Considerations on COM(2011)855 - Amendment of Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the EC

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dossier COM(2011)855 - Amendment of Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes ...
document COM(2011)855 EN
date October 22, 2013
 
table>(1)Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 of 30 November 2009 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the European Community (3) confers powers on the Commission to implement some of the provisions of that Regulation. As a consequence of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, those implementing powers need to be aligned to Articles 290 and 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘the Treaty’).
(2)In order to supplement or amend certain non-essential elements of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty should be delegated to the Commission in respect of amending Annex I with respect to Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) divisions per Member State, laying down the rules for fixing the threshold for the economic size of returning holdings and the rules for establishing the plan for the selection of returning holdings, fixing the reference period for the standard output, defining the general and principal types of farming, specifying the main groups of accountancy data to be collected and adopting general rules on the accountancy data to be included in the farm return. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing-up delegated acts, should ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and Council.

(3)In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 and to avoid discrimination between farmers, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission in respect of fixing the threshold for the economic size of returning holdings, fixing the number of returning holdings per Member State and per FADN division, establishing and updating the methods and models for notifying the selection plan to the Commission, laying down the procedures and methods of calculation applicable to the Union typology as well as detailed rules on the activities of national committees for the data network and liaison agencies of Member States, and laying down the form and layout of the farm return, as well as detailed rules on the standard fee in relation to the FADN. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (4).

(4)In the interests of simplification, and in the light of the experience gained through the application of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, some of the provisions of that Regulation should be adapted or deleted.

(5)Under Article 1(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, reports based on FADN data are to be submitted annually to the European Parliament and the Council, in particular for the annual fixing of prices of agricultural produce. However, in practice, such reports are no longer submitted to those institutions for the purpose of fixing prices of agricultural produce. In order to ensure simple and convenient access to the annual analytical reports based on FADN for use by other institutions and the public, provision should be made for reports covering selected sectors to be published on a dedicated website.

(6)Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 lays down a maximum number of returning holdings. The purpose of that provision is to set a budgetary limit on the collection of FADN data. As that budgetary limit is now set by the procedure for the preparation and adoption of the Union’s annual budget, the limit laid down in Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 is no longer needed.

(7)Chapter II of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 contains rules on how to determine the incomes of agricultural holdings, while the rules on business analysis of agricultural holdings are set out in Chapter III of that Regulation. Both types of surveys are subject to essentially the same rules and, in the interests of simplification, it is therefore appropriate to merge those provisions into a single chapter applicable to both types of surveys.

(8)Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 contains further provisions which no longer reflect the practice under that Regulation. In particular, the Commission does not require Member States to provide returning holdings with a list of accountancy offices to select from, since most holdings have their own accountant or accountancy office that provides FADN with the data, or the data are collected directly by the liaison office or its contractors. Furthermore, reports on the implementation of the plan for the selection of returning holdings approved by National Committees are no longer required by the Commission.

(9)Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 should therefore be amended accordingly,