NGO warns of devastating effects of CAP on bird populations 

In a communiqué issued on 19 January during the Agriculture Green Week (known as 'Grýche' in Germany) in Berlin, environment NGO BirdLife International warned of the devastating effects it believes the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is having on bird populations. "Birds, it says, are an excellent barometer of the health of the wider environment".

According to a study by BirdLife, the numbers of 24 widespread farmland birds across Europe have dropped on average by more than 30% since 1980 as a result of intensive farming. The decline, it says, has been most severe in north-west Europe - traditionally the EU's most intensive farming area - with rates reaching as much as 88 per cent according to the species observed. "In fact, it says, this has been so marked you can pick out the outline of the CAP imprinted on the distribution map" of given bird species.

The study also reveals that, in acceding countries, where the CAP has not yet made its influence felt, decline rates are significantly lower. It therefore urges the EU to put the environment at the heart of its farming policy and acceding countries to take the necessary measures to preserve bird species.