Commission mulling over new CAP deal before launch later this year

Posted by Bronwen Maher on January 31, 2011 at 10:56 AM

With much of my Leinster constituency being made up of rural, agricultural land, I have made sure to keep a close eye on negotiations for the new Common Agricultural Policy (beginning 2014) over the last 18 months.

In that time I've been to at least a dozen seminars, conferences and workshops in the European Parliament on the make up of the new CAP. One of the most striking details of these seminars is that they have been hosted by members of almost all political groups across the board- European Greens, Liberals, Socialists and Conservatives, and Jim Nicholson MEP of the Ulster Unionist Party, who is often aligned with the right-wing groups, hosted one of the most interesting seminars on the subject.

Every MEP with a rural constituency has a close interest in these negotiations, no matter what the political hue. To their continuing credit, the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU have also been very active on the subject, regularly distributing information sheets and organising seminars to keep MEPs up to date.

For those who aren't familiar with the CAP, a few key points- the CAP was a key element of the establishment of the EEC (EU), and in it's first few decades regularly took up over 70% of the EU budget. In 2009 it took up 42% of the budget, so it continues to dominate spending. Early on it focused on securing food security while giving farmers a stable wage and keeping prices low for consumers. These days, it concentrates most on a 'single farm payment' to farmers, which pays farmers a set amount, rather than paying them depending on output, which led to huge stockpiles in the 1980s.

There are several problems with the current CAP. These include huge subsidies for the wealthiest farmers, large landowners benefitting when their agricultural output is often quite low (golf courses often qualify for funding), and not enough emphasis on environmentally responsible, low-carbon farming practices.

The European Commission has already published a communication on CAP reform, and will publish its draft legislative proposals in the middle of this year. Member-states will then spend 18 months debating the deal, which will come into affect in 2014.

The problems mentioned will certainly be addressed, and there is a strong feeling that spending on CAP could unfortunately also be greatly reduced- perhaps to about 35% of the annual EU budget or so. In any case, the seminars, conferences and workshops will not stop; and EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos has a big job on his hands reaching an agreement over the next 24 months.

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