Brussels, 04/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU Council of Ministers is all set to begin talks with the European Parliament and the European Commission on bringing provisions of the common agricultural policy (CAP) into line with the Lisbon Treaty. During the Special Agriculture Committee (SAC) on Monday 3 October, the negotiating brief prepared by the Polish Presidency of the EU Council on the horizontal approach used in the main CAP texts (rural development, direct payments, common market organisation, CAP financing) was supported by a majority of delegations from EU countries. Some countries, including France and Germany, have expressed reservation with regard to a number of points soon to be raised.
The compromise tabled was as follows:
Delegated or implementing powers granted to Commission. On the matter of controls and sanctions, the compromise provides for essential elements to appear in the basic act, their implementation coming under the implementing acts adopted by the Commission. When it comes to financial management, the rules should be implementing acts.
Financial discipline. Measures should be adopted in ordinary legislative procedure.
Duration of delegation. The delegation should run for five years with renewal by tacit agreement and Commission report.
Recourse to the appeal committee if no opinion is delivered by review committee. The main CAP texts concerned should provide for a limited number of cases where the “non-opinion” procedure is expected to trigger activation of the appeal committee.
Emergency procedure. Implementation of acts delegated to the Commission should be restricted to exceptional cases.
Definitions. Essential definitions should be found in the basic acts. (LC/transl.jl)