COPA concern over South America
President Peter Gaemelke who was speaking at the end of a two-day COPA Praesidium at the RDS, with the IFA as hosts, again expressed concern about the commission’s latest offer to eliminate export subsidies.
“This deal would inevitably mean a reduction in European farmers’ share of their domestic markets in core sectors such as cereals, meat, dairy, sugar as well as cutting off EU farmers from the potential growth in bio fuels,” he said.
Mr Gaemelke also accused the commission of trying to conclude a preferential bi-lateral deal with the strongest agricultural exporters in the world, such as Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, known as the Mescosur group.
COPA called on the Irish EU presidency to do everything to avoid a deal with Mercosur that would put the CAP in danger.
“We want a successful outcome to the WTO negotiations and one which confirms the legitimacy of the CAP and gives farmers stability for the future,” he said.
IFA president John Dillon said no other country or region in the world has done as much as the EU to reform its agricultural policy. European farmers were told the Agenda 2000 and Luxembourg decisions were necessary to prepare Europe for the next WTO round.
Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh said a line must be drawn at this point.
