Brussels, 01/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - It came as no surprise to learn that the Spanish Presidency's main priorities in agriculture are the continuing debate on the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP), the competitiveness of agriculture and the agri-food industry, and the role of women in agriculture. Addressing the European Parliament agriculture committee on Wednesday 27 January, Spanish Minister Elena Espinosa called for there to be a strong CAP, with a sufficiently high budget, after 2013. She said that there had to be a safety net, particularly in the dairy sector, and that means had to be found to monitor the implementation of the EU-Morocco agricultural agreement. The situation in which Greek farmers find themselves will be addressed at the meeting of EU agriculture ministers on Monday 22 February, she said.
With the various institutional changes, the EP will have a greater role to play in the decisions taken in agriculture, thereby giving them “more democratic legitimacy” and bringing them “closer to citizens' concerns”, said Espinosa, Spanish Environment, Rural and Fisheries Minister.
“A strong CAP is needed for the future and the EU must not dismantle common policies,” she stated, talking about the first priority, the future of the CAP after 2013. She added that the CAP had to have a high enough budget to “allow it to adapt to new demands from society”. The Spanish Presidency will focus the debate over the next six months on market management instruments and crisis management tools, “key elements for the CAP,” she commented.
The second priority involves measures to boost the competitiveness of agriculture and the agri-food industry. “We want to ensure investment, research and innovation are maintained by extending the diversification of production and winning new markets,” Espinosa said. She highlighted the importance, too, of demanding that products imported from third countries into the EU met the same safety and quality standards as EU products. A further objective was to improve the way the food supply chain works.
In addition to the role of women in agriculture (ways have to be found to ensure gender equality, for example, making sure that women also receive agricultural aid), the other issues that will preoccupy the Spanish Presidency are: the follow-up to WTO negotiations on trade liberalisation, continuing to simplify agricultural legislation (in particular, on cross-compliance of aid), monitoring the milk and dairy products market, and the welfare of animals used for scientific purposes (an agreement on this matter is expected before the end of the Spanish Presidency).
Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spain) warned that “we are going oppose the EU-Morocco farm trade agreement”. She asked the minister if she was planning any steps to amend this agreement and monitor its implementation.
Espinosa said that the agreement acknowledged that there were EU products that were particularly vulnerable and for which specific mechanisms had been put in place to “avoid any disruption of the Community market”. Furthermore, our exports “will have repercussions for production” in Morocco, the minister stated. She said the EU was looking for ways to facilitate export and import checks. Discussions on the agreement would continue through the Spanish Presidency (in the Council and Parliament Special Committee on Agriculture - the SCA). “It may not be concluded under the Spanish Presidency, but if we can improve things on controls, we will do it,” she said.
Answering another question from Herranz García on the future of the CAP, Espinosa said that there would have to be discussion on the idea of co-funding agricultural spending and farmers' incomes insurance systems, but discussion would focus mainly on market management and crisis management instruments. The objective was to avoid problems in future arising from price volatility and agricultural market speculation, was her answer, in summary.
“Can the fact that it provides jobs be used to justify the CAP?” asked Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos (S&D, Portugal). The minister noted that the agriculture was one of the sectors which had lost fewest jobs during the crisis, and she highlighted the need for a fair CAP which can provide solutions to each specific situation.
George Lyon (ALDE, UK) asked the minister how she intended to “draw the lessons” of the dairy crisis. After pointing out that the high level group was giving the issue consideration, Espinosa said that in the dairy sector it was difficult “to match supply and demand”. She went on to say that agriculture and livestock breeding had to have a “safety net” to avoid negative consequences for employment as a result of crises.
Answering a question from Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) on WTO negotiations, Espinosa said, “The Doha Round has to be concluded as quickly as possible. But let us not forget what the new agricultural commissioner (Dacian Ciolos) said”. WTO agreement should be in line with “what we have already done in the CAP”. The minister noted the CAP reforms carried out by the EU, which have to be “explained and defended”, and she said that the EU's partners in the WTO had to “propose exactly the same as we have proposed” on arrangements for liberalising agricultural trade.
“The CAP needs a sufficiently high budget,” Espinosa told Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (S&D, Spain), who was opposed to any funding reductions. Community policies had firstly to be defined before it was possible to see what they represent in terms of the budget, she said.
“The historic parts of the CAP have to be built in and account taken of the contribution agriculture makes to the environment. The EU is largely made up of rural areas, so this has to be taken into account in tackling climate change,” the minister said in reply to a question from Stéphane Le Foll (S&D, France) on building the CAP into the environmental dimension.
In response to José Bové (Greens/EFA, France) about Greek farmers, who are experiencing great difficulty, Espinosa said that the next Agriculture Council (on 22 February) would discuss this issue under “other business”, the aim being, she indicated, to work out “how to resolve the Greek farmers' problems”. (L.C./transl.rt)