Battle under way to protect Irish farmers’ CAP payments post-2013

THE battle is already under way in Europe to protect the high level of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to Irish farmers for the period 2013-2021.

Ireland East member of the European Parliament Liam Aylward said negotiations have already begun concerning how the annual EU budget, valued at €130 billion a year, will be spent during the next financial perspective covering that period.

Mr Aylward, a member of the agriculture committee in the European Parliament, said these budgetary negotiations will conclude in Europe 2011.