Alfreds RUBIKS

General
Contact
Committees
Dossiers (15)
Bio
Amendments (115)
History
Links

Constituencies

Latvia Politisko partiju apvienība "Saskaņas centrs" 2009/07/14 - 9999/12/31

Groups

GUE/NGL Member of the Bureau Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left 2009/07/14 - 9999/12/31

Committees

Role	Committee	Start	End
Member of	Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development	2012/01/19	9999/12/31
Substitute of	Committee on Transport and Tourism	2012/01/19	9999/12/31

Show earlier commitees...

Role	Committee	Start	End
Member of	Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development	2009/07/16	2012/01/18
Substitute of	Committee on Transport and Tourism	2009/07/16	2012/01/18

Delegations

Role	Delegation	Start	End
Vice-Chair of	Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia	2009/09/29	9999/12/31
Substitute of	Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees	2009/09/16	9999/12/31

Show earlier delegations...

Role	Delegation	Start	End
Member of	Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia	2009/09/16	2009/09/28

Contact

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http://twitter.com/#!/AlfredsRubiks
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Brussels

Phone
+322 28 45649
Fax
+322 28 49649
Office
Bât. Altiero Spinelli 06F158
Full Address
- City
  Bruxelles/Brussel
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  B-1047
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  60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

Strasbourg

Phone
+333 88 1 75649
Fax
+333 88 1 79649
Office
Bât. Louise Weiss T05002
Full Address
- City
  Strasbourg
- Zip
  CS 91024 - F-67070
- Street
  1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman

Postal

Eiropas Parlaments
Rue Wiertz
Altiero Spinelli 06F158
B-1047 Brisele

Rapporteur

Shadow	2012/2298(INI)	Promoting a European transport-technology strategy for Europe's future sustainable mobility
Shadow	2012/2297(INI)	Blue growth - Enhancing sustainable growth in the EU's marine, maritime transport and tourism sectors
Shadow	2012/2296(INI)	Strategy for an electronic toll service and a vignette system on light private vehicles in Europe
Shadow	2012/0186(COD)	Technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Union. 'Roadworthiness package'
Shadow	2012/0185(COD)	Registration documents for vehicles. 'Roadworthiness package'
Shadow	2012/0184(COD)	Periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers. 'Roadworthiness package'
Shadow	2011/2196(INI)	Future of regional airports and air services in the EU
Shadow	2011/0288(COD)	Common agricultural policy (CAP): financing, management and monitoring 2014-2020
Shadow	2011/0281(COD)	Common organisation of the markets in agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) 2014-2020
Shadow	2010/0370(COD)	Specific measures for agriculture in the smaller Aegean islands
Shadow	2010/0366(COD)	European Agricultural Guarantee Fund EAGF: scrutiny by Member States of financing transactions
Shadow	2010/0354(COD)	Agricultural products: marketing standards
Shadow	2010/0353(COD)	Agricultural products and foodstuffs: quality schemes
Shadow	2010/0258(COD)	Carriage of goods by road: statistical returns. Recast
Shadow	2008/0147(COD)	Road transport: charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of infrastructure (amend. Directive 1999/62/EC)

Born

1935/09/24 Daugavpils

Mechanical engineer, Riga Polytechnic Institute (1957-1963). Leningrad higher party school, politician (1978-1980).
Shift foreman, electrical engineering plant in Riga (1954). Military service, Soviet Army (1954-1957). Engineer and technologist, head of technological office, electrical engineering plant in Riga (1957-1960). Minister for Local Industry of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1982-1984).
Employee, Latvian Communist Youth Organisation; Secretary, Central Committee, Riga City Section of the Latvian Leninist Communist Youth Movement (1962-1968). Deputy head of department, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party (1969-1976). First Secretary, District Committee of the Latvian Communist Party, Leningrad District of the City of Riga (1976-1982). First Secretary, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party; member of the Politburo, Central Committee, Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1990-1991). Member, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party (1981-1991). Chair, Latvian Socialist Party (since 1999). Vice-chair, Saskaņas centrs alliance of political parties (since 2005).
People's deputy in the City of Riga, Leningrad District of the City of Riga (1976-1984).
People's deputy; chair, Riga City Council of People's Deputies (1984-1990).
People's Deputy of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1980-1991). Member, Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1985-1991). People's Deputy of the Soviet Union (1990-1991). Member, Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia (1991-1992). Member of the Latvian Parliament during its 5th parliamentary term (1993-1997).
Chair, Committee for the Defence of the Constitution and Citizens' Rights and the Preservation of Society, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic and Soviet Union (1990-1991).
In detention (1991-1997). Sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment 'for activities directed towards the violent overthrow of State authority in the Republic of Latvia'. 1997: early release from prison.
Three orders of the Soviet Union and two medals, two honours awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Meritorious industrial worker's award of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Amendments

Amendments	Dossier
6	2009/2236(INI) Future of the CAP after 2013 2010/04/29 AGRI 1 amendments... Amendment 16 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas, to date, the Common Agricultural Policy has met its goals with regard to achieving better productivity in the food chain, ~~contribut~~striving to achieve fairer standard of living for the agricultural community, market stabilisation and the provision of food supplies to EU consumers at reasonable prices, source: PE-441.049 2010/04/30 AGRI 5 amendments... Amendment 308 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Points out, most importantly, that in the future European agricultural policy must remain a common policy and that only a harmonised level of support across the EU with a common set of objectives and rules can deliver the appropriate level playing field for farmers and a properly functioning Single Market with fair competitive conditions for ~~agricultural product~~farmers within the EU; Amendment 427 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 37 37. Calls for a fairer distribution of CAP payments and insists that it should be fair to farmers in ~~both new and old~~ Member States8 ; Amendment 567 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 48 – point 1 (1) Believes that in order to reduce the disparities in the distribution of direct support funds between Member States, the hectare basis alone will not be sufficient and, therefore, calls for additional objective criteria such as a ~~purchasing power coefficient~~griculture employment, land, environmental criteria, between Member States rural areas, to be used to achieve an overall balanced distribution; Amendment 593 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 51 51. Believes that direct support should move to an area basis in all Member States by ~~2020~~the latest 2014, allowing those that are still using the historical payments system the flexibility to phase in the difficult changes at their own speed9 ; Amendment 611 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 54 54. Considers that there should be no return to coupled payments as a guiding principle of the CAP; however, given the move from a historical to an area support model, takes the view that a limited margin for flexibility should be left to Member States to respond to the specific needs of their territory~~, in the form of capped coupled payments for vulnerable grassland livestock areas,~~ under Rural development policy in compliance with WTO requirements; source: PE-441.147
4	2010/0267(COD) Common agricultural policy CAP: common rules for support schemes for farmers 2011/03/23 AGRI 4 amendments... Amendment 27 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 10 (10) In order to ensure that the respect of cross compliance requirements can be verified, farmers are required to declare all agricultural areas of their holding, irrespective of the condition of the areas on 30 June 2003 (Article 124 of the Regulation). This also applies when the farmers do not apply for any area-based direct payment and only have small areas at their disposal. In those cases, for the sake of simplification, it should be made possible for the Member States not to require the declaration of those areas, provided the total area of the holding concerned does not exceed one hectare and provided that a reference to those areas is made in the aid application. Amendment 37 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 14 Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 Article 27 a – paragraph 4 – point b a (new) (ba) provisions stipulating that a payment may be placed in the national reserve if a farmer refuses to accept it and if the land used for the farm is not in good economic condition. This money may be returned to young farmers who are starting to farm permanently. Amendment 41 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 29 Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 Article 51 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 On the basis of the choice made by each Member State, the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, determine a ceiling for each of the direct payments – including permanent meadowland and pasture – referred to in Articles 52, 53 and 54. Amendment 46 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 66 Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 Article 124 – paragraph 9 9. In order to enable the application of the single area payment scheme referred to in this Title, the Commission shall, by means of delegated acts, determine the agricultural areas under the single area payment scheme, as provided for in paragraph 1, and the minimum size of eligible area per holding for which payments may be requested at a level ~~higher than~~of 0,3 ha, as provided for in the third subparagraph of paragraph 2. source: PE-460.972
2	2011/0092(CNS) Taxation des produits énergétiques et de l'électricité: restructuration du cadre communautaire 2011/01/12 AGRI 2 amendments... Amendment 18 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Recital 20 (20) Article 15(3) of Directive 2003/96/EC allows Member States to apply to agricultural, horticultural and piscicultural works as well as to forestry not only the provisions generally applicable to business uses but also a level of taxation down to zero~~. A~~, in order to keep agriculture economically viable, as it is already hampered by strict social, environmental, plant protection and animal welfare requirements, and it is not adequately remunerated on the market. Despite this, an examination of that option has revealed that as far as general energy consumption taxation is concerned its maintenance would be contrary to the Union's wider policy objectives unless it is linked to a counterpart ensuring advances in the field of energy efficiency, which at the same time will in the medium term reduce permanent production costs in these sectors. Such advances in energy efficiency should form part of a sufficiently long cycle, extending over a number of years, and be subject to public planning and monitoring by public bodies. As regards CO2 related taxation the treatment of the sectors concerned should be aligned to the rules applying to industrial sectors. Amendment 26 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Recital 25 a (new) (25a) It should be laid down that Member States ought to develop forms of bioenergy on the basis of society’s economic needs and its interests. Member States should be encouraged to adopt a tax regime which promotes consumption of second-generation biofuels. The Commission should particularly prioritise research into second-generation biofuels in order to improve their efficiency and actual cost, as well as increasing research and development funding. source: PE-476.116
2	2011/0276(COD) Structural instruments: common provisions for ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund, EAFRD and EMFF; general provisions applicable to ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund 2012/01/06 BUDG 2 amendments... Amendment 65 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Part 2 – article 54 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 The eligible expenditure of the operation to be co-financed shall not exceed the current value of the investment cost of the operation less the current value of the net revenue, determined according to one of these methods, excluding investments in sustainable and low-emission transport infrastructure, in the case of which the eligible expenditure must be equal to the current value of the investment cost of the operation. Amendment 89 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Part 3 – article 111 – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new) (3a) the financial and economic sustainability of a project due to operations which bring a good rate of return with higher rates of co-financing, not non-profit-making operations; source: PE-491.060
9	2011/0280(COD) Common agricultural policy (CAP): direct payments to farmers under support schemes 2014-2020 2012/07/18 AGRI 1 amendments... Amendment 193 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Recital 21 (21) Due to the successive integration of various sectors into the single payment scheme and the ensuing period of adjustment granted to farmers, it has become increasingly difficult to justify the presence of significant individual differences in the level of support per hectare resulting from use of historical references. Therefore direct income support should be more equitably distributed between Member States, by reducing the link to historical references and having regard to the overall context of the Union budget. To ensure a more equal distribution of direct support, while taking account of the differences that still exist in wage levels and input costs, the levels of direct support per hectare should be progressively adjusted. Member States with direct payments below the level of 90 % of the average should close one third of the gap between their current level and this level. This convergence should be financed proportionally by all Member States with direct payments above the Union average. In addition, all payment entitlements activated in 2019 in a Member State or in a region should have a uniform unit value following a convergence towards this value that should take place during the transition period in ~~linear steps. However, i~~steps. In order to avoid disruptive financial consequences for farmers, Member States having used the single payment scheme, and in particular the historical model, should be allowed to ~~partially~~ take historical factors into account when calculating the value of payment entitlements ~~in the first year of application of the new scheme~~. Member States may also limit the reduction in the basic payment to farms resulting from the discontinued use of the historical model. The debate on the next Multiannual Financial Framework for the period starting in 2021 should also focus on the objective of complete convergence through the equal distribution of direct support across the European Union during that period no later than in 2023. The volume of financing of direct payments by Member States (envelope) should be adjusted so that, in all Member States, the level of direct payments is not less than 80% of the Union average level of direct support as from 1 January 2014. source: PE-491.238 2012/07/19 AGRI 3 amendments... Amendment 555 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 9 – paragraph 1 – introductory part 1. No direct payments shall be granted to natural or legal persons, or to groups of natural or legal persons, where one of the following applies (with the exception of producers in less favoured regions and products from various restricted areas): Amendment 651 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 9 – paragraph 2 2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply to farmers who received less ~~than EUR 5 000 of~~in direct payments for the previous year than the amount determined by the Member States (within the range EUR 1 000-EUR 5 000). Amendment 754 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 11 – paragraph 1 – indent 3 – by 780 % for the tranche of more than EUR 250 ~~000 and up to EUR 300~~ 000; source: PE-492.791 2012/07/24 AGRI 5 amendments... Amendment 1695 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 32 – paragraph 1 1. Farmers shall ensure that at least 72.5 % of their eligible hectares as defined in Article 25(2), excluding areas under permanent grassland, is ecological focus area such as land left fallow, terraces, landscape features~~, buffer stri~~ – for example fences or stone walls – buffer strips, nitrogen-fixing crops and afforested areas as referred to in article 25(2)(b)(ii), as well as crops which contribute to CO2 sequestration. Amendment 2028 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 38 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 Coupled support may be granted to the following sectors and productions: cereals, oilseeds, protein crops, grain legumes, flax, hemp, rice, nuts, starch potato, milk and milk products, seeds, sheepmeat and goatmeat, beef and veal, olive oil, silk worms, dried fodder, hops, sugar beet, cane and chicory, fruit and vegetables and short rotation coppiceall sectors of agriculture or to regions of a Member State where specific types of farming or specific agricultural sectors are facing certain difficulties and are particularly important for economic and/or social and/or environmental reasons. . Amendment 2114 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 39 – paragraph 2 – introductory part 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States may decide to use ~~up to 10 % of~~ the annual national ceiling set out in Annex II ~~provided that~~: Amendment 2119 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point a (a) up to 20% if they applied, until 31 December 2013, the single area payment scheme as laid down in Title V of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, or financed measures under Article 111 of that Regulation, or are concerned by the derogation provided for in Article 69(5), or, in the case of Malta, in Article 69(1) of that Regulation; and/or Amendment 2124 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point b (b) up to 10% if they allocated, during at least one year in the period 2010-2013, more than 5 % of their amount available for granting the direct payments provided for in Titles III, IV and V of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, with the exception of Section 6 of Chapter 1 of Title IV, for financing the measures laid down in Section 2 of Chapter 2 of Title III of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, the support provided for in points (i) to (iv) of paragraph 1(a) and paragraphs 1(b) and (e) of Article 68 of that Regulation, or the measures under Chapter 1, with the exception of Section 6, of Title IV of that Regulation. source: PE-494.487
5	2011/0281(COD) Common organisation of the markets in agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) 2014-2020 2012/07/19 AGRI 2 amendments... Amendment 448 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Recital 14 (14) As appropriate to each sector concerned in the light of the practice and experience under previous CMOs, the system of intervention should be available during certain periods of the year and should be open during that period either on a permanent basis or should be opened in good time depending on market prices. Amendment 468 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Recital 35 (35) Support for setting up producer groups should be provided for all sectors in all Member States under rural development policy so the specific support (including investment) in the fruit and vegetables sector should be discontinued. source: PE-492.801 2012/07/25 AGRI 3 amendments... Amendment 1594 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 106 – paragraph 1 – introductory part Member States ~~shall~~may recognise, on request, producer organisations, which: Amendment 1682 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 107 – paragraph 1 Member States ~~shall~~may recognise, on request, associations of producer organisations in any of the sectors listed in Article 1(2) which are formed on the initiative of recognised producer organisations. Amendment 1763 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 108 – paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Member States shall recognise, on request, inter-branch organisations in the following sectors (by way of derogation from Articles 106, 107 and 108): (i) the fruit and vegetables sector; (ii) the olive and table olive sector; (iii) the silk sector; (iv) the bee-keeping sector. Inter-branch organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector shall realise at least one of the objectives laid down in Article 106(1)(c)(i)-(iii). source: PE-494.588
6	2011/0282(COD) European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD): support for rural development 2014-2020 2012/07/24 AGRI 3 amendments... Amendment 275 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 3 – paragraph 1 The EAFRD shall contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy by promoting sustainable rural development throughout the Union in a complementary manner to the other instruments of the common agricultural policy (hereinafter “CAP”), to cohesion policy and to the common fisheries policy. It shall contribute to a more territorially and environmentally balanced, climate- friendly and resilient and innovative Union agricultural sector in accordance with the Member States’ national development objectives. Amendment 365 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b a (new) (ba) preventing degradation of farmland and enhancing characteristics of soil geared to sustainable agricultural production. Amendment 844 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point c (c) concern infrastructure related to the development and adaptation of agriculture, including access to farm and forest land, land consolidation and improvement, energy supply and, water management, channelling and supply; or source: PE-492.797 2012/07/25 AGRI 2 amendments... Amendment 1160 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 24 – paragraph 2 2. "Agro-forestry systems" shall mean land use systems in which trees are grown in combination with extensive agriculture on the same land. The maximum number of trees to be planted per hectare shall be determined by the Member States taking account of local pedo-climatic conditions, forestry species and the need to ensure agricultural or forestry use of the land. Amendment 1555 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point a (a) financial contributions, paid directly to farmers, to premiums for crop, animal and plant insurance against economic losses caused by adverse climatic events, wildlife, including birds, and animal or plant diseases or pest infestation; source: PE-494.479 2012/07/26 AGRI 1 amendments... Amendment 1907 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 64 – paragraph 4 – introductory part 4. The Commission shall, by means of an implementing act, make an annual breakdown by Member State of the amounts referred to in paragraph 1, after deduction of the amount referred to in paragraph 2 and taking into account the transfer of funds referred to in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) No DP/2012, is laid down in Annex Ia [sic – translator’s note]. The breakdown of the funding among the Member States must be based on objective criteria. In making the annual breakdown the Commission shall take into account: source: PE-494.481
10	2011/0288(COD) Common agricultural policy (CAP): financing, management and monitoring 2014-2020 2012/07/20 AGRI 10 amendments... Amendment 195 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c ~~(c) minimum conditions for the accreditation of coordination bodies as well as rules on the procedure for issuing and withdrawing accreditation.~~deleted Amendment 199 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 9 Article 9 Certification bodies 1. The certification body shall be a public or private audit body designated by the Member State which shall provide an opinion on the management declaration of assurance covering the completeness, accuracy and veracity of the annual accounts of the paying agency, the proper functioning of its internal control system, the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, as well as the respect of the principle of sound financial management. It shall be operationally independent from both the paying agency concerned and the authority which has accredited that agency. 2. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, lay down rules concerning the status of the certification bodies, the specific tasks, including the checks, which they have to carry out as well as the certificates and the reports, together with the documents accompanying them, to be drawn up by those bodies. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 112(3).deleted Amendment 293 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 25 – paragraph 6 6. Before applying this Article, account shall first be taken of the amount authorised by the budget authority for the Reserve for crises in the agricultural sector referred to in point 14 of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management.deleted Amendment 305 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 34 – paragraph 1 1. Following the Commission decision approving the programme, an initial prefinancing amount for the whole programming period shall be paid by the Commission. This initial pre-financing amount shall represent 47% of the EAFRD contribution to the programme concerned. It may be split into a maximum of three instalments depending on budget availability. The first instalment shall represent 2% of the EAFRD contribution to the programme concerned. Amendment 341 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 44 Article 44 Suspension of payments in case of late submission When sectoral agricultural legislation requires Member States to submit, within a specific period of time, information on the numbers of checks carried out and their outcome and the Member States overrun that period, the Commission may suspend the monthly payments referred to in Article 18 or the interim payments referred to in Article 35 for which the relevant statistical information has not been sent in time.deleted Amendment 356 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 48 – paragraph 6 6. The Commission may lay down, by means of implementing acts, further details on the obligation laid down in Article 46 as well as the specific conditions applying to the information to be booked in the accounts kept by the paying agencies. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 112(3).deleted Amendment 377 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 54 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 If agreement is not reached, the Member State may request opening of a procedure aimed at reconciling each party's position within four months and arriving at a joint opinion. A report of the outcome of the procedure shall be given to the Commission, which shall examine it before deciding on any refusal of financing. Amendment 410 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 57 – paragraph 2 When the Union budget is credited as referred in the first paragraph, the Member State may retain 120% of the corresponding amounts as flat rate recovery costs, except in cases of irregularity or negligence attributable to its administrative authorities or other official bodies. Amendment 430 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 64 – paragraph 1 1. In order to ensure correct and efficient application of the checks and that the verification of the eligibility conditions is carried out in an efficient, coherent and non-discriminatory way which protects the financial interest of the Union, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 111 concerning the situations where beneficiaries or their representatives prevent checks from being carried out.deleted Amendment 438 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a regulation Article 65 – paragraph 1 1. Where it is found that a beneficiary does not comply with the eligibility criteria or the commitments relating to the conditions for granting the aid as provided for in the sectoral agricultural legislation the aid shall be withdrawn in full ~~or in part~~and payments for the non-compliant part shall be reduced for the next two years. source: PE-492.777
19	2011/2051(INI) CAP towards 2020: meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future 2011/03/21 AGRI 4 amendments... Amendment 41 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the CAP reform of 2003 and the Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy of 2008 have ~~substantially~~ increased the transparency and efficiency of the CAP and farmers’ own responsibility and market orientation; whereas this process must be continued and, as a counterpart, the administration of the CAP must be significantly further simplified in order to reduce the burden on farmers and administrations, Amendment 154 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital O O. whereas, because the world economy is becoming integrated more rapidly~~, trade systems are as rule being liberalised more by multilateral negotiations (the Doha Round)~~ and multilateral negotiations (the Doha Round) have the aim of liberalising trade systems and whereas in relation to imports from third countries environmental, animal welfare, plant protection and consumer protection standards need to be raised to EU level and minimum employment standards should be complied with, Amendment 431 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. In the case of direct farm payments, advocates moving away from historical and individual reference values and calls for a transition to a uniform area-based regional or national premium for decoupled payments ~~in the next financing period~~; recognises, however, that the situations in the individual Member States are very disparate, requiring special measures per region; Amendment 445 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Considers that Member States which currently apply the simplified Single Area Payment Scheme (SAPS) should switch to the single farm payment system with entitlements; calls for support in making the conversion;deleted source: PE-458.827 2011/03/22 AGRI 15 amendments... Amendment 602 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Considers that direct payments should be made only to active farmers; realises that, under the system of decoupled direct payments, each farmer who uses farmland for production ~~or who tends it in order to maintain GAEC~~ should receive direct payments; calls on the Commission therefore to devise a definitions of ‘active farmer’ and of ‘fair distribution of resources’ which the Member States can administer without additional administrative effort, while it should be ensured that traditional farming activities ~~(full-time and various degrees of part- time)~~ are classified as active farming; Amendment 640 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Considers therefore that farming practices should be encouraged and ensured under the first pillar on farmland which is not subject to natural handicaps and which would contribute to environmentally sustainable agriculture, while under the second pillar farmers should be compensated for losses which they have suffered and income which they have forgone in farming land with natural handicaps and special nature conservation areas, including NATURA 2000 areas, and that costs of investing in environmental improvements and expenditure arising from agrienvironmental commitments in excess of cross-compliance requirements should be compensated; Amendment 663 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Considers that environmental benefits could be attained by introducing environmental activities with cross- compliance requirements; takes the view that Member States should be given the opportunity and flexibility to select for themselves from a list of environmental activities or to add others which they consider the most important with a view to solving environmental problems in their countries; Amendment 671 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Considers therefore that any environmental advantages can be attained more effectively and directly by means of second-pillar measures adopted by the Member States, which should ideally build on existing agrienvironmental measures or should supplement measures which take into account climatic and geographical differences in the Member States; observes that resource protection programmes should be pursued everywhere by means of a priority catalogue of area-based measures in the second pillar which are subject to basic requirements, particularly in the fields of climate, environment and innovation (Annex I), and are 100% EU-financed; regards the greening of direct payments in the first pillar as lying in the fact that any recipient of direct payments in the EU must implement at least two priority area- based resource protection programmes in order to be eligible for the complete farm payment; believes that the administration involved in these measures can be minimised by managing them in accordance with the system of the existing agrienvironmental programmes, thus avoiding duplication of monitoring and additional application and administration procedures;deleted Amendment 698 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 ~~23. Calls for the resources allocated to greening to be reserved for recipients of direct payments and only disbursed in connection with greening;~~deleted Amendment 729 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Regards this model as making a substantial contribution to the simplification of the direct payments system and to the attainment of new compulsory environmental objectives; observes that, under this model, there is no need to step up the current rate of monitoring and the current monitoring capacities, as existing checks can be used~~, and that checks in the second pillar can be combined in the basic and regeneration programme~~; considers also that no new systems of payments or penalties need be introduced; Amendment 732 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Realises that resources from the first pillar (as for a top-up model) should be used to pay for this environmental component; believes, however, that Member States where direct payments lie below the EU average should be given the option of making the payment by means of cofinancing from the first pillar or instead by means of financing entirely from the second pillar; observes that the Member States must notify the Commission of their decision on the financing by 31 July 2013;notes that individual Member States’ modulation resources should be used;deleted Amendment 847 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 33 33. Considers that the health check approach should be pursued further, as ~~thes~~some existing market instruments have also demonstrated their value as a safety net; takes the view that these market measures, and in particular intervention, should only be used as a safety net in case of price crises and potential market disruption, and that intervention should be used for a prescribed purpose (for example to meet the needs of a specific sector); Amendment 879 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 35. Recalls that market-orientated production, competition and direct payments are at the heart of any insurance against risk, and that it is farmers who are responsible for risk prevention; supports the Member States, in this context, in making national risk insurance instruments available to farmers; Amendment 889 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 36 36. Considers that a multi-stage safety net comprising ~~private storage,~~ public intervention, market disruption instruments and an emergency clause would confer the greatest possible benefit; calls for ~~private storage and~~ public intervention to be permitted for specific sectors where market disruptions are of limited duration; calls furthermore for a market disruption instrument and an emergency clause to be established for all sectors in common, making it possible for the Commission, under certain circumstances, in the event of crises to take action over a limited period which goes beyond the existing instruments; Amendment 897 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 37 ~~37. Considers that the use of these instruments which have been described should be triggered only by a political assessment by the EU legislature;~~deleted Amendment 918 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 38 38. Considers that, in view of the completely different conditions which exist in the individual sectors, differentiated sectoral solutions ~~are preferable to~~should be opted for, not across- the-board approaches; Amendment 1020 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 45 45. A~~dvocat~~grees that the 2006 sugar market reform ~~be extended to 2020~~ in its existing form has not attained the desired results and should therefore be perfected in order to develop a system ~~for the subsequent period~~ which can operate without quotas; Amendment 1073 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 48 48. Is aware of the importance of the second pillar, in view of its environmental, social, economic, modernisation and structural improvement achievements, but also for attaining political objectives, which should also benefit farmers; calls therefore for second- pillar measures to be better suited to their objectives, so that the effectiveness of ~~growth~~measures relating to growth of the rural economy, employment and climate ~~measures~~ and measures for the benefit of rural areas can be increased; considers that, in this context, particular attention should be devoted to assisting young farmers; considers that, in order to guarantee the competitiveness, efficiency and modernisation of the EU's less developed rural areas, the EU’s convergence regions should receive support; considers that, in order to improve the competitiveness, efficiency and modernisation of the EU's less developed rural areas, special attention should be devoted, and more financial support provided, directly to the EU’s convergence regions; considers that the criteria for allocating EU rural development funds should be reviewed and that objective (up-to-date, uniform and recent) criteria should be laid down which characterise the current situation such as farmland, gross added value, NATURA 2000 areas, woodland and GDP (measured in terms of PPS per capita); Amendment 1257 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 57 57. Observes that there is a need for action with regard to national tax law applicable to farms, especially in the case of young agricultural workers, in order to distribute the tax burden more evenly over a period of years; source: PE-460.935
8	2011/2108(INI) Honeybee health and the challenges for the beekeeping sector 2011/08/31 AGRI 8 amendments... Amendment 70 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to promote the setting up of appropriate national surveillance systems and to develop harmonised standards at EU level to allow comparison; stresses the need for uniform identification and registration of bee hives, whose operation should be funded by means of support payments to beekeepers for bee colonies who have submitted a statistical overview of the number of bee colonies, quantitative and qualitative indicators and bees’ health; Amendment 75 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the establishment of the EU reference laboratory for bee health, which should focus on activities not covered by existing expert networks or national laboratories, and should involve them, increasing the human resource capacity and funding of existing networks of experts and existing laboratories and synthesise the integrated knowledge stemming from their research; Amendment 79 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Stresses the need to support diagnostic laboratories and field tests at a national level and points out that overlaps in funding should be avoided and that beekeepers and their organisations should be involved in carrying out field tests; Amendment 83 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on the Commission to set up a steering committee, together with representatives of organisations in the beekeeping sector, which will assist the Commission in establishing the annual work programme of the EU reference laboratory; Amendment 93 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Calls on the Commission actively to encourage a greater degree of information- sharing among Member States, laboratories and beekeepers on ecotoxicological studies and other factors affecting honeybee health so as to make possible informed, independent scientific scrutiny and create a single database; Amendment 171 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Calls on the Member States to make it possible to acquire higher-education qualifications in plant protection knowledge for use in agriculture for all students pursuing specialisms in agriculture and science; Amendment 200 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 29. Calls on the Commission to provide significantly more financial resources for the beekeeping sector, particularly measures to support beekeepers, and to encourage the development of joint projects, and on the Member States to provide technical assistance for the beekeeping sector; calls on the Commission to provide a safety net or a common insurance system for apiculture in order to mitigate the impact of crisis situations on beekeepers; Amendment 210 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 30. Calls on the Commission to strengthen and develop the agri-environmental measures specific to the beekeeping sector, in the spirit of the new EU Biodiversity Strategy, and to encourage farmers to engage in agri-environmental measures in order to support ‘bee-friendly’ grasslands on field margins, and the planting of nectar-bearing trees in tree-felling areas after trees have been harvested and to employ special crop rotation and variation; source: PE-469.980
7	2011/2114(INI) Farm input supply chain: structure and implications 2011/10/18 AGRI 7 amendments... Amendment 31 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas on average 42 % of total water supply in Europe is used by agriculture (Greece 88 %, Spain 72 %, Portugal 59 %) and whereas costs of irrigation, channelling of water in wetland regions and drainage have substantially increased as a result of freshwater depletion and are expected to rise further due to climate change; Amendment 72 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital N N. whereas crop rotation and the basic principle of crop production1 should be included in ‘greening’ measures as part of CAP reform with regard to its significant contribution to climate change mitigation and the potential for reducing the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides; 1 Translator’s note: this translation is uncertain: there is a grammatical problem in the original, of which we have unsuccessfully sought clarification. Amendment 116 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls on national and European competition authorities to address robustly the dominant position of agribusiness traders and input companies, and to consider proposals for anti-trust legislation; calls on them to make it legally permissible for producer organisations – if they fulfil transport, storage and other specific requirements – to obtain products directly from the producer; Amendment 152 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to help generate new revenue for farmers by facilitating the integration of energy produced from renewable farm sources into private and public energy systems and grids, as farmers are involved in the production of bio-energy in the most direct way as owners of land, water and forests; Amendment 193 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support efforts to maintain the use of farm saved seed in EU farming in view of its significant economic and environmental benefits and contribution to agro-biodiversity; calls, in order for this to be successful, for support, in selection research projects, for the breeding of varieties which retain their characteristics in the long term; Amendment 222 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Calls upon the Commission to work, as part of the CAP reform and the Water Framework Directive, towards better irrigation and water drainage and storage systems for agriculture, to include ~~both~~ improving water storage capacities in soils ~~and~~, water harvesting in dry areas and water drainage in moist areas, as a way of reducing the use of fresh water and also as a precaution against changes in rainfall patterns due to climate change; Amendment 227 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Calls for greater support for training farmers in water management, drainage and irrigation, including practical tools for water storage and measures to prevent nutrient losses or salinisation and paludification, as well as improved water pricing and water administration schemes at local and regional level, in order to reduce input costs in the long term; source: PE-473.999
11	2011/2196(INI) Future of regional airports and air services in the EU 2012/07/02 TRAN 11 amendments... Amendment 5 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. Recalls the goals of the Transport White Paper, particularly that by 2050 the majority of medium-distance passenger transport should go by rail; Amendment 13 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the connectivity offered by aviation to EU regions, citizens and businesses is unique and cannot be replaced; whereas Europe’s airports provide a network of 150 000 city pairs, while Europe’s high-speed trains provide a network of about 100 city pairs;deleted Amendment 43 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to take a balanced approach in future revisions of aviation guidelines in order to provide for a socially and economically viable development of regional air services, taking into account the environmental impact of air transport; Amendment 69 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Acknowledges that capacity management is not the same at ‘slot coordinated’ airports as at ‘slot non- coordinated’ airports; is of the opinion that there is plenty of spare capacity to be utilised at many regional airports and that, by using that spare capacity, congestion and stacking at major airports can be reduced ~~and the environmental impact minimised~~; Amendment 95 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes the need for better integration between modes of transport, as well as the fact that traffic share must be determined by the market, provided that it operates under uniform conditions with regard to combined transport and the environment, including complete internalisation of external costs; urges the Commission to come forward with a communication encouraging industry to develop multi- modal through ticketing between the rail and air sector; points to the fact that schemes of this kind are already in operation, such as the ‘rail and fly’ tickets being offered ~~by certain carriers in Germany~~in more and more countries; Amendment 110 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Notes that the cost of implementing security measures at smaller regional airports is proportionally higher than at major airports, which benefit from economies of scale; believes, in this connection, that costs should be more evenly shared between passengers, and airports ~~and general taxation~~; Amendment 116 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Recalls that the EU directive on airport charges4 only covers airports with more than 5 million passengers and/or the biggest airport in each EU Member State; ~~suggests that the proposal on aviation security charges should take the same approach and that airports with less than 5 million passengers should have security paid out of general taxation;~~ believes that an assessment of the impact on small and medium-sized airports should form a core part of any review of the relevant directives; Amendment 118 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Urges the Council to adopt a position on aviation security charges ~~and believes that more stringent security measures should be paid for out of general taxation, as aviation security is a matter of national security~~; Amendment 125 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Urges the Commission and Member States to ensure that the development of regional airports is limited to the absolute minimum, i.e. that it is neither hampered nor promoted at the expense of the development of more sustainable modes of transport such as rail and water transport; Amendment 128 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Strongly believes that major regional airports with consistent year-round traffic should be included in the TEN-T Core Network, especially those with high- volume connectivity with third countries and intra-European traffic and those regional airports which can serve to relieve bottlenecks;deleted Amendment 136 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Considers the development of regional airports to be a priority in regions where connections using other modes of transport are lacking; source: PE-480.772
8	2012/0366(COD) Tobacco and related products: manufacture, presentation and sale. Approximation of Member States legislation 2013/05/07 AGRI 8 amendments... Amendment 132 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 1. Member States shall require manufacturers and importers of tobacco products to submit to their competent authorities a list of all ingredients, and quantities thereof, used in the manufacture of the tobacco products by brand name and type, as well as their emissions ~~and yields~~, yields and a complete toxicological description. Manufacturers or importers shall also inform the competent authorities of the concerned Member States about all their tobacco products available on the market if the composition of a product is modified affecting the information provided under this Article. Information required under this Article shall be submitted prior to the placing ofn the market of a new or modified tobacco product. In relation to each additional substance, manufacturers or importers shall submit complete analysis findings, using the latest technologies, which show that they do not contain toxic, carcinogenic or addictive substances. The list must be supplemented with information on ingredients both during and without combustion, indicating all possible effects on the health of consumers, including addictiveness. Amendment 157 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 6 – paragraph 3 3. In case the experience gained in the application of paragraphs 1 and 2 shows that a certain additive or a combination thereof typically impart a characterising flavour when it exceeds a certain level of presence or concentration the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to set maximum levels for those additives or combination of additives that cause the characterising flavour.deleted Amendment 164 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 6 – paragraph 5 5. Member States shall prohibit the use of ~~flavouring~~additional substances in the components of tobacco products such as filters, papers, packages, capsules or any technical features allowing modification of flavour, taste or smoke intensity. Filters and capsules shall not contain tobacco. Amendment 169 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 6 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 Member States shall, based on scientific evidence, prohibit the placing on the market of tobacco products with additives (including paraffin, wax, fat, sugar, starch and cocoa) in quantities that increase in an appreciable manner at the stage of consumption the toxic or addictive effect of a tobacco product. Amendment 173 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 6 – paragraph 9 9. In case scientific evidence and the experience gained in the application of paragraphs 7 and 8 shows that a certain additive or a certain quantity thereof amplify in an appreciable manner at the stage of consumption the toxic or addictive effect of a tobacco product the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to set maximum levels for those additives.deleted Amendment 249 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 12 – paragraph 2 2. Prohibited elements and features may include but are not limited to texts, symbols, names, trade marks, figurative or other signs, misleading colours, inserts or other additional material such as adhesive labels, stickers, onserts, scratch- offs and sleeves or relate to the shape of the tobacco product itself. Cigarettes with a diameter of less than 7.5 mm shall be deemed to be misleading. Amendment 315 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 18 Article 18 Nicotine-containing products 1. The following nicotine-containing products may only be placed on the market if they were authorised pursuant to Directive 2001/83/EC: a) products with a nicotine level exceeding 2 mg per unit, or b) products with a nicotine concentration exceeding 4 mg per ml or c) products whose intended use results in a mean maximum peak plasma concentration exceeding 4 ng of nicotine per ml. 2. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to update the nicotine quantities set out in paragraph 1 taking into account scientific developments and marketing authorisations granted to nicotine- containing products pursuant to Directive 2001/83/EC. 3. Each unit packet and any outside packaging of nicotine-containing products below the thresholds set out in paragraph 1 shall carry the following health warning: This product contains nicotine and can damage your health. 4. 3. The health warning referred to in paragraph 3 shall comply with the requirements specified in Article 10(4). In addition, it shall: a) be printed on the two largest surfaces of the unit packet and any outside packaging; b) cover 30 % of the external area of the corresponding surface of the unit packet and any outside packaging. That proportion shall be increased to 32 % for Member States with two official languages and 35 % for Member States with three official languages. 5. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to adapt the requirements in paragraphs 3 and 4 taking into account scientific and market developments and to adopt and adapt the position, format, layout, designand rotation of the health warnings.deleted Amendment 321 # Alfreds RUBIKS Proposal for a directive Article 18 a (new) Article 18 a Nicotine-containing products and products which are used in the same way as for tobacco-smoking may only be placed on the market if they were authorised pursuant to Directive 2001/83/EC. source: PE-510.614
2	2012/2031(INI) Protection of animals during transport 2012/05/06 AGRI 2 amendments... Amendment 101 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Believes that in relation to the weak and ineffectual system of monitoring compliance with the conditions of animal transport in Member States it seems expedient to consider the creation, ~~in Member States, of specialised monitoring institutes that woul~~within existing Member State institutions, of specialised departments that would carry out enhanced monitoring of compliance with provisions governing the protection and welfare of animals, including conditions for the transport of animals; Amendment 220 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls on the Commission to carry out an analysis of the transport of animals, performing economic calculations broken down by the type of exploitation of animals concerned, and paying particular attention to the influence of the transport of young animals on the EU meat market and the economy of the EU as a whole. source: PE-486.028
16	2012/2043(INI) EU Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2012-2015 2012/04/04 AGRI 16 amendments... Amendment 27 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 ~~1. Welcomes the broad Animal Welfare Strategy for the EU in 2012–2015;~~deleted Amendment 31 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Deplores the fact that the proposed Strategy does not apply to wild and exotic animals held as property (for example, by zoos, as domestic animals, for entertainment), given that the number of birds and other exotic animals in the European Union amounts to 75 million; Amendment 67 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Calls for a report on stray animals recommending concrete solutions and including the evaluation of a system for the registration and the electronic identification of pets, to be added to the list of actions;deleted Amendment 78 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. To ensure that the Council’s debate on the welfare of cats and dogs is extended to include all domestic animals; Amendment 79 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take necessary measures to educate stakeholders about the requirements for the keeping of wild animals in order to prevent illegal trade in wild animals to private persons and to improve the welfare of wild animals in captivity; considers that legislation on the care responsibilities of animal owners has to be encouraged and, where appropriate, developed, laying down that individuals, breeders and pet shops selling animals must provide the potential owners with detailed information on the specific physiological, behavioural and environmental needs of the relevant species and all relevant legal requirements and require the purchaser to have adequate experience and be equipped to provide care prior to any purchase; Amendment 84 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission to actively and continuously improve animal welfare regulations in the framework of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation (EC) No 338/97 (as amended), in order to ensure that best practice with regard to animal welfare is taken into account as a high priority for all trade in live animals from the moment they are affected by human activities associated with this trade, including long-term care at the point of destination; Amendment 86 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Recognising the development of global standards for the transport of animals by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which will improve animal welfare standards in tourist resorts around the world, urges the Commission to introduce policies to protect the welfare of animals used in other sectors and avoid any adverse effects on animals, ensuring that their specific needs are met. Amendment 92 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. To advise the Member States to ensure assessment of all state and local government ombudsmen and veterinarians who are involved in zoo inspections and regulation; where necessary, to provide them with the respective regular training on the care and welfare of captive wild animals; considers that zoo inspectors must assess welfare and environmental conditions and consult on how to improve poor conditions in practice; Amendment 93 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Recommends the Member States to ensure that all zoo employees in charge of animals are trained, experienced and qualified in animal care and animal husbandry; Amendment 94 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 c (new) 7c. Recognising that the European Commission has to develop a Code of Practice for zoos, following the EU Zoo Inquiry 2011, recommends that an independent scientific body should draw up standards specific to species for the keeping of wild animals in zoos, based on the natural environment; considers that a high level of animal husbandry must be ensured, and that recommendations on the subject should also include guidance on environmental enrichment; Amendment 95 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 d (new) 7d. To encourage the Member States to require all zoos to adopt, develop and constantly improve environmental enrichment programmes, based on best practice, aimed at providing better environments for all animals in captivity under the care of the zoos; moreover, to develop a code of ethics and animal welfare policy to ensure that all activities, such as movement of animals, do not cause animal suffering or endanger the public; Amendment 137 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls on the Commission to adopt an EU strategy for developing alternative testing methods, without using animals, in the context of revision of EU legislation (for example, in respect of food and feeding permits) and in the context of new technologies (such as cloning) in order to guarantee compliance with these new regulations on animal testing; Amendment 140 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Considers that the European network of reference centres must provide relevant, high-quality, professional and consistent support to the Member States and other stakeholders regarding best practice in relation to animal welfare; Amendment 141 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. To encourage all Member States to ensure that all animals in captivity benefit from high animal welfare standards after the adoption of animal welfare quality standards, developed by the European network of reference centres for animal welfare; Amendment 159 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Recalls that the Parliament considers that such a Framework Law should be based on validated science and proven experience and cover all kept an~~imals, as well as~~d abandoned animals, including stray animals of domesticated species; Recalls that the Parliament has called for the Animal Welfare Quality project to be further developed as regards its simplification and practical application; Amendment 161 # Alfreds RUBIKS Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Believes that a Framework Law, closely associated with OIE definitions and recommendations, would strengthen the competitiveness of EU animal keepers owners and livestock producers in the international market, as it would also help to ensure fair competition in the internal market ;deleted source: PE-485.896

Alfreds RUBIKS on

Activities

Term 7 14.07.2009 / ...

All references link to europarl.eu

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

2013-05-03

Groups/0/Organization	changed	Old Confederal Group of the European United Left New Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left
Groups/0/role	changed	Old Nordic Green Left - Member of the Bureau New Member of the Bureau
active	changed	Old New True

2013-05-02

Committees/0/end	added	9999-12-31
Committees/0/start	added	2012-01-19
Committees/1	added	end 9999-12-31 committee_id TRAN start 2012-01-19 role Substitute abbr TRAN Organization Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committees/2	added	end 2012-01-18 committee_id AGRI start 2009-07-16 role Member abbr AGRI Organization Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committees/3/end	added	2012-01-18
Committees/3/start	added	2009-07-16
Constituencies/0/end	added	9999-12-31
Delegations/0/abbr	deleted	DCAS
Delegations/0/end	added	9999-12-31
Delegations/0/start	added	2009-09-29
Delegations/1/abbr	deleted	DSCA
Delegations/1/end	added	9999-12-31
Delegations/1/start	added	2009-09-16
Delegations/2	added	Organization Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia role Member end 2009-09-28 abbr None start 2009-09-16
Groups/0/Organization	changed	Old Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left New Confederal Group of the European United Left
Groups/0/end	added	9999-12-31
Groups/0/role	changed	Old Member of the Bureau New Nordic Green Left - Member of the Bureau
Groups/0/start	added	2009-07-14
RSS	added	http://www.europarl.europa.eu/rss/mep/alfreds.rubiks/en.xml
active	changed	Old True New

2012-11-05

2012-09-27

2012-08-05

2012-07-09

2012-07-06

2012-04-02

2012-03-09

2012-02-10

Committees/0	added	Organization Agriculture and Rural Development role Member abbr AGRI committee_id AGRI
Committees/0	deleted	end 2014-01-31 committee_id AGRI start 2009-01-14 role Member abbr AGRI Organization Agriculture and Rural Development
Committees/1	added	Organization Transport and Tourism role Substitute abbr TRAN committee_id TRAN
Committees/1	deleted	end 2014-01-31 committee_id TRAN start 2009-01-14 role Substitute abbr TRAN Organization Transport and Tourism
Constituencies/0	added	country Latvia party Politisko partiju apvienība "Saskaņas centrs" start 2009-07-14
Constituencies/0	deleted	country Latvia end 2014-01-31 start 2009-01-14 party Politisko partiju apvienība "Saskaņas centrs"
Delegations/0	added	Organization Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia role Vice-Chair abbr DCAS
Delegations/0	deleted	start 2009-01-14 role Vice-Chair end 2014-01-31 abbr DCAS Organization Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia
Delegations/1	added	Organization Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees role Substitute abbr DSCA
Delegations/1	deleted	start 2009-01-14 role Substitute end 2014-01-31 abbr DSCA Organization Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees
Groups/0	added	Organization Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left role Member of the Bureau groupid GUE/NGL
Groups/0	deleted	Organization Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left role Member of the Bureau end 2014-01-31 groupid GUE/NGL start 2009-01-14
Staff/0	added	Organization European Parliament role Member abbr PE
Staff/0	deleted	start 2009-01-14 role Member end 2014-01-31 abbr PE Organization European Parliament

2012-01-21

Addresses	added	Brussels Phone +322 28 45649 Fax +322 28 49649 Address Building Bât. Altiero Spinelli City Bruxelles/Brussel Office 06F158 Zip B-1047 building_code ASP Street 60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 Organization Parlement européen Postal Eiropas Parlaments Rue Wiertz Altiero Spinelli 06F158 B-1047 Brisele Strasbourg Phone +333 88 1 75649 Fax +333 88 1 79649 Address Building Bât. Louise Weiss City Strasbourg Office T05002 building_code LOW Street 1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman Zip2 F-67070 Organization Parlement européen Zip1 CS 91024
Birth	added	date 1935-09-24 place Daugavpils
CV	added	Mechanical engineer, Riga Polytechnic Institute (1957-1963). Leningrad higher party school, politician (1978-1980). Shift foreman, electrical engineering plant in Riga (1954). Military service, Soviet Army (1954-1957). Engineer and technologist, head of technological office, electrical engineering plant in Riga (1957-1960). Minister for Local Industry of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1982-1984). Employee, Latvian Communist Youth Organisation; Secretary, Central Committee, Riga City Section of the Latvian Leninist Communist Youth Movement (1962-1968). Deputy head of department, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party (1969-1976). First Secretary, District Committee of the Latvian Communist Party, Leningrad District of the City of Riga (1976-1982). First Secretary, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party; member of the Politburo, Central Committee, Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1990-1991). Member, Central Committee of the Latvian Communist Party (1981-1991). Chair, Latvian Socialist Party (since 1999). Vice-chair, Saskaņas centrs alliance of political parties (since 2005). People's deputy in the City of Riga, Leningrad District of the City of Riga (1976-1984). People's deputy; chair, Riga City Council of People's Deputies (1984-1990). People's Deputy of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1980-1991). Member, Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1985-1991). People's Deputy of the Soviet Union (1990-1991). Member, Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia (1991-1992). Member of the Latvian Parliament during its 5th parliamentary term (1993-1997). Chair, Committee for the Defence of the Constitution and Citizens' Rights and the Preservation of Society, Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic and Soviet Union (1990-1991). In detention (1991-1997). Sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment 'for activities directed towards the violent overthrow of State authority in the Republic of Latvia'. 1997: early release from prison. Three orders of the Soviet Union and two medals, two honours awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Meritorious industrial worker's award of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Committees	added	end 2014-01-31 committee_id AGRI start 2009-01-14 role Member abbr AGRI Organization Agriculture and Rural Development end 2014-01-31 committee_id TRAN start 2009-01-14 role Substitute abbr TRAN Organization Transport and Tourism
Constituencies	added	country Latvia end 2014-01-31 party Politisko partiju apvienība "Saskaņas centrs" start 2009-01-14
Delegations	added	start 2009-01-14 end 2014-01-31 role Vice-Chair abbr DCAS Organization Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia start 2009-01-14 end 2014-01-31 role Substitute abbr DSCA Organization Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees
Gender	added	M
Groups	added	Organization Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left end 2014-01-31 role Member of the Bureau groupid GUE/NGL start 2009-01-14
Mail	added	alfreds.rubiks@europarl.europa.eu
Name	added	aliases RUBIKS rubiks alfredsrubiks RUBIKSAlfreds Alfreds RUBIKS alfreds rubiks rubiksalfreds AlfredsRUBIKS RUBIKS Alfreds rubiks alfreds full Alfreds RUBIKS sur Alfreds family RUBIKS familylc rubiks
Photo	added	http://www.europarl.europa.eu/mepphoto/96988.jpg
RSS	added	http://www.europarl.europa.eu/rss/mep/alfreds.rubiks/en.xml
Staff	added	start 2009-01-14 end 2014-01-31 role Member abbr PE Organization European Parliament
UserID	added	96988
active	added	True
assistants	added	local Abeltina Nina Burlaks Ingars JURKANS Janis MOLOCKOVA Galina PERSIS Udo accredited PESEHONOVS Anatolijs

assistants/local/0	changed	Old Abeltina Nina New ABELTINA Nina
assistants/local/1	changed	Old Burlaks Ingars New BURLAKS Ingars

Committees/0/Organization	changed	Old Agriculture and Rural Development New Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committees/1/Organization	changed	Old Transport and Tourism New Committee on Transport and Tourism
Staff	deleted	Organization European Parliament role Member abbr PE

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