Brussels, 22/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on Monday 21 March, European Coordination Via Campesina regretted that “by maintaining the grabbing of direct payments by a minority of big farms, the Agriculture Council is turning up its nose at citizens' expectations and repeated warnings from the European Court of Auditors. This weakens the CAP and goes against reform objectives.”
In the conclusions from the Presidency on reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) adopted last week, there is reference to the opposition of several countries to the European Commission's project, which aims to introduce a ceiling on aid to the biggest farms in the EU.
By rejecting the Commission proposal to impose a ceiling on direct payments, member states are doing a disservice to the CAP. European Coordination Via Campesina declares that “it will in fact be difficult to justify to taxpayers that more than three quarters of payments continue to be given to less than a quarter of farms”. The organisation is urging member states to better take into account the situation in agriculture and review their respective positions. Via Campesina calls on the European Parliament not to go down the “dangerous road” taken by the Council and to vote in favour of a significant capping of direct payments, which is “a key condition for fair use of public funds”. (L.C./transl.fl)