Brussels, 22/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - A press release published by the French department of agriculture on Friday 18 March stated that Ireland has welcomed the Franco-German position for a strong common agricultural policy (CAP) beyond 2013, which reflects “most of Ireland's concerns”. This press release provides a report on the meeting in Paris between Bruno Le Maire, the French minister for agriculture, and his Irish counterpart, Simon Coveney.
This comes as no surprise. The two countries wanted a CAP with a budget capable of funding its goals. They will help develop a pragmatic method for distributing the budget between member states on the condition that this is both “fairer and sustainable from a budgetary position”.
France and Ireland consider that member states should benefit from a certain degree of flexibility for allocating direct aid. This flexibility should take into account regional conditions and the specific nature of farming in each country. The continued greening of direct aid must also involve a simple method of application for farmers and the appropriate authorities and should not engender any further costs.
The two countries agree on the importance of market management measures, “which should be more efficient and more reactive”. According to Ireland and France, it is necessary to examine possibilities for extending measures envisaged by the Commission for the milk markets, to other sectors.
With regard to difficulties in the bovine meat industry, Bruno Le Maire and Simon Coveney are carefully scrutinising trade negotiations with Mercosur countries. The two countries state that, “European agriculture cannot be used as a variable adjustment in trade negotiations”. At the end of their meeting, the two ministers decided to launch “an open initiative to evaluate the positive contribution of extensive beef rearing in Europe and the global struggle against climate change.” (L.C./transl.fl)