1. Welcomes the Commission Communication entitled "Tackling the challenges in Commodity markets and on raw materials" (COM(2011)0025) and in particular its broad focus on raw and recovered raw materials from mineral resources and biotic resources, its emphasis on resource efficiency and recycling, and its recognition of the importance of urban mining as a valuable source for retrieving, i.e. re-use, upcycling and recycling raw materials, and its determination to look at all three pillars of this broad challenge, namely assuring a fair and sustainable supply of raw materials from international markets, fostering sustainable supply within ...[+++]the EU and promoting resource efficiency and recycling; notes that recycling often results in downgrading the value of the material, and that more focus should be given to the upcycling of materials which would render a higher value to the retrieved material; points out the potential of re-use as a separate category, to extend the life of products and urges the Commission to develop re-use notably through its ecodesign and waste policies; regrets, however, the lack of proposals for concrete measures by the Commission and cautions that, without such measures, the stated goals are not likely to be reached;

2. Underlines that speculation on agricultural commodities affects the poor the hardest; recalls, in particular, that fluctuation of prices has negative macroeconomic effects for food importing countries, whose balance of payments deteriorates, and such fluctuation additionally worsens their level of indebtedness; recalls also that many developing and least developed countries rely heavily on the export of raw materials or agricultural commodities to earn foreign exchange; takes the view therefore that unregulated trade in derivatives represents a serious threat to both security and agricultural production that needs to be addressed;

7. Considers that the replacement of non-renewable raw materials with new products consisting of fine chemicals and a large variety of degradable materials offers new opportunities for farmers and helps the European agricultural sector to comply with WTO obligations; believes that research and development can find ways to improve wood and fibre structures and create new possibilities for renewable products, replacing non-renewable raw materials; is of the opinion that the impact of biotechnology on the economics of production of and ...[+++] trade in agricultural products must be assessed in a broad manner, including the possible effects on non-biotech agri-food production and on the economics of current and future non-food production such as biomass and biofuels, bio-degradable packaging, medicinal products, etc.

In the development of sectoral policies likely to exacerbate or reduce soil degradation processes, Member States shall identify, describe and assess the impacts of such policies on these processes, in particular in the areas of regional and urban spatial planning, transport, energy, agriculture, rural development, forestry, raw material extraction, trade and industry, product policy, tourism, climate change, environment, nature and landscape.

They are home to a large percentage of European citizens, a major source of food and raw materials, a vital link for transport and trade, the location of some of our most valuable habitats, and the favoured destination for leisure time.[10] However, the attractiveness of coastal zones is under increasing pressure: coastal resources are depleted beyond their carrying capacity, scarcity of space leads to conflicts between uses, there are large seasonal variations in population and employment, and the natural ecosystems that support the coastal zones suffer degradation.

They are home to a large percentage of European citizens, a major source of food and raw materials, a vital link for transport and trade, the location of some of our most valuable habitats, and the favoured destination for leisure time.[10] However, the attractiveness of coastal zones is under increasing pressure: coastal resources are depleted beyond their carrying capacity, scarcity of space leads to conflicts between uses, there are large seasonal variations in population and employment, and the natural ecosystems that support the coastal zones suffer degradation.