The European Parliament adopted by 548 votes to 13, with 67 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material, amending Council Directives 98/56/EC, 2000/29/EC and 2008/90/EC, Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 882/2004 and (EC) No 396/2005, Directive 2009/128/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and repealing Council Decisions 66/399/EEC, 76/894/EEC and 2009/470/EC.
Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary are the result of an agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council. They amended the proposal as follows:
Budget: the ceiling for expenditure in relation to food and feed during the whole period 2014 to 2020 is to be EUR 1 891 936 000 at current prices.
The expenditure should aim to attain the general objective of contributing to a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain and in related areas, by preventing and eradicating diseases and pests and by ensuring a high level of protection for consumers and the environment.
Maximum rates of grants: where the Union financial contribution takes the form of a grant, it should not exceed 50% of the eligible costs. This rate may be increased to 75% of the eligible costs in respect of cross-border activities implemented together by two or more Member States in order to control, prevent or eradicate pests or animal diseases. The maximum rate may be increased to 100% of the eligible costs where the activities benefitting from the Union contribution concern the prevention and control of serious human, plant and animal health risks for the Union.
List of animal diseases and zoonoses: the list of animal diseases and zoonoses which qualify for grants for the eradication, control and surveillance of the animal diseases and zoonoses is set out in the Annex to the Regulation. In order to take account of new scientific or epidemiological developments, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission, in respect of supplementing those lists.
Eligible costs: Union financing for measures in the field of animal and plant health should cover specific eligible costs. In exceptional and duly justified cases, it should also cover the costs incurred by the Member States in carrying out other necessary measures. Such measures may include the implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures in case of outbreak of disease or presence of pests, the destruction and transport of carcasses during eradication programmes, and the costs of compensation to owners resulting from emergency vaccination campaigns.
Co-financing for emergency measures: the amended text provides for the introduction a Union co-financing for the costs incurred by Member States for compensation to owners for the value of destroyed plants, plant products or other objects subject to the measures referred to in Article 16 of Directive 2000/29/EC.
The introduction of Union co-financing requires the development of guidelines on the conditions applicable as regards the limits of the market value of the crops and trees concerned. That introduction should therefore apply only from 1 January 2017.