Brussels, 21/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - Members of the European Parliament's agriculture committee have attempted to exploit the weaknesses of the Czech presidency and the way in which it intends to lead the debates on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and negotiations with the EP in the spirit of codecision, despite the uncertainties over the Lisbon treaty. During the second half of 2008, Michel Barnier, the French minister of agriculture, initiated EP codecision on the CAP health check and the fruit in schools distribution programme.
Petr Gandaloviè, the Czech minister of agriculture, presented the Presidency's work programme for the next six months. He emphasised, first of all, the fact that the decision on the “CAP health check” in November 2008 had been the result of a compromise (the Czech Republic abstained during the vote on the health check package). The Czech minister said that “all of us have had to accept things we would have preferred not to and give up ambitions that we would have wished to have been realised”. Adopting a pragmatic approach, he added that without a compromise there would be no agreement, “the spirit of compromise is at the heart of the European project and the Czech Presidency is committed to that spirit and to that project”.
Two important themes in the health review will be pursued under the Czech Presidency: the future of direct payments (the possibility of developing the direct payments system and the different level of payments in member states was mentioned) and simplification of agricultural legislation. Other priorities Mr Gandaloviè referred to were integration into the Single Common Market Organisation of wine; revision of the support scheme for less-favoured areas; updating of food distribution programme for most deprived persons in the Community; review of EU policy on agricultural product quality; forestry; poultry marketing standards; health policy for reared animals; animal protection at the time of slaughter and killing; protection of animals used in research; protecting animals during transport, food safety and vegetable health; Codex Alimentaris and phytosanitary measures.
Lutz Goepel (EPP-ED, Germany) called on Mr Gandaloviè to say how he intended to develop a CAP that is both non-discriminatory and efficient. He also asked him what he thought of co-funding of agricultural spending by member states. Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos (PES, Portugal), said that he hoped that the Czech Presidency would preserve the spirit of codecision initiated under the French Presidency. The MEP expressed concern about how the Presidency would lead the debates on the CAP when the Czech Republic defends a very liberal vision on the matter. According to certain documents, the Czech Presidency is in favour of cutting aid in the CAP first pillar (support to farmers and market measures) and increasing funding in the second pillar (rural development). Friedrich Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf (Greens/EFA, Germany) affirmed that “we are strongly in favour of codecision”. He also asked when the Czech Republic would ratify the Lisbon Treaty.
Peter Baco (Non-attached, Slovakia) sought to reassure members of the EP and explained that the Czech Republic had brilliantly transformed a sector based on collectivisation towards one geared towards the market. Baco said that they ought to use this experience “in the interest of everyone”.
In reply to these and other questions, the Czech minister for agriculture asserted: the Czech Republic will do all in its power to act as appropriately as possible with all the other member states. It will seek a compromise and solutions that benefit all farmers; national co-funding for agricultural spending should not be raised - if it were, the CAP would be competing with the different national budgets; “insofar as is possible” the Czech Presidency will be consulting the EP on agricultural issues and allow it to take its rightful place in negotiations. “We will prove (together with the EP) our spirit of openness and maximum cooperation”; the CAP must be efficient, applied by all countries and accepted by citizens. Mr Gandaloviè said that he hoped to obtain an agreement in June on the future of the CAP - a CAP that is justifiable to both society and tax payers. (L.C./transl.rh)