(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2011)0626) and the amended proposal (COM(2012)0535),

–  having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 42, first paragraph, and Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C7‑0339/2011),

–  having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to opinion 1/2012 of the Court of Auditors of 8 March 2012(1),

–  having regard to the opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee of 25 April 2012 and 12 December 2012(2),

–  having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 4 May 2012(3);

–  having regard to its decision of 13 March 2013 on the opening of, and on the mandate for, interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal(4),

–  having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 7 October 2013 to approve Parliament's position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinions of the Committee on Development, the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Regional Development (A7-0366/2013),

1.  Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2.  Approves the joint statement by Parliament, the Council and the Commission annexed to this resolution;

3.  Takes note of the Commission statements annexed to this resolution;

4.  Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend its proposal substantially or replace it with another text;

5.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

(1) Not yet published in the Official Journal. (2) OJ C 191, 29.6.2012, p. 116, and OJ C 44, 15.2.2013, p. 158. (3) OJ C 225, 27.7.2012, p. 174. (4) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0085.

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.)

JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, COUNCIL AND COMMISSION

on Article 43(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)

The outcome of negotiations as concerns recourse to Article 43(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union forms part of the overall compromise on the current CAP reform and is without prejudice to each institution’s position on the scope of this provision and to any future developments on this question, in particular any new case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union.

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on marketing standards (linked to Article 59(1a))

The Commission is keenly aware of the sensitivity of extending marketing standards to sectors or products which currently are not subject to these rules under the sCMO Regulation.

Marketing standards should only apply to sectors where there are clear expectations of the consumers and when there is a need to improve the economic conditions for the production and marketing of specific products as well as to their quality, or to take into account technical progress or need for product innovation. They should also avoid administrative burden, be simply understandable for the consumers and help producers to easily communicate the characteristics and attributes of their products.

The Commission will take into account any duly justified request from Institutions or representative organisation, as well as the recommendations of International Bodies, but before using its power to include new products or sectors in paragraph 1 of Article 59 will be required to carefully assess the specificity of that sector and present a report to the European Parliament and the Council evaluating, in particular, the need of the consumer, the costs and administrative burdens for operators including the impact on the internal market and on international trade, as well as the benefits offered to producers and to the end consumer.

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on sugar

In order to aim for a balanced market and a fluid supply of sugar to the Union market during the remaining period of sugar quotas, the Commission will have regard to the interests of both Union sugar beet growers and raw cane refiners in applying the temporary market management mechanism laid down in Article 101da of the sCMO Regulation.

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on the European Price Monitoring Tool

The Commission recognises the importance of collecting and disseminating available data on price developments in the different steps of the food chain. To this end, the Commission has developed a Food Prices Monitoring Tool for Food Products, which draws from the combined food related price index data collected by National Statistical Offices. This tool aims at bringing together and making available price development along the food chain, and allows comparison of price developments for relevant agricultural products, for food industries and the relevant consumer products. This tool is under constant improvement and will aim to expand the range of food chain products it covers and in general to meet farmers’ and consumers’ need for more transparency and food price building. The Commission shall report regularly to the European Parliament and to the Council on the activities of the European Price Monitoring Tool and the results of the latter's studies.