The Agriculture Committee has decided postpone the vote on the new CAP until January. The announcement comes as delays in the EU long-term budget negotiations slow prevent the process from going forward as planned.
Parliament’s political groups should reach compromise amendments on the reform proposals by 15 December. They will then be translated into all Parliament’s languages to enable MEPs to scrutinize and vote on draft CAP reform reports. The vote in the committee is now scheduled for 23 – 24 January 2013.
Before starting formal negotiations with the Council, the result of the committee vote will have to win blessing of the entire House, which could vote on the CAP reform reports during the 11 – 14 March Strasbourg plenary session. Formal negotiations on key aspects of the reform will follow only after the plenary vote. From March 2013 onwards, trilogue negotiations between EU Commission, Parliament and EU Ministers will begin.
Possible reasons for the delay include the failure of the Council to date to agree on the MFF budget parameters for 2014-20, or the work required to manage over 7,000 amendments which COMAGRI made to the initial refrom proposals. The deadline for compromise amendments to be presented to Agriculture Committee is December 15th.
Despite the delay, MEPs have reiterated their commitment to meet the deadline of 1 January 2014 for the new CAP to enter into force.
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Find related news:
No ‘black hole’ on CAP reform, pledges Brussels, Farmers Weekly 08.11.2012
AGRI postpones vote on reform package, EuroPolitics 06.11.2012
European Parliament postpones vote on CAP reforms, CAPreform.eu 08.11.2012
