Meeting in Strasbourg on Monday 28 May, most MEPs criticised the cut of 5% (or 15% according to figures retained) proposed in agricultural funding after 2020. On Wednesday 30 May, Parliament will adopt its report on the future of common agricultural policy (see EUROPE 12021).
The rapporteur, Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy), said that the CAP should remain a common policy and that the current proposal aimed at reducing farm funding after 2020 was not acceptable. He was particularly critical of the radical cuts affecting rural development programmes.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan explained that the budget should be analysed in the context of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU. A budget of €365 billion is planned for CAP over the period 2021-2027, and the fall in direct aid is limited to less than 4% (-5% for all CAP expenditure, the Commission states). He pointed out that countries wishing to do so may increase the rate of co-funding for rural development in a way that limits funding cuts within the second pillar of CAP (rural development).
Albert Dess (EPP, Germany) considered his group to be sceptical about the simplification of CAP. He said he feared bureaucracy would be transferred from European level to national level. “The CAP must avoid competition distortion”, he said.
Clara Eugenia Aguilera Garcia (S&D, Spain) objected to any re-nationalisation of CAP spending and called for the farm budget to be kept at the current level. She spoke out in favour of a mandatory cap on direct aid taking employment into account.
James Nicholson (ECR, UK) mainly spoke of price volatility in the sector.
Ulrike Müller (ALDE, Germany) said that, in the case of aid capping for large companies, funding should remain in the farm budget to the benefit of small and medium sized companies.
Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA, Austria) said agricultural prices must be fair. He argued in favour of healthy, environmentally-friendly farming and called for an end to subsidies for industrial farming.
Marco Zullo (EFDD, Italy) was also critical of the funding cuts tabled by the Commission. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)