Murcia, 30/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - Although some representatives from the Member States' "Enlargement" working group at the Council have criticised certain aspects of the draft common position for candidate countries on agriculture, Commissioner Franz Fishchler declared on Monday, during an informal Agriculture Council fringe meeting, that the EU was "still on schedule" for concluding negotiations on this chapter before the end of the year. "For the instant, I have no reason to change anything" on the proposals, Mr Fishchler said before adding that he saw no alternative to the European Commission approach (and which had been accepted by most Member States). Mr Fishchler underlined that more and more candidate countries considered the Commission proposals acceptable, when they look at them as a whole.
During last week's meeting of the Council's "Enlargement" group, the British, Swedish and Dutch delegations again demonstrated their opposition to the principle of introducing direct aid to new Member States before 2006. These countries believe that the Commission strategy (25% of direct aid in 2004, 30% in 2005, 35% in 2006) could see the financial perspectives ceiling for the 2000-2006 being over-reached. Germany has indicated that Member States should not be obliged to take a decision on the issue of direct aid as long as the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) remains to be clarified. Denmark, which will soon be assuming the EU Presidency, stood side by side with the Commission in supporting its approach. Italy and Spain, supported by France, were worried by the competitive advantages candidate countries have in the fruit and vegetables sector.