Farmers dismiss von der Leyen’s CAP funds tweaks as ‘smoke and mirrors’

Europe’s foremost farm organisations on Monday rejected the European Commission’s newest amendments to its proposed ‘single fund’ funds reform, dismissing them as beauty modifications that fail to handle deep considerations over cuts to farm subsidies.

The reform plan – a part of the Commission’s long-term EU funds overhaul – would merge farm and regional subsidies right into a single nationwide funding framework negotiated instantly between Brussels and member states. Farmers, areas, and plenty of MEPs warn that the proposal dangers decreasing funding for agriculture and weakening the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

‘Smoke and mirrors’

“The new ideas introduced by the European Commission over the weekend are purely ‘smoke and mirrors’,” EU farmers’ teams Copa and Cogeca stated in a letter despatched to MEPs on Monday. “The proposal seems to be an try to vary issues with out altering something.”

The amendments had been mentioned at a high-level assembly the identical day between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who’s steering funds negotiations amongst EU nations.

One proposed change would switch a number of articles from the only fund regulation again into the CAP regulation, giving extra energy to the Parliament’s agriculture committee and farm ministers. Another would reserve 10% of the overall funds of nationwide plans for rural funding tasks, on high of the €300 billion already allotted to agriculture.

Disputed figures

Commission officers instructed Euractiv that the extra funding for rural areas can be nearly €49 billion, plus €15 billion in loans – a complete of about €64 billion, narrowing the €87 billion hole with the present funds cycle.

But agricultural suppose tank Farm Europe stated the maths don’t add up. It argues that the brand new plans go away core CAP measures dealing with a 17.6% minimize in contrast with immediately. Despite the modifications, von der Leyen continues to shift the burden of CAP funds cuts onto areas and nationwide governments, the group stated.

(adm, aw)