Fischer Boel offers no sugar sweet plans
She also had to address questions about the future funding of the Common Agricultural Policy, following the failure of the EU leaders to agree a budget, and other contentious matters in the sector.
Ireland’s opposition to the sugar reforms were put directly to the commissioner by Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan and by IFA president John Dillon.
However, Mrs Fischer Boel insisted at a press conference in Moyglare Manor Hotel in Maynooth, Co Kildare, that the Commission proposals aren’t about destroying Irish jobs or the livelihood of Irish farmers.
“My job is to defend European interests. That is why I am proposing measures to ensure that European sugar production has a viable long-term future.
“We simply have to act and act decisively. If we don’t, we are looking at the inevitable demise of sugar production throughout the EU. I truly believe that the measures we are offering to ease the restructuring of the industry are very generous.
“That restructuring process is inevitable. Either we do it now on our own terms with generous restructuring funds, or we will be forced to do it a few years down the line when such financial help won’t be available.”
Mrs Fischer Boel said negotiations will be tough and she knew that Ms Coughlan would be frank with her in expressing Ireland’s concerns at her plans. “If Ireland raises specific problems, then we will do our best to address them during the decision-making process in the Council of Ministers.”
Ms Fischer Boel suggested that beet farmers consider the possibility of going into bio-ethanol, which could help to fulfill the goals of the Kyoto agreement to reduce carbon emissions.
Regarding CAP funding, she said she was very disappointed it was not possible for the EU leaders to reach an agreement on the financial perspectives. There was obviously no political will to solve the problem.
“I was a bit surprised that the CAP was suddenly put on the top of the agenda. In Brussels, in 2002, all heads of state including the UK prime minister decided on this ceiling for agricultural expenditure for the future.”
Mrs Fischler Boel said they would review how it works in 2008 but they have to keep some sort of security for farmers so that they know they can plan.
The commissioner visited the beef farm of Mr and Mrs William Mulally, Graiguesallagh, Maynooth, Co Kildare, and the IFA headquarters in Dublin to mark the association’s golden jubilee.
Mr Dillon told her farmers were dismayed by the attack on the CAP at last week’s EU summit and the attempt to reopen the agriculture spending arrangements for 2007 to 2013.
He also told her the EU sugar reform proposals would destroy the viability of sugar beet growing in Ireland and put 3,750 growers out of business.
Ms Coughlan and the commissioner held bilateral discussions during the day to discuss the sugar reform proposals, the overshoot of the special beef premium and the management of the dairy market.
