Brussels, 16/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - At their meeting on Thursday 15 December, EU27 agriculture ministers were split over planned changes to the common agricultural policy (CAP). Some countries said measures were needed to boost innovation and competitiveness, while others said there should be payment for the public good and environmental protection. Countries like Germany, France, Luxembourg and Finland challenged the European Commission's definition of “favoured zones”.
A number of countries criticised the complicated nature of changes suggested by the Commission for the second pillar of the CAP, in other words rural development. EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos said, however, that the new system is flexible. Hungary, Spain, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany, Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Malta, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Ireland said that rural development should mesh with the EU structural funds and that member states' “performance” should be taken into account when deciding how much EU funding each member state should receive every year.
The Belgian, Spanish, French, Latvian, Italian and Greek agriculture ministers said that no firm opinions can be expressed until the Commission provides more detailed information on the breakdown of rural development funding for 2014-2010 (a total of €101.2 billion at 2011 prices).
Danish Agriculture Minister Mette Gjerskov hoped that the EU's rural development policy would focus on preserving the environment to the benefit of the public, because the EU was suffering a “green crisis” in addition to an economic crisis. Sweden called for half of all rural development funding to be spent on protecting the environment.
The member states were divided over the suggested risk management measures, particularly the scope of the measures. The lower percentage of funding suggested by the Commission was problematic for many. (LC/transl.fl)