Boel welcomes UK vision of future

OMINOUSLY, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has welcomed the British vision of the end of the Common Agricultural Policy, “as a basis for longer term deliberations.”

She said, “There will be full debate on the future direction of the CAP, before the end of the current budget period in 2013. And we have already programmed a health check for the reforms in 2008 to 2009. At that time, we would welcome contributions from all member states.”

Other member states will produce similar plans between now and 2008, the due date for the EU Budget review, when the UK is likely to lead calls for cutting farm spending and, instead, diverting cash to modernisation of Europe’s overall flagging economy.