Barnier stressed the need for "balance" and "reciprocity" in the negotiations, insisting that even if some member states like the UK could cope without agriculture, "this is neither my analysis, nor my conviction".
European concessions at the WTO "have been systematically snapped up by our partners, without any compensation," he pointed out, echoeing recent statements by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
At an EU summit in June, the French President heavily criticised Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, saying his proposals to advance the Doha Round of global trade negotiations would decrease Europe's agricultural productivity by 20% and related exports by 10%. Underlining the social consequences, he said this would imply "100,000 jobs lost". "I will not let that happen," he said.
The French EU Presidency has placed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) among its top priorities, with territorial cohesion and sustainable development among its main objectives.
"Our ambition is indeed to open, during the informal ministerial meeting of agriculture ministers [on 21 September], a debate on the orientations of the CAP after 2013," Barnier told EurActiv France. He added that his ambition for the meeting was "not to make proposals but to ask questions on which we could deepen our exchanges". He mentioned the current international context of rising commodity prices, growing risks from changing climatic conditions and safety demands from consumers among factors shaping this debate.
"And one should not forget food insecurity, which is becoming a question of security for our planet," Barnier pointed out, referring to food riots which erupted around the globe in April.
One of France's suggestions will be to create an EU system to protect farmers from risks such as climate change and sanitary crises. Part of the monies would be taken from farmers' EU benefits in order to ecourage them to sign up to insurance schemes.
Regarding the Commission's proposed CAP 'health check', the French agriculture minister lambasted the proposals, which according to him "remain in the logic of previous reforms which were marked by the progressive dismantling of intervention tools and the decoupling of aid" to farmers.
"[The Commission] is betting that farmers will be able to respond to market signals." However, he said "the current situation shows the limits of the market rules in agriculture."
Even though most member states are not opposed to reforming the CAP as of 2013 to make it more compatible with the WTO, their views diverge on the terms of the reform. The Czech Republic, which will follow the French at the EU's helm in January 2009, will start negotiations over the CAP's future budget as of 2013. Most, including the Czechs, are willing to reorientate aid to rural development and provide less subsidies to exports but France is leading the opposition to those calls.
When it comes to the polemic on fishing quotas currently pitting France against the Commission, Barnier indicated that he agreed with the EU on the preservation of resources. Yet in his view, the EU executive's announcement of fishing closures was too early as it took place two weeks before the set date. Thus he underlines: "I failed to understand and I said so. I'm waiting for the Commission to provide me with the figures that motivated its decision."
To read the full interview on the EurActiv France website (in French only), please click here.
