CAP: MEPs refuse to fix a broken model

Press Release

CAP: MEPs refuse to fix a broken model

PRESS RELEASE

[23rd June 2011, Brussels] - The European Parliament voted today on its reaction to the European Commission’s plans for a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a policy that currently consumes 40% of the EU budget. EEB reacted with disappointment to the vote which they qualified as ‘a refusal to fix a broken model’.

They point out that the report is contradictory and unclear with most of the improvements proposed being rejected. For the first time, MEPs have equal say on the policy with agriculture ministers and the European Commission, who previously made decisions behind closed doors.

Faced with volatility in the food markets, severe weather events, land grabbing and degradation of natural resources, EEB said MEPs failed to come up with a vision for a transformed CAP which would offer the tools needed to tackle these challenges. A large group of NGOs wrote to MEPs earlier this week calling on them to ensure they support an ambitious, fair and green CAP reform [1].

“It seems vested interests continue to dominate over more sensible demands from the public for their money to deliver public goods,” said EEB’s Faustine Defossez.

“MEPs still have the chance to tackle one of the great social and environmental challenges of our time, but they will have to make the right choices next time.”

EEB argued that the CAP as a whole needs to be greened, not only one particular area. Only this way can the degradation of our ecosystems from unsustainable farming be reversed and the natural resources we need for Europe’s food security be protected.

EEB warned that without a package which ensures all farmers adhere to sound agro-economic practices Europe will be left with an out-dated and weak policy which would leave taxpayers paying twice: once for the agricultural subsidies and a second time to remedy the damage they trigger. EEB also said the CAP must be closely linked to other related policies, such as the Biodiversity Strategy.

The MEPs’ support for the second pillar sends a clear message to the Commission that this part of the CAP needs to be secured and well funded, but the Parliament’s failure to offer concrete tools with a better redistribution of the funds to sustainable practices means the Commission must go ahead with its Communication and transform its proposal for a greening of the CAP into meaningful legislative proposals.

The day before the vote NGOs launched a new publication “The Truth behind the CAP: 13 reasons for green reform“ in the European Parliament.

A vote on moving to a 30% reduction target due today was postponed till July.

Contact:

Faustine Defossez, EEB Agricultural Policy Officer, +32 (0) 2 790 88 14 faustine.defossez@eeb.org

Editors notes:

1. Open letter to MEPs: In view of the Plenary vote on the Dess report on the 23rd of June

and press release: http://www.eeb.org/EEB/index.cfm/news-events/news/ngos-call-on-meps-for-ambitious-agriculture-reform/

Spanish version of the fact sheets "La verdad en torno a la PAC: 13 razones para una reforma verde" available here.