Cautious reaction to EU plans on CAP reform

Irish MEPs have raised concerns that EU plans to overhaul the Common Agricultural Policy could impact negatively on Ireland. Unveiling the proposals in Brussels last week, Agricultural Commissioner Dacian Ciolos claimed they would make EU farm policy “greener, fairer and more efficient”, however there are fears that this process could result in losses for Irish farmers.
Independent MEP Marian Harkin criticised what she said was an ‘over emphasis on environmental issues’ and a suggestion in the report that the EU could make concessions to the Mercosur countries in the next World Trade Organisation agreement. “This could pose a potentially devastating threat to Ireland’s livestock industry,” she said.
A statement from the Labour Party worried that moved to bring more equity to the distribution of direct payments to member states would ‘most likely’ lead to a significant reduction in ‘the overall envelope’ to Ireland.
Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness said while the report notes the imbalance of power in the food supply chain with the food industry benefiting at the expense of farmers, “it puts little forward to address this problem”.
“These proposals are a start, only a start,” said Ms McGuinness, adding that “We need to know what the EU is prepared to pay for this highly diversified, territorial agriculture which is talked of.”