Brussels, 17/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - Most EU agriculture ministers agreed on Monday 17 May that the second pillar of the common agricultural policy (CAP) was more able than the first (direct aid and market expenditure) to respond to the issue of improving gender equality in rural areas. Several member states said that equal opportunities were already ensured under the first pillar given that all farmers, whether male or female, received the same level of premia.
A number of ministers pointed out that there already exist measures which seek to boost the work of women in country areas, especially under the second pillar of the CAP (rural development). Some countries cited the example of the LEADER programme which promotes the role of women. If the EU were, in future, to take measures under the CAP, the second pillar would be more apt since it provides greater flexibility and has more instruments to tackle the issue of gender equality, most delegations agreed. The Spanish Presidency suggested, for example, increasing various aid schemes, such as start-up aid for young farmers, when the young farmer is female.
Some Southern and Eastern EU states suggested positive discrimination for women under the CAP, while others, from among the older member states, took the view that this issue should be approached at overall economic level, and not necessarily at agricultural level. Catherine Spelman, the new UK environment, food and rural affairs minister, noted that there are proportionately more wage earning and self-employed women in country areas than in towns.
The Spanish Presidency said that gender equality was one of the founding principles of EU law and one of the EU's policy priorities. The Presidency intends to highlight the role of women in rural areas as a key element of the social fabric, diversification of the rural economy and preservation of the environment, while acknowledging that their current situation can sometimes be insecure. (L.C./transl.rt)