Brussels, 10/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday in Brussels, Commissioner Franz Fischler rejected outright the new Polish made in the framework of the accession negotiations. Given that Poland was obliged to set its objectives for direct aid at a lower level, it recently proposed imposing or maintaining customs duties on certain products and transferring funds from rural development funds towards the first pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is set aside for market expenditure. Mr Fischler declared that if the setting up any customs duties became a condition for accession, it could undermine the whole process. Maintaining a tariff system was "100%" against the spirit of the internal market system, the Commissioner added, before recommending that Poland set up a customs system based on the model of the EU. He explained that he did not see how the Commission could support Poland's new approach.
Mr Fischler asserted that the idea of Poland transferring funds from the second pillar to the first pillar of the Common Agricultural Poland (CAP) constituted the antithesis of the strategy defended by Commission services in the mid-term review of this policy. The Commissioner also pointed out that he envisaged a contrary strategy for reducing direct aid pressure on the Community budget. The transfer of these funds, he explained "would not go in the right direction" and would only be of benefit to the big Polish farms. Giving priority to the most well off Polish farmers rather than those who needed a job, "was rather suspect from a social point of view", exclaimed Mr Fischler.