EU farm ministers meet to decide on Fischler’s proposals

EUROPE’s 15 farm ministers meet today in Luxembourg to decide on the most radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy since it was established more than 40 years ago.

Wholesale changes to the CAP, which will swallow nearly half of the EU’s 100 billion budget this year, are proposed by Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler.

Dr Fischler seeks to overhaul the distribution of agricultural funding by shifting aid from market production to rural development, quality production and support for better environmental standards.