Brussels, 14/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - At the third meeting of the extended consultative group on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos announced, on Monday 14 October, that an information campaign on the new CAP was to be launched (http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-for-our-roots/index_en.htm ).
Making the most of the EU's diversity, by means of a common policy, “is one of the main priorities of the reform”, said Ciolos at the group meeting. He noted that, in line with the agreement on the reform of the CAP, direct aid will be shared more effectively among the member states, the regions and the farmers. Historic references will disappear. Member states will have a package of tools to enable them to tailor the level of direct aid to the reality within their borders. To frame these decisions, a number of compulsory criteria have been agreed at European level: minimum convergence objective, targeting active farmers and an ambitious policy of support for young farmers.
In addition, complementary tools will be available to allow direct aid to be adjusted at local level, particularly for less favoured areas and vulnerable production (coupling) and so “enhance the competitiveness of all our farms”, Ciolos said. Tools will be there, too, to better target certain categories of farm, which are very important for the fabric of local agricultural life. These are principally the small farm generalised overview, the option of “first hectares” redistribution (additional payment for first hectares), reduction of aid above a certain level (degressivity) and the option of capping payments.
Strengthening the position of farmers in the food chain. New tools are needed, the commissioner says, to allow farmers to have their place on the market, so that they are not reduced to simply being passive figures, for example on price volatility. These new tools will not be centralised or bureaucratic. Professional and interbranch organisations will be encouraged to play a central role, with new rights. It is, he says, an opportunity not to be missed.
In the dairy, beef, cereals and olive oil sectors, these organisations will be able to negotiate sales contracts on behalf of their members and thus make efficiencies. At European level, there will be more responsive tools to address crises.
A crisis reserve will be set up, with a widespread emergency clause. This clause will mean that there will no longer be the frantic search for a proper legal base when a crisis hits but, when the time comes, everything will be ready to go. In addition, the Commission will have the power to authorise producers to manage the amount of produce marketed in times of crisis or real risk of crisis. Of course, Ciolos said, more work will be required on this and continued discussion will be needed on new tools that the Commission can activate in times of serious crisis, particularly for some sectors.
Better use of natural resources. In budgetary terms, a third of direct aid (greening of agricultural aid) and a third of rural development programmes will see investment in the environmental sustainability of European agriculture. “The European agricultural industry as a whole will take on the long-term environmental dimension in its means of production, around simple measures and genuinely equivalent measures. This is a deep change of mindset: the CAP will not just impose sanctions. It will offer real tools to encourage and improve production methods”, the commissioner concluded.
At the meeting of the extended consultative group, the Commission outlined the main outcomes of the reform and clarified certain issues. This was useful for the Commission, as DG AGRI is in the process of preparing the regulations on the reform of the CAP (our translation throughout). (LC/transl.fl)