policies, taking due account of the needs of different generations, genders and people, based on the principles of flexicurity and thus pro-active measures to support wages and incomes by means of social dialogue giving priority to increasing productivity without neglecting measures to protect pensions, bearing in mind that inadequate pensions are not only a social problem but also give rise to an increase in social security spending and, as a result, higher costs for public finances;

28.  Considers that the financial markets and services covered by Lisbon Strategy policies should be anchored to financial stability and to supervision mechanisms providing a guarantee of protection against negative repercussions for growth and public finances; expresses its concern at indications that derivatives and new financial instruments are being used, especially by local administrations, that could bring local areas to their knees;

29.  Considers it necessary to adopt a new approach to public finances which is systematic and coordinated among the Member States, and in particular those of the euro area, and which aims to support long-term economic growth (and potential for growth) and is centred on a multi-dimensional framework for defining and measuring the quality of public finances that makes the European economy resilient to external shocks and enables it to respond to demographic challenges and international competition and to ensure social equity and cohesion;

The quality of public finances: revenue and expenditure

30.  Considers it essential that the Member States seek to implement QPF policies that are convergent and based on a method of assessment that includes indicators and objectives, the formulation and definition of which should involve the European Parliament and national parliaments; considers the Commission proposal to be useful and advocates a system for assessing budgetary policies that focuses on specific aspects such as composition, efficiency and effectiveness of public expenditure, the structure and effectiveness of revenue systems, the efficiency and quality of public administration, sound budgetary management and a method for coordinating QPF policies among Member States; calls for a greater comparability of national budgets in order to meet the above objectives;

31.  Urges the Member States to adopt QPF policies together with a system for assessing budgetary policies – such as performance-based budgeting (PBB) (based on the OECD model) – aimed at improving the quality of public spending by strengthening the link between the allocation of resources and results; notes that gender budgeting is a good example of PBB, a method proposed and promoted by Parliament itself and applied to varying degrees at local and central level in the various Member States and which should be implemented more consistently, including at Community level; calls on the Commission to establish PBB methods, guidelines and indicators making it possible to compare and harmonise the financial and macro-economic policies of the Member States, and acknowledges that this calls for greater involvement and therefore a greater sense of responsibility on the part of informed citizens;

32.  Welcomes the reflection initiated by the Commission on how to introduce quality, effectiveness and efficiency in the revenue system; considers that the tax reforms of Member States will lead to greater growth only if they take due account of the specific conditions of the institutional and administrative system, the production system and the labour market (in particular the rate of employment and size of the underground economy), in each Member State;

33.  Points to the existing disparities between Member States as regards tax pressure and structures; acknowledges the difficulty of devising a homogeneous reform of taxation leading to greater growth – given the advantages (broader base) and drawbacks (weakening of the principle of progressiveness) of a switch from direct taxation to indirect, consumption-based taxation; stresses, however, that a number of common tax reform measures could significantly improve the efficiency of the tax system and tax revenue, increase employment, reduce distortions and increase growth at Community level, notably, inter alia:

34.  Draws attention to the fact that tax reforms aimed at sound public finances, growth, efficiency, simplification, the elimination of distortion and combating tax evasion and avoidance and tax havens will be more effective if coordinated and consolidated among the Member States, in particular those in the euro area, taking account of the internal market's potential for development and competitiveness;

35.  Draws attention to the core issue of the composition of public expenditure aimed at sustainable growth and stresses that the quality and effectiveness of investments in infrastructure and human capital, with priority being given to services of general interest on the basis of a prior definition of people's needs and the composition of the population, and special attention to gender policies and demographic change, contribute to an increase in the productivity and competitiveness of the European economy; points out that the pressure on social and health services arising from the ageing of the population can be reduced through investment in health education; stresses that public expenditure should be reorganised by reallocating budget items to growth-enhancing sectors, using public resources more effectively and efficiently and providing for an appropriate integrated public-private network;

36.  Points to the need to reform and modernise public administrations, which are at the core of the system of public expenditure and revenue, and to ensure that they meet criteria relating to effectiveness, efficiency and productivity, responsibility and assessment of results, geared to the structure of public administration and the national and local institutions of Member States, and taking due account of the obligations and opportunities arising from the operation of the European Union, ensuring that the public sector is associated with sound budgets and contributes to a competitive economy;

37.  Emphasises the central role of sound budgetary management, based on a set of rules and procedures aimed at determining how public budgets are to be prepared, implemented and monitored in the medium term, taking account of the Member States' budgetary consolidation and the reorganisation of public expenditure, to be accompanied by a context analysis method (at Community, national and local level) and the definition of objectives, including prior and subsequent impact assessment, verification and evaluation of results and performances, and adjustment mechanisms by PBB; considers that steps should be taken to ensure that Member States' fiscal governance rules are homogeneous and context-driven in as regards both their timing and their objectives, in particular within the euro area; considers also that those fiscal governance rules should be linked to economic governance, with a view to promoting shared budgetary, economic and investment options, being geared to the same goals in order to be more effective and have a multiplier effect, and achieving significant results, which are all the more necessary in difficult economic circumstances such as those currently being experienced; takes the view that there is a danger that uncoordinated national economic revival plans may cancel each other out; notes, with this in mind, that national budgets must be drawn up on the basis of joint economic perspectives and analyses;

38.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States, in the light of the above, to set up a coordination mechanism to monitor and assess the quality of Member States' budgetary policies that is closely connected to the mechanisms of the SGP and implements the Lisbon Strategy integrated guidelines, based on systematic quality reporting, QPF assessment through a PBB system and periodic reviews of QPF;

o
o   o

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

(1) OJ C 74 E, 20.3.2008, p. 780. (2) OJ C 304 E, 1.12.2005, p. 132. (3) OJ C 175 E, 10.7.2008, p. 569. (4) OJ C 314 E, 21.12.2006, p. 125. (5) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0057. (6) OJ C 282 E, 6.11.2008, p. 422. (7) OJ C 287E, 29.11.2007, p.535. (8) OJ C 263 E, 16.10.2008, p. 441. (9) OJ C 74E, 24.3.2004, p.746. (10) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0506.

Declaration of the European Parliament on fibromyalgia

P6_TA(2009)0014 P6_DCL(2008)0069

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas nearly 14 million persons in the European Union and 1 to 3 % of the general population worldwide suffer from fibromyalgia, a debilitating condition resulting in chronic widespread pain,

B.   whereas the World Health Organisation has recognised fibromyalgia as a disease since 1992, but it is still not coded in the official index of conditions in the EU, which excludes patients from formal diagnosis,

C.   whereas patients with fibromyalgia make more GP visits, have more specialist referrals, are issued more sick notes and receive more in-patient services, and thus generate a considerable economic burden for the EU,

D.   whereas people with fibromyalgia struggle to lead full and independent lives, unless they have access to appropriate treatment and support,

1.  Calls on the Council and the Commission to:

2.  Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission and the parliaments of the Member States.