Publications - European Parliament REPORT - on the promotion of crops for non-food purposes - 2004/2259(INI)

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This report (A6-0040/2006 final) on the promotion of crops for non-food purposes of 24.2.2006 (Rapporteur: Neil Parish) has been produced by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament.

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The purpose of this report is outlined in an Explanatory Statement, which starts as follows:

The main goal of the promotion of crop production for non-food purposes is to provide important new markets for farmers in the European Union. Developing this sector has the potential to bring enormous social, economic and environmental benefits.

The European farming sector today is under increasing pressure, with globalisation and liberalisation of national and international markets making it very difficult for European farmers to compete with countries producing at a lower cost. As this trend continues, farmers will find it more difficult to forge a decent income and the least competitive producers will be forced out of the sector. This will not only have major economic and social implications but will also lead to a decrease of land used for food production.

It is within this context that the promotion of crops for non-food purposes provides major opportunities.

In ending this section it is noted that:

In the report on the share of renewable energy in the EU and proposals for concrete actions, the Parliament asked the Commission to take new regulatory measures and to increase the Union's financial support for research into renewable energy sources, innovation spreading, information sharing and energy economies. Producers also need to be supported so that they can obtain the appropriate technology by taking part in the relevant national and Community programmes.