Oxfam under fire over EU claims

OXFAM has been accused by an Irish member of the European Parliament of joining the simplistic “Blair Camp” on the future of agricultural policy and support within the European Union.

Máiread McGuinness was responding to a claim by the agency that the EU, despite a supposed breakthrough reform offer, will not have to reduce the amount of money it pays its farmers by a single euro.

The clash occurred against a background of growing Irish concern that the EU negotiators in the world trade talks, led by Trade Commisioner Peter Mandleston, are losing ground on agriculture at an alarming rate in the run up to the Hong Kong WTO ministerial meeting in December.