Activities of James NICHOLSON related to 2016/2302(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the right funding mix for Europe’s regions: balancing financial instruments and grants in EU cohesion policy
Amendments (8)
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the current crisis in the agricultural sector, a lack of profitability with income losses and increased price instability, has led many farmers to give up farming, and this sector requires more supportan increased mix of differing tools, including financial instruments and grants;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Notes the potential offered to agricultural and rural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises via loans provided through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, highlights however that the full potential benefits of the leverage provided by these instruments has not been realized;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that in many situations access to credit poses an obstacle to investment, in particular for young farmers, either because of the high costs or because of the guarantees that the financial system requiresHighlights that access to finance and capital,either because of the high costs or because of the guarantees that the financial system requires, is one of the biggest challenges facing farmers and rural entrepreneurs in all sectors, hampering innovation and competitiveness on-farm and in the wider rural economy;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that, up to now, the level of use made of CAPthese financial instruments has been low, and calls for consideration to be given to this area with the aim of ensuring that these instruments are better suited to the agricultural sector and further simplifying the procedures,further actions to ensure that the opportunities available via these instruments are communicated clearly and regularly to agricultural sector, rural actors and creating public advice platformgional authorities;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Notes that in response to the needs of specific sectors such as young farmers, loans can be combined with EAFRD grants in order to facilitate investment and encourage growth, which benefits the wider rural economy as well as the agriculture sector;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Notes that information and training in relation to financial instruments at the regional level is necessary in order to increase awareness of these financial options and stresses that Member States and regional authorities have a key role to play in facilitating and communicating these options to rural communities and enterprises;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the complementary nature of these instruments in relation to subsidies and draws attention to the need to ensure that the former do not replace the latter, which would be extremely damaging for farming and the rural environmentand the importance of a continued mix of grants, financial instruments and repayable assistance as an effective and efficient form for support for competitiveness and cohesion in rural areas and regions;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes the differing strengths and disadvantages offered by both grants and financial instruments to the sector in terms of accessibility, complexity, risk, implementation costs and their applicability in meeting specific challenges or broader developmental goals;