IFA say No to any British reopening of CAP talks

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was urged by the Irish Farmers Association yesterday to tell British prime minister Tony Blair there can be no question of the 2002 decision by the EU heads of Government on the Common Agricultural Policy budget being re-opened.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has indicated that he is willing to negotiate on his country’s EU contributions rebate if talks on the CAP are re-opened. However, France has rejected new talks on that reform.

IFA president John Dillon said Ireland accepted the 2003 CAP deal including decoupling of direct payments on the basis of budget security at least until 2013.