Agricultural policies in Europe
Recommendation 576
(1970)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 22 and 23 January 1970 (16th and 17th Sittings) (see Doc. 2696, report of the Committee on Agriculture). Text adopted by the Assembly on 23 January 1970 (17th Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Recalling its earlier recommendations on agricultural policies in Europe, in particular Recommendations 411 (1965), 476 (1967) and 541 (1969) ;
2. Having regard to recent developments in agricultural policies, particularly in the member states of the European Communities ;
3. Noting with considerable regret that because of diverging developments in economic and monetary policies within the European Economic Community, difficulties have arisen in the implementation of certain common rules under the common agricultural policy ;
4. Having regard to the Memorandum on the reform of agriculture, submitted by the Commission to the Council of the European Communities in December 1968, and welcoming these proposals as offering a constructive basis for discussing a solution of the present dilemma in European agriculture ;
5. Taking into account the need to maintain a common agricultural policy in an enlarged European Community ;
6. Noting that in most member countries the degree of dependence of the farming community on government subsidies threatens to increase and that this trend cannot, for political reasons, continue indefinitely ;
7. Whereas it is the objective of social policies to ensure a decent standard of living for the population, including the rural population, it cannot be the proper aim of the economic policy of any member country to guarantee the prices of agricultural products in unlimited quantities ;
8. Welcoming the growing awareness by governments of the need to co-ordinate policies in various sectors - including that of information and education - so as to facilitate structural changes in agriculture, for example following technological developments ;
9. Sharing the view of the Commission of the European Communities that the implementation of its proposals by the governments of the Six should induce countries applying for membership to accept more readily certain commitments that they will have to assume under the common agricultural policy,
10. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :
a invite member governments
10.1.1 to recognise the need to integrate the agricultural sector into the economy as a whole, and to avoid placing agricultural interests at the mercy of diverging interests in other sectors ;
10.1.2 to explore the possibilities of devising a system of price guarantees which takes better account of demand, costs and well-defined patterns of production ;
10.1.3 to co-ordinate their agricultural policies within the appropriate international organisations with a view to contributing to wider international arrangements in various sectors of agricultural production and trade ;
b invite, in particular, those member governments which are Members of the European Communities :
10.2.1 in accordance with the general objectives of the memorandum by the Commission of the European Communities, to achieve a more outlet-orientated pattern of production through structural adaptations, and ultimately to ensure that agricultural prices assume more effectively their economic significance, which is to guide production with a view to better market balance ;
10.2.2 to view the Commission's memorandum in a constructive sense which, in particular, would imply :
a the encouragement of modern concepts of the agricultural enterprise, avoiding discrimination against other types of viable agricultural undertakings ;
b to take into account special regional peculiarities and possibilities, and accordingly to ensure the maintenance and development of adequate specialised production ;
c to ensure that the farming community is properly and fully informed about the long-term prospects and possibilities of their activity ;
d to ensure better and more appropriate schooling in rural districts, in conformity with the requirements of a changing society ;
e to implement, in conjunction with regional development plans, the programmes for reforming agricultural structures, including the creation of new employment in rural districts ;
10.2.3 in any event, to define clearly and publicly the principles of the general agrarian reform plan and to refrain from all partial measures involving commitment to those principles before agreement has been reached over them.
