The position of the European Parliament in favour of relaunching common agricultural policy reform (see this column yesterday) has considerable implications on other aspects of European activity - financial perspectives, trade policy and environmental policy. The trade aspect is the most complex and sensitive question because of its obvious implications for relations with third countries. The Parliament has not neglected this aspect and in a few cases it has taken a hard line by basing its expanded powers not just on agriculture but also on the trade domain.
Opening up the borders to Brazilian products? I am specifically referring to the parliamentary debate on the launch of negotiations for the creation of a free trade zone between the EU and Mercosur. In practice, the majority of the EP is opposed to the total opening up of the European market to agricultural products from Brazil, when Brazilian producers are not subject to the same rules that are in force in Europe. The Parliament (as well as agricultural organisations) claims that Brazil's line is protectionist and they are demanding that imported agricultural products respect the same standards as those governing European food production. If these standards are necessary for the quality of products, environmental protection and animal welfare, why should they not also apply to imported products? The MEPs who contributed to the debate during last Thursday's plenary session (EUROPE 10177) are not making this into a trade issue; what is at stake for Europe is fair protection of agriculture, on which the quality of food, environmental protection and regional balance depend. There is also another difficulty involving Argentina. Some of the country's measures considered protectionist are being disputed. These divergences have not prevented the formal relaunch of EU/Mercosur negotiations (see our publication yesterday) but negotiations do not mean that an agreement is in sight. We will see to what extent the EP's concerns are taken into consideration.
The European commissioner for trade, Karel De Gucht, pointed out to MEPs that with regard to EU exports and investments, Mercosur is more important than China, Russia and India altogether. On another occasion, he explained that if the EU wanted to conclude the Doha round, it would not be able to rule out a number of additional agricultural concessions with regard to measures supporting production. Cuts should be made to the CAP in the area of export subsidies: the EU must not prevent subsidies for development and agricultural production elsewhere in the world, especially in developing countries.
Protection of forests and other aspects. The European Parliament's new vision, based on its new powers with regard to the importance of agricultural activity, also has other implications on the EU's external relations, even in areas that are not part of the CAP such as the ban on importing illegally felled wood by destroying forests. This ban does not come into force until 2012 but the Parliament/Council agreement has been obtained and the European market will soon be closed to one of the main causes of deforestation in the world.
The war against counterfeiting and strengthening rules on transparency regarding the origin of products directly stem from the CAP. Discussions and sometimes polemic are in no short supply in this connection. In Italy, the farmers' body (Coldiretti) has organised random maritime and land border checks in an effort to identify and condemn current abuses involving the origin of products and infringements to rules on the indications of these origins. The same concerns are shared by farming organisations in other member states. Several third countries, particularly China, have been denounced but certain abuses also involve Community countries (including Italy itself). The European Parliament has already voted on strengthening current standards with a view to making indications of origin and country obligatory for meat, fruit and vegetables and several dairy products. Farmers' organisations are calling for the same rules to be applied to cheese, pasta (compulsory indication of origin for wheat), olive oil (origin of the olives), fruit juice and certain pork products.
Conclusion: the battle for quality food and keeping agricultural activity in Europe has considerable repercussions on relations with third countries and on the Doha round. The position taken by the European Parliament suggests that it will be very vigilant.
(F.R./transl.fl)