EEB

Press Release

Environment ministers slammed on CAP

20th December 2011

Environment ministers have been slammed by EEB for attempts to water down conclusions on environmental aspects of the common agricultural policy (CAP) at yesterday’s Council meeting.

Ministers also failed to clearly insist on a major budget increase for the LIFE Fund, with the UK minister even trying to weaken an already ambiguous compromise text.

The LIFE programme supports environmental projects throughout Europe and has been the single most effective EU fund to help achieve environmental goals says EEB. However, despite its success, it now looks set to continue to receive a meagre 0.3% of the total EU budget.[1]

EEB was disappointed to see that early versions of the Council’s conclusions, which showed a stronger stance on how a greening of the CAP should take place, were vehemently opposed by the German minister.

“The timidity of environment ministers when it comes to securing a share of the EU budget for an instrument that is actually shown to deliver on objectives is deeply disturbing,” said EEB Secretary General Jeremy Wates.

“This is all the more frightening if you compare it to the agricultural ministers’ strong defence of the common agricultural policy budget, a fund which absorbs almost half of the EU budget with little demonstrable benefit for the public,” continued Wates.

According to the EEB, for the LIFE instrument to fulfil its aims a five fold increase would be more appropriate.

The resource efficiency roadmap was welcomed in principle by ministers but they remained vague and cautious about the policy tools that would be necessary to achieve its political ambition.

The EEB will therefore call on the European Commission to lead in the follow up to this roadmap and on ministers to be supportive when these come out, notably on the question of targets and indicators.

Notes to editor

[1] Life currently has a budget of EUR 2 143 million (or ca. 0.2% of the 2013-2017 Budget). The proposal of the Commission “A Budget for Europe 2020” (the MFF proposal) increased the LIFE to EUR 3 618 million (or ca. 0.3% of the planned 2014-2020 Budget), however 25% of it will now be ring fenced for climate action (which was not the case under the previous period). Therefore for non-climate related environmental action there is only 2,713 million provided, representing 0.25% of the planned 2014-2020 Budget, which is far below the increase to 1% as required by NGOs.