Activities of Álvaro AMARO related to 2020/2260(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Farm to Fork Strategy (debate)
Amendments (32)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
— having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and, in particular Article 192(1) and Article 349 thereof,
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
Citation 8 b (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication of 24 October 2017 entitled ‘A stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the EU’s outermost regions’,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication of 20 June 2012 entitled ‘The outermost regions of the European Union: towards a partnership for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ (COM(2012) 287),
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)
Citation 21 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 14 June 2017 on promoting cohesion and development in the outermost regions of the EU: implementation of Article 349 of the TFEU (2016/2250(INI)),
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Europe’s food system should deliver food and nutrition security in a way that contributes to social well- being and maintains and restores ecosystem health; whereas currently, the food system is responsible for a range of impacts on human and animal health and on the environment, the climate and biodiversity; whereas the way in which we produce and consume food needs to transformadapt in order to ensure coherence with the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and EU policies, particularly in the areas of sustainability, the environment, climate, public health, animal welfare, food and economic sustainability for farmers;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the implementation of this strategy will have to take into account the different starting points and differences in potential for improvement of the various Member States and their regions; whereas, consequently, the transition to a healthy and sustainable food system will naturally have an impact on the economic fabric of many EU regions, such as the outermost regions, with natural disadvantages, such as distance, the fact that they are islands, small surface area, rugged terrain, harsh climate and undiversified agricultural sectors that account for a large proportion of their economies; whereas, on the other hand, there is potential for the exploitation of those regions’ renewable resources and biodiversity;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. recalls that the Mediterranean Diet, recognised by UNESCO in 2010 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is known as a healthy, balanced diet, with a high nutritional, social and cultural value, based on respect for the territory and biodiversity, ensuring the conservation and development of traditional activities and crafts related to fishing, sustainable hunting and agriculture and playing a protective role in the primary and secondary prevention of the main chronic degenerative diseases;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the EU authorisation procedure for plant protection products is one of the most stringent in the world;
Amendment 485 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the farm to fork strategy as an important step in ensuring a sustainable, fair and resilient food system, which is central to achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to; recognises the need for a realistic and balanced approach in the implementation of the strategy in which all three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental and social) should be acknowledged and integrated; encourages the Commission to conduct a comprehensive evidence-based impact assessment before translateing the strategy into concrete legislative and non- legislative action as soon as possible; ;
Amendment 503 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the farm to fork strategy as an important step in ensuring a more sustainable, fairer and more resilient food system, which is central to achieving the goals set out in the European Green Deal and in the SDGs; emphasises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet, encourages the Commission to translate theis strategy into concrete legislative and non-legislative action, accompanied by the proper financial support mechanisms for the transition, as soon as possible;
Amendment 567 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement of an impact-assessed proposal for a legislative framework for sustainable food systemCalls on the Commission before proposing any targets to conduct a comprehensive evidence-based impact assessment of all strategies combined on individual and cumulative impacts on the social and economic sustainability of agriculture in the EU, generational renewal, food security and prices, and the potential risks of displacing biodiversity losses abroad by the replacement of local agricultural production with imports; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set outimpact assessment to analyse a holistic common food policy aimed at reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the EU food system in order to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and strengthen its resilience to ensure food security in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, leading a global transition towards sustainability from farm to fork, based on the principle of a multifunctional agricultural sector while ensuring consistency between policies by taking into account the existing legislation in order to enable all actors in the European food system to develop long- term plans based on realistic and transparent objectives; suggests that the respective base lines and progress achieved in each Member State be taken into account, while promoting the exchange of know-how and best practices between Member States; stresses the need to include the entire food and beverage chains including processing, marketing, distribution and retail;
Amendment 588 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement of an impact-assessed proposal for a legislative framework for more sustainable food systems; invites the Commission to use this proposal to set out, in a balanced and realistic way, a holistic common food policy aimed at reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the EU food system, without jeopardising the sustainability of the agricultural sector, in order to make Europe the first climate- neutral continent by 2050 and strengthen its resilience to ensure food security in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, leading a global transition towards sustainability from farm to fork, based on the principle of a multifunctional agricultural sector while ensuring consistency between policies by taking into account the existing legislation in order to enable all actors in the European food system to develop long-term plans based on realistic and transparent objectives; suggests that the respective base lines and progress achieved in each Member State, and its regions with distinct characteristics, be taken into account, while promoting the exchange of know- how and best practices between Member States; stresses the need to include the entire food and beverage chains including processing, marketing, distribution and retail;
Amendment 717 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the decision to revise the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides and the reduction targets for pesticides, fertilisers, and antibiotics; emphasises the importance of pursuing these targets through holistic and circular approaches, such as agroecological practices; insists that each Member State, in conjunction with its regions, should establish robust quantitative reduction targets, accompanied by well- defined support measures ensuring accountability at all levels to help reach these targets; emphasises the importance of ensuring the best possible offering of information and training on the proper application of these products; reiterates its call for the translation into legislation of the above targets and objectives and calls on the Commission to clarify how it will deal with individual Member States’ contributions to Union-wide targets and to clarify the baselines for these targets; argues that farmers should be financially supported in this transition period; stresses the need to promote research and development in respect of any innovative agricultural solutions that will enable the proposed reduction to be achieved without jeopardising EU food sovereignty or the control of diseases currently controlled by chemicals that are slowly being phased out;
Amendment 722 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the decision to revise the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides and to further reduction targets fore the environmental and health impact of pesticides, fertilisers, and antibiotics; recalls that the EU has the most stringent authorisation procedure for Plant Protection products; emphasises the importance of pursuing these targetobjectives through holistic and circular approaches, such as agroecologicalsustainable practices; insissupports that each Member State should establish robust quantitative reduction targetspromote the sustainable use of these products and establish reduction corridors based on an evidence-based impact assessments and base lines for each member state, accompanied by well- defined support measures ensuring accountability at all levels to help reach these targets; reiterates its call for the translation into legislation of the above targets and objectives and calls on the Commission to clarify how it will deal with individual Member States’ contributions to Union-wide targets and to clarify the methods, baselines for these targetsand reference periods for these targets; underlines the importance of establishing baselines with flexibility so that frontrunners in reduction of the use of pesticides, fertilisers and antibiotics are rewarded and not punished;
Amendment 784 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls that access to safe and efficient plant protection is essential to enable farmers to prevent naturally occurring food-borne contaminants such as carcinogenic mycotoxins, which put the safety of our food at risk; stresses that integrated pest management(IPM) is only possible when farmers have adequate and enough resources; therefore stresses the need to come up with an innovation and substitution principle for IPM, meaning that before a substance/product is taken from the market, the Commission needs to be sure that adequate alternatives are available, to ensure that farmers have access to an adequate toolbox of safe, effective and affordable solutions, as well as access to the latest knowledge, technology and the best advisory services;
Amendment 822 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Stresses that any reduction of chemical PPPs must be accompanied by an innovation principle; calls on the Commission to consider the importance of a regulatory framework that encourages innovation and research in order to develop better and safer plant protection products and alternatives, including the development and employment of new innovative techniques, such as precision farming and new breeding techniques; calls on the Commission to publish the study on the potential of new genomic techniques which should be the basis for a proper regulatory framework;
Amendment 848 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Stresses the need for the establishment of an Integrated Nutrient Management plan in conjunction with the introduction of the farm sustainability tool for nutrients(FaST) already proposed by the European Commission; points out that a successful Integrated Nutrient Management plan must include better conditions and incentives for the application of modern fertilization technologies combined with modern application technologies;
Amendment 894 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of recognising the significant impact of agriculture and especially animal productionRecalls that agriculture and forestry play an important role in addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation; emphasises that EU agriculture has reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the last 30 years and reminds that the emissions from EU agriculture are among the lowest worldwide per produced unit; emphasises the importance of recognising the both positive and negative impact of agriculture on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use; stresses the need to enhance natural carbon sinks and reduce agricultural emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, in particular in the feed and livestock sectors; calls fall sectors; calls for harmonised calculation methods for methane and then a regulatory framework that incentivises progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectors through the introduction of a carbon market place or cregulatory measures and targets to ensure progressive reductions diting schemes which incentivises to deliver on climate objectives; reiterates that especially the methane reduction calculation should consider innovative feed additives and nutrition management plans, as well as innovative husbandry practices; supports the stimulating uptake of regenerative agriculture practices, improving access to technologies, data, training all GHG emissions in these sectors; nd information, and diversifying farmers’ income through carbon sequestration and payments for ecosystem services, thereby increasing their resilience;
Amendment 922 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the importance of rRecognisinges the significant impact of agriculture and especially animal production on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land use; stresses the need to enhance natural carbon sinks and reduce agricultural emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, in particular in the feed and livestock sectors; calls for regulatory measures and targets to ensure progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectorshat are realistic, balanced and tailored to each region’s characteristics and dependence on the agricultural sector, while also ensuring progressive reductions in all GHG emissions in these sectors, without having a negative impact on farmers’ incomes; argues that adequate funding should be made available to those making these additional efforts; stresses the crucial role played by European agriculture and silviculture in adapting to climate change;
Amendment 1021 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that extensive and permanent grassland-based or organic animal husbandry is a feature of the European food system and a defining element of many traditional rural communities, and that it has multiple positive effects for the environment and against climate change, and contributes to a circular economy; highlights the role of agroforestry systems;
Amendment 1034 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Emphasises that the EU quality schemes already incorporate the guidelines laid down in the farm to fork strategy, and therefore already contribute to sustainable farming and to the development of rural communities in the EU; urges the Commission to increase the total amounts allocated to promotion, awareness-raising and recognition campaigns in respect of these schemes, in particular those relating to:(i) Products bearing the labels of the protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG) and voluntary certification schemes;(ii) The organic production method;(iii) The logo for quality agricultural products specific to the outermost regions of the Union;
Amendment 1054 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Expresses its support for market- driven uptake of agricultural land under organic farm management;
Amendment 1055 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Points out that increasing settlement pressure means a reduction in the amount of agricultural land in Europe; stresses that organic farming produces significantly less food per area than conventional farming, having in mind the European Commission's call to increase the share of organic land in Europe to 25% by 2030, thus possibly putting at stake food security in Europe by having less agricultural land and less production on the remaining land, therefore encourages the Commission to conduct a comprehensive evidence-based impact assessment on the possible productivity increase of organic farming; calls for a productivity target for organic farming and a correction of the 2030 organic farming target, if proven that organic farming is unable to increase its productivity by the percentage that is necessary to guarantee food security in Europe or if food security can only be achieved by importing products from third countries;
Amendment 1065 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the notion of rewarding carbon sequestration in soils; stresses, however, that intensive and industrial agriculture and farming models with severe and proven negative impacts on biodiversity should not receive climate funding or be incentivised; calls for the proposals to be in line with the environmental objectives and the ‘do no harm’ principle of the Green Deal; emphasises, therefore, the need to measure effectively the negative impact of agriculture on biodiversity and the environment; recalls that the outermost regions constitute prime areas for introducing pilot projects; urges the Commission, in this connection, to establish a programme to support the reconversion of farms that employ intensive agriculture methods by making support, qualified technical advice and adequate funding available in these regions;
Amendment 1254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for CAP National Strategic Plans to ensure adequate financial support and incentives to promote new ecological ‘green’ business models for agriculture and artisanal food production, notably through fostering short supply chains, in particular for local and regional products, and quality food production;
Amendment 1386 #
11. Expresses its deep concern about the emergence of zoonotic diseases that are transferred from animals to humans (anthropozoonoses), such as Q fever, avian influenza and the new strain of influenza A (H1N1), which is exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change, the destruction of biodiversity, environmental degradation and our current food production systems;
Amendment 1524 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the review of the EU promotion programme for agricultural and food products, including the EU school scheme, with a view to enhancing its contribution to more sustainable production and consumption, notably by focusing on educational messages about the importance of healthy and balanced nutrition and promoting greater consumption of milk, fruit and vegetables with the aim of reducing obesity rates; advocates, further, the adaptation of this programme whenever schools experience operational problems or are closed, guaranteeing that our children have healthy eating habits during these periods, too, and preventing cases of malnutrition in those living with the risk of poverty and social exclusion, while also ensuring continued support for local producers;
Amendment 1600 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls the need to promote effective Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), enabling all food chain actors to become sustainable by speeding up innovation and accelerating knowledge transfer; recalls, in addition, the need for a farm sustainability data network to set benchmarks for farm performance and document the uptake of sustainable farming practices, while allowing for the precise and tailored application of new production approaches at farm level by providing farmers with access to fast broadband connections; deplores, however, the fact that inequalities persist in the EU agricultural sector and that many farms still do not have basic services, such as connection to the water supply network, the electricity grid or fast broadband, which merits particular attention from the Commission and Member States, in conjunction with cohesion policy;
Amendment 1768 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that the strategy rightly recognises the role and influence of the food environment in shaping consumption patterns and the need to make it easier for consumers to choose healthy, balanced and sustainable diets; reiterates the importance of promoting sustainable diets by raising consumer awareness of the impacts of consumption patterns and providing information on diets that are better for human health and have a lower environmental footprint; underlines that food prices must send the right signal to consumers, without neglecting producers, who must be fairly remunerated for the sustainable production of healthy foods; welcomes, therefore, the strategy’s objective that the healthy and sustainable choice should become the most affordable one;
Amendment 1864 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Highlights the recognition in the strategy that most Europeans’ diets are not in line with recommendations for healthy eating, and that a population-wide shift inadaptation of consumption patterns is needed towards more healthy and plant-based foodfoods, in quantities more in line with their needs, favouring the consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and legumess, red ather thand processed meatfoods, sugars, salt, and fats, which will also benefit the environment; emphasises that EU-wide guidelines for sustainable, balanced and healthy diets would bring clarity to consumers on what constitutes a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet and inform Member States’ own efforts to integrate sustainability elements in national dietary advice; calls on the Commission to develop such guidelines and specific actions to effectively promote healthy plant-based dietsdiets that incorporate more plant-based foods, thereby encouraging Europeans to have a rich and varied diet;
Amendment 1925 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that the further development of plant-based protein production and alternative sources of protein in the EU is a way of effectively addressing manyseveral of the environmental and climate challenges that EU agriculture is facing, as well as preventing deforestation in countries outside the EU; emphasises, further, the importance of the agroforestry system in this field, since extensive breeding in parallel with lower- intensity forestry production enables the more sustainable production of animal protein, also provided for in a healthy food standard;
Amendment 2100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the importance EU funding for research and innovation as a key driver in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable, healthy and inclusive European food system while facilitating investments needed to encourage agro- ecological practices in both social and technological innovation, and the crucial role of farm advisory services in ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the farming community, drawing on the existing specialised training systems for farmers in Member States; emphasises the importance of higher education institutions in fostering the promotion of research and innovation, and providing advice on agroecological best practices; recognises the role of universities in the development and transition of the agri- food sectors of regions with distinct characteristics, such as the outermost regions;