Brussels, 08/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - Plans by the European Commission to make common agricultural policy (CAP) direct payments a little “greener” are worrying farmers. “The Commission plans will increase costs even further for EU farmers, threatening their competitivity and economic viability,” warned Pekka Pesonen, Secretary-General of Copa (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations of the EU) and Cogeca (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives of the EU). He said that farmers are already being confronted with more and more challenges, notably extreme price volatility, costly regulations and obligations as well as the fight against climate change. “Whilst addressing some environmental concerns, the plans fail to address the economic problems of farmers. Reinforcing the economic production role of farmers must be central to the future CAP,” he added. He regretted, too, that the plans also lack measures needed to strengthen EU farmers' and cooperatives' position in the food chain and ensure that they get a fairer share of the retail price. “The proposed plans will not improve farmers' catastrophic income situation,” he said.
Contrary to what we said on the reform in edition No 10231, by 2013, spending on agriculture will represent 39% of the total EU budget (compared with 44% in 2007), and not 33% as we said. Suggestions, then, that Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski might be moving to agriculture's having 30% of the total EU budget in 2020 are not in line with the thinking among the staff of European Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloº, unless the overall budget is increased significantly. The Cioloº staff take the view that the current agricultural spending must not be reduced. (L.C./transl.rt)