Watson - We need to stand by CAP reform (Forest of Dean Liberal Democrats)

Forest of Dean Liberal Democrats <hdalziel@cix.co.uk>

Watson - We need to stand by CAP reform

November 20, 2008 11:22 AM
Originally published by Sir Graham Watson MEP

Local MEP Graham Watson has today said that his European parliamentary colleagues need to stand firm on the notion of real reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Proposals by the European Commission would see an increase in decoupling measures that seek to break the link between production and subsidy which in the past has lead to 'food mountains' as farmers are paid to produce unneeded food. The proposals would also see a transferral of money between the three pillars of the CAP, with more payments going towards rural development than towards production.

However, amendments voted on in the Agricultural Committee in the Parliament have sought to curtail the Commission's plans, with a scaling back of decoupling measures as well as a far smaller increase in milk quotas than the Commission proposed as a way of gradually phasing out the scheme by 2015. Members of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats Group, of which the Lib Dems are part, on the Committee opposed the amendments but were outvoted due to a coalition between the Socialist Group and the European People's Party, of which the Labour and Conservative MEPs are part of, respectively.

Speaking today Graham said that it was vital that the Parliament does not retreat from the goal of trade liberalisation, but instead allows for a proper health check that will seek to create a fairer, more free-market CAP:

"The Commission's proposals are, in general, very good ones, as they seek to uphold the free trade values that form the bedrock of why the EU was founded. It is deeply unfortunate that many of those MEPs on the Agricultural Committee have sought to undermine this stance in favour of short-sighted panic legislation.

"Measures such as decoupling will, in general, help farmers, both in the UK and the rest of Europe, as it breeds greater diversity of products and an end to over production. We do of course have to be careful to ensure that smaller areas, such as the hill farming sector, are given a smooth transition towards a free agricultural market, but the principle of decoupling should be at the forefront of the CAP health check.

"We cannot afford more years of government-led trade distortion, which undermines the liberalisation agenda and will ultimately be bad for farmer's rights across Europe. Acting now to curtail wasteful production, complicated payment schemes and pointless quotas will mean a more productive, more profitable farming industry in future."