Brussels, 06/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - At the 2010 Congress of European Farmers, which ended on Wednesday 6 October, Copa (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations) and Cogeca (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives) approved a declaration highlighting the need for a strong Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to cope with the new challenges of extreme market volatility and climate change. (see EUROPE 10229).
The two agricultural organisations are worried after hearing suggestions that the Commission is considering a further greening of the CAP, to bring more costly, environmental regulations into the first pillar (direct aid and market spending) of the CAP. Copa and Cogeca say they fully support safeguarding the countryside, but believe that the best way to achieve this is to ensure farmers have an economically viable situation with fair incomes. Copa-Cogeca say in a press release that they believe, therefore, that enhancing the farmers' economic role should be at the heart of the new CAP. (L.C./transl.rt)