A3-0209/93

Resolution on the difficult situation facing farms and military service obligations

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mr Mantovani and others on the difficult situation facing farms (B3-1319/92),

-having delegated the power of decision, pursuant to Rule 37 of its Rules of Procedure, to the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development (A3-0209/93),

A.having regard to the serious economic crisis facing the agricultural sector,

B.whereas it is increasingly difficult for farms and stockbreeding establishments to hire skilled labour with expertise in many different areas willing to work the kind of day and night shifts needed for specific tasks such as milking,

C.having regard to the high cost of skilled labour,

D.having regard to the gradual decline in income from farming,

E.whereas military policy is increasingly oriented towards reducing conscription and increasing the number of highly qualified professional volunteer soldiers,

F.whereas environmental protection is one dimension of the common agricultural policy,

G.whereas farmers have a crucial role to play in society as a whole in improving the environment and safeguarding the land,

H.whereas many farming and rural areas of the Community are becoming increasingly vulnerable to depopulation, erosion, flooding and forest fires,

I.whereas the targets set by Community agricultural, environmental, social and regional policies must be attained,

J.whereas it is vital that continuity be guaranteed in the running of farms and their activities,

K.concerned at the very real danger that family farms will be driven out of business if farmers, their sons or other farm workers are called up for military service,

1.Calls on the Commission to draw up a proposal for a recommendation calling on the Member States to lay down provisions whereby:

1.1.farmers, their sons (daughters) or other workers shall have the right to discharge their military service requirements by working on their farm if the position of the farm is such that the cost of employing extra qualified workers cannot be met or if workers with skills similar to those of the person called up are not available;

1.2.farmers, their sons (daughters) or other workers on farms which do not fall into the above category, young qualified agriculturalists and graduates or students of agricultural sciences or related subjects who are conscientious objectors shall have the option of performing alternative civilian service by working on farms or forestry holdings or in hill-farming communities, nature parks, research bodies or other institutions connected with the farming world which carry out their activities on a non-profit-making basis;

2.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council.