Brussels, 15/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 14 January, the Special Agriculture Committee (SAC) reached agreement on the questionnaire to be put to European ministers next week for discussion on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check. The European Commission's communication on this had been adopted on 11 November 2007 and was discussed for the first time by member states during the Agriculture Council of 26 November (EUROPE 9551). Subjects discussed covered subsidy schemes for farmers (simplification of single payment scheme, decoupling and ceiling of aid), subsidy modulation (reduction of aid to strengthen rural development measures), management instruments (intervention, production quotas, etc.) as well as the environment and risk- and crisis-management in the agricultural sector.
The questionnaire will be put to agriculture ministers of EU member states on Monday 21 January. In substance, it contains the following questions: - Does the Council consider that the communication of 11 November correctly analyses the development of the agricultural sector since CAP reform in 2003 and the main challenges to be raised in the future? - Generally speaking, does the Council believe that the level of ambition and the adjustments suggested by the European Commission provide an adequate response to these challenges? - Will the fields of action identified by the Commission allow a better response to be given to health expectations while safeguarding the European model of agriculture?
The Council will hold another debate on this theme in February, before adopting conclusions the following month on the CAP Health Check. This spring, the Commission will present legislative proposals, that it hopes to see adopted by agriculture ministers by the end of 2008. Changes made to the CAP could take effect quite rapidly. (L.C.)