Parliament adopts report calling for CAP budget to stay at current level

THE European Parliament yesterday took the first step on the path to reforming the Common Agriculture Policy post-2013.

It adopted a report by Scottish Liberal Democrat member George Lyon that strongly endorses the maintenance of the CAP budget at current levels post-2013.

However, Ireland East Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness said the distribution of the Single Farm Payment, as people in Ireland know it, found little support among Parliament members.

“This vote on the Lyon report re-enforces the Parliament’s support for the continuation of the CAP, including the need to maintain an adequate budget for the policy.

“This is vital for food security in the EU, for farm incomes and for securing the provision of public goods to society including environmental protection, bio-diversity, climate change and animal welfare,” she said.

Ms McGuinness said the biggest challenge now is to ensure there is adequate funding for the policy post-2013. “For Ireland this is a major priority, given the importance of the single farm payment in providing income support to farmers.”

Munster Labour MEP Alan Kelly described the report as positive for farmers, but warned they must be prepared for change. The vote demonstrates that the Parliament fully believes in the future of CAP.

“We must always bear in mind that there are many opponents of the CAP. However, it clearly has a democratic mandate and the parliament will defend it,” he said.

Mr Kelly said the report demonstrates that the CAP should be budgeted adequately and maintained at current levels.

“While I have reservations about how the budget is used, trying to maintain it at current levels is positive news for the farming community,” he said

Mr Kelly said the most important signal for Irish farmers is that the report moves the direct payment away from the historical calculation method.

“I hope that Irish farmers heed this. We don’t want to isolate ourselves when it comes to these negotiations.

“As someone who will defend the Irish farming community with everything I have, I am concerned that Irish farmers do not seem ready to move away from the historical system,” he said.

Munster Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly urged the Commission to bring forward policies to encourage young people into agriculture.