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Read the two bodies’ positions in the links on the right
Farm lobbyists outline reform of CAP visions
TWO of the nation’s leading agricultural bodies, the NFU and the CLA, clashed over their plans to reform the CAP after 2013 last week. Here both talk exclusively to Farmers Guardian about how they wish to shape future policy.
Debate over the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013 has begun in earnest.
Currently close to £50 billion of EU money is poured into European agriculture annually, 70 per cent of which is spent on direct payments.
But with new global and environmental demands on the sector and the imminent discussion over the EU’s financial outlook for 2014-2020 (where the budget will come under intense pressure) the time has come to plan a reformed CAP.
What will be the role and function of direct payments? Do farmers still need income support? Should all payments be linked to the provision of public goods? How much money should go to farmers in Eastern Europe?
The European Commission is currently working on its Communication (effectively a White Paper) trying to answer these fundamental questions on the future CAP. The paper is due out towards the end of this year.
Positional jostling
And although the full legislative proposal is not expected until summer 2011, governments and industry bodies across the EU are jostling for position and doing all they can to shape the initial proposals.
With that in mind, farm policymakers up and down the UK have sharpened their pencils to outline their ideas on how best to spend the EU’s multi-billion pound agriculture budget.
The CLA was first out of the blocks last week, announcing its decision to form an alliance with the RSPB to push policymakers to divert more direct payments into rural development and environmental schemes.
The CLA, with a membership of 36,000 and the RSPB, with a membership of over one million, will form a strong voice in Europe and William Worsley, president of the CLA, outlines the joint vision (see adjacent story link).
The NFU, with a membership of 55,000, has a reputation for having one of the most effective lobby teams in Brussels and will be making its voice heard too.
The union was unhappy with the CLA vision, which it said could undermine food security, and Peter Kendall, NFU president, also outlines his vision (also see adjacent story link).
| When? | EU Budget | Future of CAP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st half of 2010 | Review paper | Internal discussions |
| 2nd half of 2010 | Financial Perspectives Communication due | Communication due |
| 1st half of 2011 | Financial Perspectives legislative proposals (June/July) | Future of CAP legislative proposals (June/July) |
| 2nd half of 2011 | Discussion between institutions | Discussion between institutions |
| 1st half of 2012 | Discussion continues–political agreement at June EU Summit? | Discussion continues–political agreement at June EU Summit? |
| 2nd half of 2012 | Final legal agreement December 2012? | Final legal agreement December 2012? |
| 2013 | Agreement on implementation of regulations? | Agreement on implementation of regulations? |
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