Mid-Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy — 12 Feb 2003 at 20:16

I beg to move,

That this House takes note of European Union documents No. 10879/02, Commission Communication on the Mid-Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy, No. 10896/02, Commission working document containing a report on milk quotas and No. COM (03) 23, draft Council Regulations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; supports the Government's objective, to work for a sustainable Common Agricultural Policy which contributes to prosperous rural areas, enhances the natural environment, and provides high-quality, safe food and high animal welfare standards, a fair and competitive environment for farmers and better value for money for taxpayers and consumers; welcomes the European Commission's proposals on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, in particular the proposals to decouple payments from production, to move from production-linked subsidies to wider agri-environment and rural development measures, and for further market reform, while lessening the adverse impact on trading opportunities to less-developed countries; but regrets that the proposals in several areas did not go further, that they include a complex and potentially unfair mechanism for transferring funds towards agri-environment and rural development measures and, on dairy reform, that they do not meet the requirement of the Berlin agreement that there would be a mid-term review 'with the aim of allowing the present quota arrangements to run out after 2006'.

I beg to move, To leave out from "Policy" in line 5 to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

"recognises the need for a substantial recovery in farm incomes from the present low base to a level at which UK farmers are earning sustainable and competitive returns; supports the objective of achieving prosperous rural areas, an enhanced natural environment and provision of high-quality, safe food and high animal welfare standards; welcomes the European Commission's appreciation of the need to reform the Common Agricultural Policy, which absorbs half the EU budget, and recalls Government failures in this regard; further welcomes the proposals to decouple payments from production, and for further market reform; but has deep reservations about the effects of the current proposals on UK agriculture and recognises that the British people are increasingly hostile to a system that penalises both UK taxpayers and farmers; believes that dairy regime reform should provide greater opportunity for the UK dairy sector to add value to their product through producer-based processing; notes that the Commission proposals involve a potentially unfair mechanism for transferring funds towards agri-environmental and rural development measures; and urges the Government to use all the means at its disposal to ensure that these proposals are redrafted in the interests of UK farmers and consumers."

Question put, That the amendment be made:-

The House divided: Ayes 141, Noes 258.

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |