Tag: CAP reform

A Parliament own-initiative report on Commission proposals to reform the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) says member states need more flexibility to decide upon direct aid to provide a safety net in the event of a major crisis.

The Commission has presented a series of reform recommendations designed to modernise the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). A tighter subsidy regime and a greater shift of funds from direct payments to rural development support are among the proposals on the table.

Responding to "historically high prices" on the cereals market, the European Commission proposed yesterday (13 September 2007) to let EU farmers use the 3.8 million hectares of land they are normally required to set aside, in a move aimed at boosting grain production.

The Socialist Group in the European Parliament has criticised the Commission for not having anticipated the changes in the world dairy market. But Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel qualifies recent price increases as being the "market in action", beyond EU control.

Further CAP reforms, such as abolishing outdated production quotas, eliminating country-specific arrangements and capping subsidies, will be inevitable in coming years, both to comply with the Commission's Better Regulation Agenda and to obtain a broader societal acceptance of the EU's farm policy. EU leaders have agreed to carry out a "health check" of the CAP in 2008.

In what may turn out to be a last-ditch effort to embellish the British Presidency's record, the UK has announced plans to re-start, on 7 November 2005, the talks on the EU's 2007-2013 financial perspective.

France has failed to limit the mandate of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson at the Hong Kong WTO ministerial summit. Germany has joined the UK in its efforts to cut down EU farm aid.

Speaking at an agriculture event in the UK, Commissioner for agriculture Mariann Fischer Boel defended the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, pointing out that Britain did not veto the CAP deal of 2002.

Overcoming internal disagreements, the Member States have approved the Commission's negotiating approach for a framework for continued trade talks.

An EU offer to make concessions in WTO trade negotiations, notably on agriculture, has received a warm welcome by members in developed countries.

Continued high CAP spending at the expense of cohesion and solidarity with the new countries is unfair, says Slovenian Commissioner nominee Janez Potocnik in an exclusive interview with EurActiv.

A study published by BirdLife International says the Common Agricultural Policy's support to intensive farming has caused a sample of common species to decrease by 30% on average.

Plans to abolish subsidies to tobacco growers came under fire at the EU Agriculture Ministers' meeting on 17 November.

On 29 September, the Agriculture Council approved the first steps of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and started an informal debate on further measures on tobacco, olive oil, cotton and sugar.

The EU's Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler has announced plans to propose new cuts in farm subsidies for olive oil, tobacco, cotton and sugar.

The EU farm ministers discussed problems linked with drought on 22 July amid calls from farmers' organisations to grant immediate assistance to the drought-stricken agricultural sector in Europe.

Leading European farmers', business, consumer and environmental organisations have expressed deep disappointment with the compromise on the reform of the EU's farm policy, announced by the Commission and the Council on 26 June.

Negotiations on the reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have been stalled by French President Jacques Chirac who rejected the Commission's proposals.

The EU farm ministers are expected to reach a deal on reforming the costly Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on 19 June, based on the last compromise offer by Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler.

The EU farm ministers are reconvening in Luxembourg on 17 June to make a second attempt at agreeing on a thorough reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has stated that France and Germany are largely in agreement on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). There are fears that the Franco-German deal will derail plans for a radical reform of European farm policy.

Ahead of the crucial Council meeting on 11-12 June, Oxfam International, WWF and BEUC called for a green and fair reform of the EU common agricultural policy.

Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler said that the Commission and the Member States were broadly in agreement on the CAP reform ahead of the Farm Council on 11 June, where an agreement is due to be reached. The Commissioner told the European Parliament's plenary session on 3 June that the Commission would accept some of Parliament's proposed amendments.

The Agriculture Ministers of the 15 EU Member States will try to make progress towards a compromise on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) at the meeting on 26 and 27 May. The Greek Presidency of the Council, the Commission and most Member States would like the Council to reach an agreement on the CAP reform at its next meeting on 11 and 12 June.