WRITTEN QUESTION E-0066/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(23 January 2002)

Subject: Position of the presidency of the Council with regard to the reform of the CAP

The priorities announced by the Spanish presidency do not include the reform of the CAP, which requires a decisive boost in 2002, in particular, in view of the important role to be played by rural development and food security, with measures which may affect the EU budget, a large proportion of which is currently devoted to agricultural policy.

The reform of the CAP may in particular affect regions such as Galicia, which the questioner represents in the EP, and whose agriculture needs effective measures to help overcome the trend towards desertification of the countryside and ensure the development of cattle breeding, currently suffering adverse effects, in particular because of a system of milk quotas which are clearly inadequate for the potential of the Galician countryside. What general expectations does the Council have regarding the reform of the CAP and, in particular, the agricultural budget and the issue of milk quotas?

Reply

(22 July 2002)

The Council's priority aim in the agriculture sector is the consolidation of the European agricultural model in accordance with Agenda 2000.

Concerning the mid-term review of the CAP provided for in the decisions taken in connection with Agenda 2000, the Council awaits proposals from the Commission during the first half of 2002. In this perspective, an initial policy debate on the review is scheduled for the Council meeting in June 2002.

The Presidency will devote the informal meeting of Ministers for Agriculture in Murcia (27 to 30 April 2002) to a preliminary discussion on the future of the CAP and on rural development.

With regard to the budgetary questions, the Berlin European Council has set up a financial framework which runs until 2006; it decided that the agriculture guideline would be re-examined, where appropriate, on the basis of a report from the Commission to the Council before the next enlargement, in order to make any adjustments which may be deemed necessary.

Concerning milk quotas, the Honourable Member is reminded that the quota arrangements have been extended to the end of the 2007/2008 marketing year for guaranteed quantities. Five Member States Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) had the benefit, for the 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 marketing years, of a specific increase in quotas for quantities.

In order to protect agricultural incomes in the milk sector following the lowering of intervention prices by 15 % in three stages, planned to take place from 2005, a system will be introduced involving aid which will increase over a three-year period. This aid will also be increased in three equal instalments to reach 17,24/t in 2007 and will be supplemented by a payment from the EU financial allocation granted to the Member States, also to be increased over three years, from 2005 to 2007. The Council has undertaken to carry out, on a basis of a Commission report, an assessment with a view to the expiry, after 2006, of the present quota system.

As part of the mid-term review of the CAP, the Council will take due account of all relevant factors when examining the proposals which the Commission intends to submit to it and on which the Council will seek the Opinion of the European Parliament.