Brussels, 21/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The importance of direct payments, ending historical reference periods after the transitional period, capping aid, greening first pillar support subject to conditions: these were the ma in points in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) opinion on the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP). The opinion also called for the percentage of Community budget which has hitherto been reserved to agriculture to be maintained.
In its opinion on the future of the CAP adopted on 16 March, by197 votes to 26, with 17 abstentions, the EESC “agrees with the proposal to stop using historical reference periods as the basis for determining the amount of support”. It proposes that the definition of “active farmer” “should include among its requirements the production and marketing of agricultural products, also through direct local marketing, and the creation of public goods and services of social interest”.
Capping and greening. Like the Commission, the EESC backs the idea of capping direct payments “on the basis of the country's and the specific region's agricultural structure” and “in accordance with a farm's salaried and unsalaried labour intensity”.
The EESC opinion calls on the Commission to clarify its proposals on the planned greening of direct aid and to “consider alternative solutions”. The Committee says: “One suggestion could be to make the greening component of direct payments conditional upon compulsory participation in specific agri-environmental measures with a real impact on the area of land in question, providing the financial incentives fully cover the higher costs and that the bureaucratic processes are minimal”.
On the issue of market management, the EESC “is concerned that existing instruments cannot ensure sufficient market stabilisation”. It considers “an effective post-2013 CAP reform to be impossible without clear indications on decisions taken regarding the scale and make-up of the EU budget”. On this point, the EESC “believes that it should at least be necessary to guarantee confirmation of the budget quota already allocated by the EU to the CAP at this stage”. (L.C./transl.rt)