Minister tells EU CAP’s the limit

ANY world trade agreement that requires a further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy would amount to a broken promise, Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan warned the National Forum for Europe yesterday.

She told the forum in Dublin that such a development would undermine confidence in a key European policy.

Now more than ever is not the time to undermine such policies, as confidence in the European Union has been rocked by recent negative constitution votes in France and the Netherlands, she said.

Ms Coughlan stressed that the 2003 reforms of the CAP are the limit of the EU negotiating position.

“I want to make it clear that I am not prepared to sacrifice agriculture,” she said.

Ms Coughlan confirmed that she will attend the WTO ministerial trade conference, which begins in Hong Kong in less than two weeks.

Ms Coughlan said she will be taking a very active role in pursuing an outcome which is the most beneficial for Irish and EU agriculture, while recognising the need to deliver for the least developed countries.