Brussels, 07/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Tough talks between the institutions over the procedure to bring four texts of the CAP (common agricultural policy) into line with the Lisbon Treaty, particularly the implementation of delegated acts and implementing acts (EUROPE 10402), have prompted the European Commission to present the Special Agriculture Committee (SAC) of Monday 5 September with an overall compromise solution.
The Commission hopes that its proposal will make it possible at a stroke to lift several sticking points between the institutions, which have arisen during debates over the four main proposals to bring the CAP provisions into line with the Lisbon Treaty: direct payments, single common market organisation, rural development and funding of the CAP. The Commission hopes that a compromise will emerge before the reforms announced for the autumn. The Commission's proposal focuses on the following points:
Delegated acts/implementing acts. For controls, sanctions and financial management, the Commission is proposing a compromise to move talks forward. The Commission would like the member states to be involved more frequently through implementing acts, whilst the Commission and European Parliament would like to see a broader involvement of the Commission on the basis of implementing acts.
Financial and budgetary procedures. The Commission is proposing a compromise setting limits on the use of the ordinary legislative procedure (involving the EP and Council jointly) and preserving certain aspects for the Council (budgetary discipline). The EP would prefer to see the ordinary legislative procedure apply to all of these procedures.
Duration of delegation. The Commission proposes that the delegations are limited to a predefined number of years (EP and Council call for five years) with tacit renewal.
Cases with no committee opinion. The Commission would like recourse to the appeals committee (the Council insists on extended recourse to appeals committee) to be limited to a number of highly specific cases (those affecting consumer protection).
Emergency procedure. The Commission stresses that it should have the option swiftly to implement procedures of this kind (fruit and vegetables cases).
The Commission is also planning to hold more in-depth talks on the scope of Article 43(3) (which reserves the decision on certain CAP measures for the Council).
The Commission's proposal will be discussed in greater depth at the forthcoming meeting of the SAC. (L.C./transl.fl)