European Parliament
Alexander Mirsky  (S&D ),
in writing.
After trilogue negotiations, Council and EP have reached a first reading agreement on this report. It's one of the reports included in the CAP reform package and the first to be adopted. This "transitional" proposal has been set up to deal with financial provisions for 2013 concerning Member States that joined the Union after 2004. Indeed, the new Member States were allowed to grant complementary national direct payments as a consequence of the phasing-in of direct payments in those Member States. Such possibility will no longer be available in 2013. For that reason, and in order to avoid a sudden and substantial decrease of support in 2013 in those sectors benefiting until 2012 from complementary national direct payments it is appropriate to provide in those Member States for the possibility to grant, subject to authorisation by the Commission, transitional national aids to farmers in 2013. In order to ensure the continuity of the level of support to farmers in 2013, this piece of legislation must enter into force by 1 January 2013. We have been fighting for these amendments for a long time. I am totally unsatisfied with the decision but as a compromise it is a step forward. I voted in favour.

