The Agricultural Committee in the European Parliament adopted the texts which set position for negotiations with EU member states with regard to the EU farm policy reform. MEPs called in the text for a better redistribution of the EU funding, and making "greening" measures mandatory but flexible and better equip farmers to cope with market challenges.

The Agricultural Committee adopted the European Parliament position for negotiations with EU member states on the EU farm policy reform. This will be the first EU farm policy reform shaped by Parliament as a full co-legislator with member states. Among other things, the committee included a list of entities, such as airports and sports clubs, which should be automatically excluded from EU funding unless they prove that farming contributes a substantial share of their income. Member states could extend or adapt this list. In April 2012, MEPs approved a resolution which indicated that the biodiversity conservation on the EU farm policy reform should be key.

MEPs also pointed out that differences among EU member states in the levels of EU funding that farmers receive should be reduced slightly faster than the European Commission proposed. Under the new rules, no member state's farmers should receive less than 65% of the EU average. Moreover, MEPs endorsed Commission proposals to cap direct payments to any one farm at €300,000, and reduce payments to those receiving between €250,000 and €300,000 by 70%, and payments to those receiving between €200,000 and €250,000 by 40%. Payments to farms receiving between €150,000 and €200,000 would be cut by 20%.

On the other hand, the amendments to the Commission's proposal also include new environment protection rules, which will make 30% of national budgets for direct payments conditional upon compliance with mandatory greening measures, must be made more flexible, according to MEPs. Besides, MEPs stressed that to better equip farmers to cope with market volatility and manage crises but also to strengthen their price bargaining position, producer organisations should be given significantly wider powers and new tools.