Ifa’s Cap Campaign Focuses on Role of Meps in Final Outcome
IFA President John Bryan will engage in an intensive round of discussions with the rapporteurs from the main groups in the European Parliament and Irish MEPs next week, as IFA’s campaign on CAP Reform intensifies.
“The Parliament will have an important role in this CAP Reform as it has been given co-decision for the first time. We expect our MEPs to reflect Irish concerns in the forthcoming discussions and pursue an outcome that does not damage our growth prospects and supports farming.”
The key MEP rapporteurs include Luis Manuel Capulot Santos on direct payments, Michel Dantin on market supports and Giovanni la Via on simplification. John Bryan will also meet the Chair of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee Paolo de Castro.
Meanwhile, IFA officers are holding meetings with the Irish Members of the European Parliament as part of the Association’s campaign to secure an outcome on CAP Reform that works for Irish agriculture and supports productive farmers.
They will be lobbying MEPs to ensure the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney builds on the work of last month’s Farm Council meeting and holds out firmly against the Commission proposals on flattening and regionalisation.
John Bryan said the focus must remain on delivering a positive deal for Ireland, and the next three months would be critical. The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney must ensure no further cuts are conceded in the trilogue discussions with the European Parliament and the European Commission. “The recent Farm Council meeting achieved crucial flexibilities for Ireland, which include approximation, variable greening and coupled payments. IFA’s position remains that there should be minimum re-distribution over the longest timeframe, with objective criteria to target payments to farmers who have increased their production”.
He said, “The next phase, involving the European Parliament and the EU Commission, will be equally important, particularly in terms of maintaining the flexibilities secured to ensure Ireland can apply the right payment model for our farmers in the final deal”.
