The European Parliament adopted a resolution by 271 votes to 108 with 48 abstentions, and amended the Commission's proposal. The rapporteur was Arlindo CUNHA (EPP-ED, Portugal). (Please see the summary dated 21/05/03.)
Common conditions for direct payments under the various schemes for income and land use support should enter into force on 1 January 2005, to allow time for adaptation for the competent national authorities and for farmers. Parliament also stated that account must be taken of the special characteristics of the outermost regions. Agriculture in these regions is completely dissimilar in its development from agriculture in continental Europe, both as regards the structure of farms and the
quantities produced, and accordingly, these regions should not be subjected to systematic and automatic application of the legislation. Production receiving direct payments located in the territories of the Aegean Islands and in the French overseas departments, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands will be exempted from the modulation regime Parliament inserted specific dates for setting up farm advisory schemes and integrated systems. It also made some changes to the figures for intervention prices.
Finally, it stated that the Commission has the right to withhold monthly transfers to Member States who repeatedly are found to be unable to execute the direct payment scheme correctly.�