EU agri spend ‘must not be cut’

THE European Parliament struck the first blow in the battle over the EU’s budget when it told member states they had to increase the money or forfeit policies.

Ireland will be happy with the fact the MEPs agreed that agricultural spending — the biggest expense in the EU’s €120 billion budget — must not be cut over the coming seven years.

The parliament said the budget must be increased by at least 5% just to meet the EU’s extra work under the Lisbon Treaty and the economic development of the Europe 2020 programme.