Fischer Boel: Committee will have crucial role in agriculture via treaty

AFTER the August break, it was back to work in Brussels yesterday “batteries fully charged and sleeves rolled up” for European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

The first item on her agenda was a meeting with the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the first to be held since the European elections.

Ms Fischer Boel, writing in her internet blog, said she always found it vital to maintain good working relations with the European Parliament.

“Even if we don’t agree on every single point, their opinions and reports have often provided us with real substantial input to our efforts to make the Common Agricultural Policy an effective tool to help farmers face future challenges and opportunities.

“However, as a politician I must confess that one of the things I appreciate the most is the frank and open-minded exchange of views at the centre of any parliamentary debate. This is where you really feel and see the power of a representative democracy that is alive and kicking.

“I know some of you may think: yes but the parliament still has no legislative power over the CAP. That is correct and is something I deeply lament.

“This will hopefully change in the near future – provided of course that the Lisbon treaty is ratified by all member states.

“If one doubts that the Lisbon treaty is a step in the right direction, the increased democratic legitimacy that follows from giving full co-decision powers over the CAP to a directly elected parliament should prove that we are going down the right path,” she said.

Ms Fischer Boel said if everything goes well, the 42 members in the committee will have a crucial role to play in helping to guide the future direction of agricultural policy.

“They represent a wide variety of political opinions. They come from countries with very differing farming structures and varied needs,” she said.

Ms Fischer Boel said she hoped the first meeting of the committee after the European elections would be a good occasion to get a feel for what the members think about farming and the CAP.