Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-06-Speech-3-007"
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".
Today in the European Parliament we are initiating an important debate on the provision of additional resources from the European budget to rural areas in the Community to help them cope with the consequences of the economic crisis. We must mention that EUR 1.02 billion will support the European Union’s agricultural sector during a difficult time. I believe that the Community’s farmers and inhabitants will understand this important message in terms of providing financial resources for additional support.
The amount which each country will receive is intended for the development of broadband Internet and for meeting the new challenges which were defined in the regular review of the common agricultural policy for 2008. I believe that the investments in the Internet infrastructure, restructuring the dairy sector, renewable energy sources, protecting biodiversity and water resources are key to resolving a large proportion of the problems in these regions, providing alternative options to the people who live there.
In my report I am proposing that, in relation to the budget for the funds earmarked for 2009, an additional EUR 250 million should be provided for the budget line for rural development. As a result of this amendment, the total amount of resources available for 2009 would reach almost EUR 850 million. Due to the need to respond quickly to the current economic crisis, it would be a good idea, to start with, for the payments scheduled for 2010 and 2011 to be made in 2009.
I would like to emphasise the possibility of distributing the resources among Member States depending on their specific requirements. This flexibility will allow individual countries to use the financial resources according to the needs of their farmers and rural inhabitants.
In view of the restricted availability of credit during a financial crisis and taking into account the obstacles preventing the use of the funds from the rural area programmes, I think that this is a good opportunity for some of these resources to be earmarked for funds providing loans and credit guarantees. We can then really help people who want to implement projects but do not have the necessary start-up capital.
It is important for Member States to abide by the scheduled timeframes and to include additional activities in the rural development programmes, thereby allowing these funds to be used. The quicker the money gets to the farmers and regions, the greater the benefit from this financial assistance. Another important condition for the successful use of the resources is for every country to quickly provide regional and local bodies and potential beneficiaries with relevant, easily accessible information about new opportunities for projects under the reviewed rural development programmes.
I would like to emphasise how much of a pleasure it was for me to work on a report which highlights the active approach and support of Europe’s institutions for the future of the Community’s agricultural sector and rural areas. I have always believed that assistance is most valuable at the time when people most need it and, at the moment, rural areas need more resources for development and modernisation. This is the only way for us to halt migration, protect nature and guarantee employment and new jobs.
I would like to conclude by thanking my colleagues from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development who were involved in drafting the report, as well as the representatives from the European Commission and the Council for their helpful cooperation. I would also like to thank the sector organisations for the proposals they made. I call on you to support this report so that we can give new impetus to the development of the European Union’s rural areas."@en1
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