Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
 Printable version
|
 E-mail this to a friend
|
CAP health check deal a step forward but also a missed opportunity
The agreement reached on the CAP Health Check in Brussels today is a step in the right direction of further reform, but it was also a missed opportunity to speed up the process of change, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said.
"The UK set out its ambitions for the Health Check in April this year, making it clear that cutting the trade distorting nature of the CAP, reducing regulatory burdens on farmers and giving them greater control over their business decisions were paramount.
"The deal today will make progress on these aims by ending half of the remaining coupled payments, bringing the amount of farm payments switched to environmental schemes across the EU closer to the level already applying in the UK, and simplifying the rules for farm payments, including greater flexibility on the rules governing cross compliance.
"However, we have also seen how the CAP creates vested interests which distort things and slow the progress of reform. I share the disappointment of the UK dairy sector at the competitive distortions resulting from today's deal, and given the large amount of money already being spent on farm payments, I could not support the use of unspent funds which should come back to Member States.
"This is a mixed result. On the big items of reform this is a step forward, but I regret what has been conceded in order to secure a deal which will lead to some new distortions in the short term.
"And it means that we will continue to argue the case for reform as the UK has consistently done in Europe as we move on to the EU Budget Review which will start next year. We want to see further changes for the benefit of farmers, consumers and the environment and will continue to press for this."
Notes for Editors:
For more information on the CAP Health Check please visit: http://www.europa.eu
Public enquiries 08459 335577;
Press notices are available on our website http://www.defra.gov.uk
Defra's aim is sustainable development
To subscribe or unsubscribe to Defra's mailing list go to: http://nds.coi.gov.uk
Once on the GNN website see Sign up
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Website
http://www.defra.gov.uk
